This studio date came about as a result of
Albert Mangelsdorff's appearance at the Third Yugoslavian Jazz Festival, where pianist
John Lewis was impressed enough with his performance to set up a recording session a few days later. With bassist Karl Theodor Geier and drummer Silvije Glojnaric also on hand, none of the musicians had ever played together, though it made little difference as they quickly absorbed the originals of
Lewis and
Mangelsdorff, along with the familiar standard "Autumn Leaves" (a trio arrangement omitting
Lewis) and
Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue." The leader's judgment is validated with
Mangelsdorff's impressive work. The final track showcases a separate group, the Zagreb Jazz Quartet, featuring pianist Davor Kajfes, vibraphonist Bosko Petrovic, bassist Miljenko Prohaska and Glojnaric on drums. Long out of print, this Atlantic LP will be somewhat hard to find. ~ Ken Dryden