Thad Jones – Mel Lewis Orchestra: Consummation (LP, Pure Pleasure)

Of the many albums recorded by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, this was the greatest. This set introduced Jones’ best-known composition, “A Child Is Born”, and also has a colourful rendition of his sly “Tiptoe”, and finds the big band ripping the roof off during the lengthy and very exciting “Fingers”. The all-star cast (which includes flugelhornist Jones, drummer Lewis, trumpeter Marvin Stamm, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, tenor great Billy Harper, the reeds of Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion and Eddie Daniels, keyboardist Roland Hanna, and bassist Richard Davis, among others) is well served by Thad Jones’ inventive and swinging arrangements. A classic. Von den vielen Alben, die das Thad Jones/Mel Lewis-Orchester aufgenommen hat, ist “Consummation” das beste. Dieses Set stellte Jones’ bekannteste Komposition vor, “A Child Is Born”, dazu eine farbenfrohe Interpretation seines raffinierten “Tiptoe” und die Band erreichte ihren Hohepunkt wahrend des langgezogenen und fesselnden “Fingers”. Flugelhornist Jones, Schlagzeuger Lewis, Trompeter Marvin Stamm, Posaunist Jimmy Knepper, der groartige Tenorsaxophonist Billy Harper, Klarinettist Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion und Eddie Daniels, am Keyboard Roland Hanna, dazu Bassist Richard Davis, um nur einige zu nennen – diese Starbesetzung passt bestens zu Thad Jones erfinderischen und swingenden Arrangements. Ein Klassiker!