The music on this big-band date led by guitarist
Mundell Lowe has a somewhat confusing history, since it was initially released as the soundtrack to the low-budget film Satan in High Heels and later reissued as
Blues for a Stripper. The ten originals are written, arranged, and conducted by
Lowe, with a formidable all-star big band that includes
Phil Woods,
Clark Terry,
Jimmy Cleveland,
Joe Newman,
Al Cohn,
Oliver Nelson, and
Eddie Costa. His brief sketches are enjoyable, running the gamut of bop, hard bop, cool, and swing, though none of them makes a lasting impression. Sadly, none of the soloists is identified and the solos are too brief to make it obvious who is playing, though
Costa takes several excellent solos on vibes. This LP, issued on the Charlie Parker label, is a bit of an obscurity that is worth searching for.