In 1961,
Joe Morello, drummer with the
Dave Brubeck Quartet for the past six years (with six more years to go), received an opportunity to lead his own album.
It's About Time featured ten songs with the word "time" in their title. Of these, five of the six quintet selections (starring
Phil Woods and a young
Gary Burton) and two of the four other songs (which has the quintet augmented by a brass section) are on this, along with a totally unreleased big band session from the following year. A powerful drummer with impressive technique,
Morello is also a master of subtlety and, although an important part of this set, does not dominate the music. With
Manny Albam contributing the arrangements,
It's About Time was a happy surprise, a hard-driving set of swinging music.