By 1969 producer
Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic was largely a thing of the past in the U.S., but he put together occasional European tours that resulted in the very interesting and consistently enjoyable music heard on this double CD. Trumpeters
Dizzy Gillespie and
Clark Terry, tenors
Zoot Sims and
James Moody, pianist
Teddy Wilson, bassist
Bob Cranshaw and drummer
Louis Bellson form the core group and play two jams and a four-song ballad medley in addition to accompanying blues singer/guitarist
T-Bone Walker on three numbers.
Teddy Wilson's Trio with
Cranshaw and
Bellson is in typically flawless form on a few songs and then comes the biggest surprise of the two-fer. The great veteran tenor
Coleman Hawkins was in sad shape during the last few years of his life (he would pass away two months after this concert) yet he manages to almost sound as if he were still in his prime, far exceeding any of his post-1965 recordings on "Blue Lou" and three ballads including a partly unaccompanied "September Song" and an emotional rendition of "Body and Soul." Altoist
Benny Carter is also heard from and all of the horns join in for a finale, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" This is historic and frequently exciting music. ~ Scott Yanow