Of the many albums recorded by the
Thad Jones/
Mel Lewis Orchestra, this was the greatest. Reissued on CD as part of a large Mosaic box set, this set introduced
Jones' best-known composition, "A Child Is Born," also has a colorful 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 flügelhornist
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
Jones' inventive and swinging arrangements. A classic. ~ Scott Yanow