Thanks for this thread!
I remember Sonny Criss's Prestige albums being advertised in Downbeat ("The Giants are still on Prestige!"), but I'd never heard any of them.
Not long ago, I picked up the Complete Imperials cheap from the BMG Jazz Club, thinking that they are probably pretty good because they were issued as a Complete set.
This thread reminded me of that purchase, so I opened it up today and have been listening to the first album's material, which I'm really enjoying.