Audio CD review:
Dizzy Gillespie - The Giants of Jazz

Dizzy Gillespie - The Giants of Jazz

Band: Dizzy Gillespie Title: The Giants of Jazz Rating: Release Date: 28 February, 2006 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Tin Tin Deo 2: Night in Tunisia 3: Woody 'N' You 4: Tour de Force 5: Allen's Alley (Be Bop Tune) 6: Blue 'N' Boogie 7: Everthing Happens to Me 8: Dizzy's Rap 9: Blue Monk 10: 'Round Midnight

Customer Reviews Giants at play The second CD is my favorite of the two, with Allen's Alley, Blue Monk, and one of the best versions of 'Round Midnight I've heard. This truly is a collection of giants, all cutting loose. All the cuts are long and relaxed, giving a real sense of the classic bebop generation at their best. It would have been nice to have more detailed notes on solos, etc. , but that's a quibble. . GIANT MONSTERS AT PLAY Lack of focus, we might surmise. One of the mysteries of modern civilization and the jazz music industry is why these discs have been out of print. Or Gresham's Law applied to jazz trumpet players. Not to pursue: in the jazz world hype happens and genius gets shelved or ignored during the flash of the meteor of the year. The line up is John Birks Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto saxophone, Kai Winding on trombone, Thelonious Monk playing piano. Art Blakey is the drummer joined by Al McKibbon on bass. 1961, Victoria Theatre, London. Gillespie is in top form, playing to please, if you please. Stitt is blazing. Monk is . . . simply brilliant in ensemble and solo. All of the players have space. They are relaxed and obviously enjoying the night and one another. These are masters at work. Dizzy's treatment of "Tin Tin Deo" on this night was among his best. Blakey is featured as the drummer of "Night in Tunisia. " Monk does "Blue Monk" and "'Round Midnight. " Stitt blazes with special intensity in "Everything Happens to Me," and Dizzy notices what is happening. I am not sure that this record can be rated, but if you value jazz at all, you need to own it before it goes out of print. . You can see a complete list of all Dizzy Gillespie discography, or go back to the Dizzy Gillespie tabs