Kenny Clarke

The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band, which consisted of a combination of American expatriates and some of Europe's best jazz musicians, regularly recorded under the sponsorship of producer Gigi Campi, typically in Cologne, Germany. Their third studio date is a swinging affair, with potent charts by Boland and a number of strong soloists, including Sahib Shihab (on both flute and baritone sax), trombonist Ake Persson, and drummer Clarke ("A Ball for Othello.") Aside from the brief opener, the standard "Johnny One Note," only "Now Hear My Meanin'," a piece composed by bassist Jimmy Woode, made much of a lasting impression, as it was recorded at least twice more by the band. The only disappointment with this disc is the excessive use of reverb and occasional shifting of instruments back and forth between both channels. Long out of print, this Columbia LP was finally reissued on CD by Collectables in 2002. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide