Justifiably considered one of the best of Dizzy Gillespie's many live sets, AT NEWPORT captures a dead-on1957 performance featuring Gillespie and one of his best bands, starring baritone saxophonist Pee Wee Moore, tenor Benny Golson, and pianist Wynton Kelly. Road-tightened by months of world tours sponsored by the US State Department's cultural exchange program, the ensemble is flawless, but not at all mechanical.
The goofy humor of comic standards like "School Days" and "Doodlin'" is an old jazz standby that only Gillespie truly continued into the post-bop years. However, on Latin-flavored standards like a scorching version of "Manteca" and a spirited run-through of the old standard "Carioca," not to mention the extended solo showcases "Night in Tunisia" and "Cool Breeze," Gillespie and band show that their chops are as sharp as anyone's. Another highlight is the showcase for pianist Mary Lou Williams, containing selections from her signature piece ZODIAC SUITE and proving this lineup capable of more thoughtful, sensitive playing, than one might expect from their more exuberant moments. Read complete review from cduniverse.com.
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