Dizzy Gillespie & James Moody with Gil Fuller & the Monterey Jazz Festival - Dizzy Gillespie & James Moody with Gil Fuller & the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra

Old friends Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, and Gil Fuller didn't record these sessions with the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra together, nor were any of these tracks recorded live from the festival itself. Instead, these are two albums re-released on one CD. Gillespie's set kicks off with the big and brassy "Man from Monterey." After slowing down for a few mediocre tracks, Fuller and Gillespie return to tempo with "Groovin' High." The section ends with Gillespie and saxman Buddy Collette contributing interesting solos to "Things Are Here." Gillespie's solos are on-point, if not particularly inspired, but Moody's section turns the corner. " Night Flight" has a Latin feel to it, and Moody's virtuosity on sax and flute is outstanding. "Tin Tin Deo" brilliantly kicks things off, followed by Moody’s expert rendition of "I'm in the Mood for Love." Fuller's arrangements highlight different instruments: Motown-ish piano riffs on "Seesaw," a hip organ on "Sweets for My Sweet." The best of the set is "Latin Lady." Its dramatic intro spills into a sexy strut of a thing, with Moody back on flute. The ties that bind the original albums are too numerous to list. The danger is that two stand-alone efforts are placed in direct competition. Gillespie's legendary status remains unquestioned, but Moody's set is just plain better. --Eric C.P. Martin Amazon.com

TWICE THE MUSIC

I bought this release as an LP when it first came out. Lost it over the years, and am glad that Blue Note reissues it with a double amount of music. The great drummer, Earl Palmer(from New Orleans) is a driver on the first nine tracks. Gil, Dizzy & Moody in their heyday. Tremendous!

Mr. Jazz WRIR-FM Richmond, VA November 6, 2008

Two complementary albums on one cd

Putting together two LPs that Gil Fuller-led Monterey jazz festival orchestra recorded with two distinctive and highly compatible old friends seems like a good idea. The first album features Dizzy Gillespie as a star, the second ("Night Flight") stars James Moody with his flute and sax virtuosity...

And, yes, Gil Fuller is the arranger famous for his work with the great Dizzy Gillespie's big band and he also hired James Moody who became one of Dizzy's favorite associates.

So far so good. However, the performances of Gillespie and Moody, when compared with the hights of their carreer simply do not measure, whereas the orchestra is surprisingly bland considering not too frequent individual shining moments from the memebers (for instance, good old Harry "Sweets" Edison steps out of the background only on one song to trade-off with Dizzy...).

Now, if the Monterey jazz festival orchestra managed to bring Dizzy and Moody in the same studio (in either of two orchestra line-ups), that might produce the music worthy of everyone involved...
This is really good modern jazz, but hardly essential, although Dizzy or Moody collectors and fans will definitivelly want it. But putting both albums together just reminds me how much better it might have been with both giants together with a Fuller led outfit.

BTW

It's not live as some claim. June 18, 2008

Gil Fuller's Tour de Force

It's great that Blue Note has re-released Gil Fuller and the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra Featuring Dizzy Gillespie after having been out of print for too many years. But what's even better with this new release is the inclusion of Night Flight with James Moody. They shoulda done this the first time around!

These are two first rate albums which highlight Gil Fuller's tremendous arranging and conducting abilities. Gillespie, of course, is a household name among jazz fans but Fuller and Moody are probably more obscure, and undeservedly so.

For those (like me), a Johnny Richards fan, who love driving big bands with lots of nice brass, French horns and biting trumpet sections, these albums deliver in spades.

The personnel, for the most part, are different for both sessions but the musicianship is nonetheless uniformly excellent and the results reflect that.

Gillespie is fine on his session but, for me, it is ex-Kenton-ite, Gabe Baltazar's searing alto solos on several selections that steal the show. Fuller's arrangements are outstanding throughout with up tempo "Man From Monterey" setting the tone for the album. "Love Theme From:The Sandpiper" is gorgeous and a highpoint for Gillespie. I also love Fuller's intro to "Things Are Here" before the tempo picks up.

Night Flight is also a swinging affair but emphasizes Latin rhythms more than the first album. Moody is excellent throughout and I love his flute work on "Tin Tin Deo." My favorites on this album are "17 Mile Drive", a swinger which builds to an exciting climax, and "A Patch of Blue" featuring a nice Moody Alto and beautiful Fuller arrangement which starts out with a nod to "My Foolish Heart."

It's hard to choose one album over another here because both are very well done. My choice is the one with Diz because of overall consistency but this is a nonetheless a tremendous reissue and a bargain at the current prices.

The sound quality is excellent and in Stereo for both issues. My only gripe is that engineers have ever so slightly cut short some of those tunes which fade out at the end. I've seen that happen all too often in other releases as well. Ok, I'm a nit picker, but there's no excuse for that.

Great big band jazz, so pick this one up before it, too, goes out of print...again!

June 16, 2008

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