Editorial Reviews

This session has the best of all worlds going for it, charts put together by some of the most outstanding arrangers in the business played by a well-rehearsed, disciplined big band. Disciplined, but not so as to sound uptight. There's enough looseness to put the playing of this group into the creative tension category. Some of the chart-makers whose work leader and alto sax player Pat Longo has selected for the play list include Billy May, Gordon Brisker, Sammy Nestico, and Bill Byers, all in-demand creative arrangers. There is a revolving set of top-flight players available for duty. That's good, but what's not so good is that the soloists are not identified for each of the tracks. It's a shame not to be credited for outstanding work such as the guitar on "Longo's Boogie" or the vibes that back Frank Sinatra, Jr. on "Midnight Sun." Sinatra appears on five cuts swinging on such tunes as a Billy May arrangement of "Great Times." There are many versions of "Sweet Georgia Brown," but a more cleverly arranged one than Sammy Nestico's will be hard to come by. Even though some of these tracks have been taken from earlier releases, especially Billy May for President issued by Town Hall in 1983, this CD has been enhanced with the addition of other material to make it a top-of-the-mark big band swing album. Recommended. Dave Nathan, All Music Guide

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