Here was a band that must have been a gas to see in concert. Maestro Clark Terry, warm toned on both trumpet and flugelhorn, made a name for himself with Basie and Ellington big bands. For a few years he joined forces with lithe sounding valve trombonist and arranger Bob Brookmeyer and created a pretty hard swinging band. This two cd set features what they could do in front of a crowd, split between gigs at the Half Note in NYC and in London.
The rhythm sections are either Roger Kellaway-Eddie Costa/p, Bill Crow-Joe Benjamin/b and Dave Bailey-Osie Johnson for the NY dates, or an adept pickup team of Laurie Holloway/p, Rick Laird/b and Allan Ganley/dr for the England gig. What you’ve got here is guys that were weaned on the milk of human swingness delivering a mix of blues, bop, Ellingtonia and just enough humor to keep you on your toes. Terry does his patented mumbling vocals on a raucous “Incoherent Blues,” while the bands both rollick on “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” and rumble with sharp elbows on “Straight No Chaser.” A reading of “Stolen Moments” has both brass men glowing in the dark, while everyone gets a chance to stretch a bit on “Just an Old Manuscript.” Zoot Sims fills in for Terry on a couple tunes and burns the embers orange with “On the Alamo.” Classic music by classy artists.
Fresh Sound Records