Terrell Stafford & Dick Oatts with the Temple University Studio Orchestra: Luck Be A Lady

Trumpeter Terrell Stafford and alto saxist Dick Oatts are featured on this lushly delivered collection of material associated with Frank Sinatra. Conducted by Andreas Delfs, the Temple University Studio Orchestra delivers arrangements by Michael Abene of pieces such as “It Was A Very Good Year” and a “Fly Me To The Moon” with textures reminiscent of vintage Gil Evans. Oatts and Stafford are warm on on a read of “I’ll Never Smile Again” and Oatts is particularly pungent on “I Guess I’ll Hang My tears Out to Dry.” The brass gets assertive on “Come Fly With Me” and the strings are desultory on “I’m A Fool To Want You.” Without a vocalist, the material serves as a tribute to the era of Sinatra more than the swagger and attitude, but who would dare try to fill in?

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