Tribute is paid to the trumpet playing, arrangements and compositions of
Buck Clayton during this hard-swinging date by an octet temporarily named "the
Buck Clayton Legacy." Trumpeter
Randy Sandke organized the tribute which also features the tenors of
Harry Allen and
Danny Moss,
Antti Sarpila on clarinet, soprano and tenor, trombonist
Jerry Tilitz, pianist
Brian Dee, bassist
Len Skeat and drummer
Oliver Jackson. All of the songs were associated to an extent with
Clayton (four of the 13 are his compositions) and quite a few were part of his legendary jam sessions in the 1950s. Everyone plays up-to-par and it is fun hearing such obscurities as "Buckin' the Blues," "Toot Sweet," "Lean Baby" and the title cut revived and performed with such spirit and swing. A rewarding release from the German label Nagel Heyer. ~ Scott Yanow