🎷 AotW: Horizon Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - LIVE IN MUNICH (SP-724)

[Captain Bacardi]

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis
LIVE IN MUNICH
A&M/Horizon SP-724

Released 1977
Peaked at #34 on the Jazz Album chart (1978)

Format: Vinyl/Cassette/8-Track

Produced by John Snyder

Songs:

• 1. Mach II (Rhoda Scott) - 8:15
  2. A' That's Freedom (Hank Jones) - 8:54
  3. Mornin' Reverend (Thad Jones) - 5:31
  4. Come Sunday (Duke Ellington) - 5:07
  5. Central Park North (Thad Jones) - 16:00
  
  All compositions arranged by Thad Jones

Musicians:
Thad Jones - Cornet, Flugelhorn
Mel Lewis - Drums
Jerry Dodgion - Flute, Alto and Soprano Saxophones
Eddie Xiques - Flute, Alto and Soprano Saxophones
Gregory Herbert - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet and Flute
Larry Schneider - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet and Flute
Pepper Adams - Baritone Saxophone
John Mosca - Trombone
Billy Campbell - Trombone
Earl McIntire - Bass Trombone
Clifford Adams - Trombone
Al Porcino - Trumpet
Lynn Nicholson - Trumpet
Earl Gardner - Trumpet
Frank Gordon - Trumpet
Harold Danko - Acoustic Piano
Bob Bowman - Acoustic Bass

Recorded September 9, 1976 at the Domicile Club, Munich, Germany by Scholzen Hans Peter and Heiner Friese for Dieter Dierks Studios, Cologne, Germany.
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, California

Special Thanks to Ernst Knauff and the Domicile staff, Gerhard Paschke, also Renata Damm and Cathy Oudemans of Ariola-Eurodisc G.M.B.H.

Art Direction: Roland Young
Graphic Design: Stan Evenson and Phil Shima
Front Cover: Uli Boerge (Illustration), Leonard Konopelski (Calligraphy)
Liner Notes: Ed Beach



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is a pretty nice set from the Jones/Lewis band. It definitely has a lot of energy to it. "Mach II" is a swinging hard-bop affair with a sizzling soprano solo by Jerry Dodgion. My favorite tune is "A' That's Freedom", a trombone feature by Billy Campbell. The ensemble work is tight as well. "Mornin' Reverend" is kind of a maddening piece, with a nifty tenor solo by Greg Herbert. Thad Jones plays a lovely flugelhorn on Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday". The only dissapointing part of this album is the long-winded "Central Park North", which actually starts out great, and again features Dodgion on soprano. Unfortunately Mel Lewis is allowed to play a drum solo that goes absolutely nowhere. But that aside, this is nifty little album to have. 4 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This album won a GRAMMY for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance.

It's a pretty good album with plenty of fire. My favorite track is "A' That's Freedom", with a really cool trombone section feature and Thad's mellow cornet work. The only downer on this album is the very lengthy "Central Park North", which starts out great but tends to get tedious after a while. Still, a nifty little album.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis...I admit I don't own anything of theirs yet. (Too much music, too little time!) What's a good starting point?

BTW, as a teenager, Brian Setzer used to sneak into their gigs near NYC...that's a lot of where he drew his inspiration for his own big band projects.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis...I admit I don't own anything of theirs yet. (Too much music, too little time!) What's a good starting point?

I would start with a couple of Blue Note titles, Central Park North and Consummation (which introduced Thad's classic "A Child Is Born"). There's also some of the live Village Vangard recordings that are out of print, but were on a Mosaic box set (not sure if that's still available).

This Live In Munich LP is also pretty decent, and for my money a stronger album than their previous Horizon albums (Suite For Pops and New Life).

But both the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Quartet (CD-830) and Mel Lewis's Mel Lewis And Friends (CD-823) are excellent small group sessions.



Capt. Bacardi