Tony Fruscella was an under-recorded cool jazz trumpeter in the
Chet Baker vain, who only managed to release this lone studio date for Atlantic in March 1955. With the exception of
Fruscella's playing on a few
Stan Getz sessions, he could never overcome obscurity. He is backed by a great, albeit little-known horn section of
Allen Eager on tenor saxophone (who played similar sounds with
Gerry Mulligan),
Charles Mingus' associate Danny Bank on baritone, and Chauncey Welsch on trombone. The rhythm section is rounded out by the prominently featured piano of Bill Triglia, who also played with
Mingus, Bill Anthony on bass, and Junior Bradley on drums. Two standards, "I'll Be Seeing You" and "Blue Serenade," are included with seven originals. ~ Al Campbell