One More: Music of Thad Jones
The late trumpeter Thad Jones was one of the great jazz composers, and arranger Michael Patterson has struck a fine balance between the spontaneous energy of Jones' small-group writing and the luminous harmonies of his big- band charts. The octet assembled here consists entirely of Jones' closest musical associates, from his elder brother Hank on piano to charter members of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band, like trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and bassist Richard Davis. Benny Golson, James Moody and Frank Wess all take up their tenor saxophones for booting and witty solos and dialogue on the title blues, while trumpeter Jimmy Owens brings the glow of burnished brass to Jones' most beautiful melody, "A Child Is Born." Whether it's up-tempo or ballad, this is music of consummate elegance and verve, sustained by solos that are consistently inspired by Thad Jones' legacy and the camaraderie shared by these modern jazz veterans.--Stuart Broomer