Of
Woody Shaw's five Columbia albums,
United is the one that sounds most like a blowing session. The trumpeter and his regular band of the period (with trombonist
Steve Turre, pianist
Mulgrew Miller, bassist Stafford James, and drummer
Tony Reedus) welcome guest altoist
Gary Bartz to two of the six selections. In addition to selections by
Shaw,
Miller, and
Wayne Shorter, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" and "The Greene Street Caper" (the latter an "original" closely based on "On Green Dolphin Street") are performed on this fairly straight-ahead and accessible yet adventurous date. Worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow