As trumpeter
Randy Sandke remembers in the liner notes, the music on this CD was recorded after a seven-hour drive in Germany with most of the musicians already suffering a bit from jet lag. The studio was hot and the repertoire was comprised of old warhorses. And yet, despite all of that, the music turned out to be quite magical. The all-star group (Sandke; trombonist
Dan Barrett;
Scott Robinson on tenor, bass sax, and cornet; pianist
Mark Shane; guitarist/singer
Marty Grosz; bassist
Linc Milliman, and drummer
Dave Ratajczak) managed to be quite inspired and the little arranged sections (probably by Barrett) were major assets. Highlights include "Broadway," "Rosetta," "After You've Gone," and "Mack the Knife." Recomended for small-group swing fans. ~ Scott Yanow