Drummer
Butch Miles' recording debut as a leader was his first of five Famous Door releases.
Miles leads an all-star mainstream sextet also including both
Scott Hamilton (during his brief pre-Concord days) and
Al Cohn on tenors, flugelhornist Marky Markowitz, pianist
John Bunch, and bassist
Milt Hinton. Equally influenced by
Buddy Rich and
Gene Krupa,
Miles gets in a few good spots, but mostly lets his top-notch sidemen blow. With the exception of the spontaneous "For the Boss," the repertoire is comprised of material from the swing era, including "Cherokee," "The King" (originally a feature for
Illinois Jacquet with
Count Basie's Orchestra in the mid-40s) and "Broadway." An excellent set with a jam session feel, this LP from the defunct Famous Door label will be difficult to find.