Although
Thad Jones (who passed away in 1986) had left the big band that he co-led with drummer
Mel Lewis back in 1979, some of his charts remained in the orchestra's book. On the first of two CDs taken from an engagement at the Village Vanguard (a third CD,
Soft Lights and Hot Music, is also from these dates),
Lewis leads his men through five
Jones arrangements, including "Quietude," "Three in One" (which is 13 minutes long),and the 15-minute stomper "Little Pixie." The soloists include baritonist
Gary Smulyan, both
Joe Lovano and
Ralph Lalama on tenors, altoists
Ted Nash and
Dick Oatts, trumpeter
Glenn Drewes, and pianist
Kenny Werner. Recommended as a particularly strong example of
the Mel Lewis Orchestra.