On this two-CD set, veteran altoist
Richie Cole leads his Alto Madness Orchestra. Despite the name of the group, the arrangements are often dance band-oriented, melodic and quite safe. The happy craziness of
Cole's earlier recordings is mostly heard in his solos and that of such fine sidemen as trumpeter
Jack Walrath, trombonist Rick Stepton, guitarist
Vic Juris and pianist
Don Friedman. It is good to hear
Cole still playing very much in his prime. The up-tempo pieces are generally exciting, at least during the solo segments, but the slower numbers tend to be predictable and a bit dull due to the charts. Perhaps the band book is meant to be played for conservative dancers, but listeners who prefer
Richie Cole's more adventurous flights will have to be satisfied with moments of brilliance rather than a classic set. ~ Scott Yanow