The Arrangers' Touch

Very smart clean double vinyl housed in a nice crisp gatefold cover..

Mid 70's 2LP set that combines fantastic early work from Gil Evans and Tadd Dameron.  The Gil Evans tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas.  Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and Lee Konitz on alto.  Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember".  Tadd Dameron's contributions here are from a wonderful modernist session – and one that's especially great because it's filled with fresh themes that get past some of his over-reissued standards!  Players here include Clifford Brown and Idrees Sulieman on trumpets, Gigi Gryce on alto, Benny Golson on tenor, and Dameron on piano.  Titles include "Philly JJ", "Choose Now", "Theme Of No Repeat", and "Dial B For Beauty".  Also included are readings of classic Dameron compositions – like "The Scene Is Clean", "Fontainebleau", and "Delerium" – all played by a great little group that includes Dameron on piano, plus Joe Alexander on tenor, Sahib Shihab on alto, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Henry Coker on trombone.