A follow-up to New Bottle, Old Wine, this Gil Evans set has colorful arrangements of five jazz standards plus "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" and Evans' "Theme." Using a band consisting of three trumpets, three trombones, a French horn, Bill Barber's tuba, soprano-saxophonist Steve Lacy (the first important post-swing player on his instrument), tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson (on half of the program), and a four-piece rhythm section (including the leader's piano), Evans contributes some very memorable written ensemble passages, most notably on "Straight No Chaser." In addition to Lacy and Johnson, the main soloists are trumpeter Johnny Coles, trombonists Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland, and guitarist Ray Crawford. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
01 Davenport Blues (Beiderbecke) 4:25 02 Straight, No Chaser (Monk) 6:19 03 Ballad of the Sad Young Men (Landesman, Wolf) 4:00 04 Joy Spring (Brown) 2:49 05 Django (Lewis) 8:05 06 Chant of the Weed (Redman) 4:25 07 La Nevada (Theme) (Evans) 6:15
Recorded in New York on February 5, 1959 (tracks 3,4,6,7) and early 1959 (tracks 1,2,5)
[1], [2], [5] trumpet : Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Allen Smith trombone : Bill Elton, Curtis Fuller, Dick Lieb french horn : Bob Northern tuba : Bill Barber soprano saxophone : Steve Lacy reeds : Al Block piano : Gil Evans guitar : Chuck Wayne bass : Dick Carter drums : Dennis Charles
[3], [4], [6], [7] trumpet : Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Danny Stiles trombone : Jimmy Cleveland, Curtis Fuller, Rod Levitt french horn : Earl Chapin tuba : Bill Barber soprano saxophone : Steve Lacy clarinet, tenor saxophone : Budd Johnson reeds : Ed Caine piano : Gil Evans guitar : Ray Crawford bass : Tommy Potter drums : Elvin Jones
New or Used : original used Media : LP Grading cover / record : EX / NM Label : Liberty Pressing : LLR-8891 - Japan Year : 70's