20th And 30th Anniversary (Live in Berlin)
Dizzy Gillespie
One of the pioneering figures of bebop, and a major innovator on his instrument, the extraverted trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie stood out as bop’s greatest proselytizer. Dizzy called this “reunion” band “my best band since 1948”, the year his big band first toured Europe. No wonder! It’s stocked with Gillespie alumni, all major figures in the music – Saxophonists Cecil Payne, Sahib Shihab, and James Moody, along with trombonists Ted Kelley, and Curtis Fuller. Add a blistering trumpet section and Dizzie’s quintet rhythm section, and you have one hell of a band! Allmusic’s Scott Yanow calls this version of Gillespie’s visionary 1946 composition Things To Come “the most exciting ever recorded”, as it jumps off at a frenetic pace with Gillespie’s blistering solo in the lead. Of course, One Bass Hit features bassist Paul West as well as an astounding Gillespie solo. Frisco projects an Afro-Latin feel laced with funk and features James Moody’s sterling flute solo. Gillespie’s Latin jazz standard Con Alma showcases alto saxophonist Chris Woods along with Dizzy. Past has become present in Dizzy’s The Things Are Here, the younger brother to the opening piece. Like it’s older sibling, it takes off at breakneck pace with Dizzy sharing the stage with the trumpet section. The saxes also get a taste, and there’s a smoking chorus by trombonist Curtis Fuller. Gillespie closes out the album with a soulful solo on his blues-drenched Birks’ Works. Allmusic stated that, “Joined by a particularly strong big band, the trumpeter is heard at his best on this hard-to-find but essential LP.” Shaw ‘nuff!
Listen to music samples
01. Things to Come (Live) | 02. One Bass Hit (Live) | 03. Frisco (Live) |
04. Con Alma (Live) | 05. The Things Are Here (Live) | 06. Birk's Works (Live) |
3 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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One of the best DG concerts ever
“ Sounds like a real band, eh?” says Dizzy after the first piece, the breakneck “Things to Come” and in fact this is not a diced and poorly coordinated festival combination, but one of the funniest jazz big bands Dizzy Gillespie has ever directed. Coherent typesetting, good interaction and excellent soloists - a strong band. With great pieces: The aforementioned “Things to Come” have been described by critics as the most exciting recording of this classic, with “The Things Are Here”, Dizzy and Gil Fuller take up the theme 20 years later, “Con Alma” and “Birks Works” (but only as a signature tune to the end), all classic Gillespiana at its best . “Frisco”, a new work by Mike Longo, is somewhat more relaxed, appropriate to the older stars of bebop. But so that no misunderstandings arise here: they are all in the best form, including Dizzy G., who was 51 years old at the time and had lost none of his bright clear tone and breathtaking speed.
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Excellent!
All fans of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie & big band jazz should grab a copy of this overlooked gem while it's still around.
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Great band
Can't be beat! If you like big Band stuff. This is almost impossible to beat.
