Thad And Mel In Germany

When the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra flourished, one of the complaints by the guys in the band was that Jones didn’t assign himself enough solos. They loved to hear him play. Who wouldn’t? A video has just surfaced in which at a 1970s concert in Germany the band plays “Cherry Juice” and Thad takes the first solo, on flügelhorn. No wonder they liked to hear him play. The other soloists are the little known tenor saxophonist Larry Schneider and the better known pianist Harold Danko. The lead trumpeter is the formidable Al Porcino. To see and hear “Cherry Juice,” click here.
On the same occasion, the Jones-Lewis band played “My Centennial,” featuring long, satisfying solos by Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone and Mel Lewis on drums. This time, Thad sets the pace with a cowbell. Bill Kirchner, reliable chronicler of the Thad and Mel band, informs us that although the YouTube headline says 1978, the performance was in 1976. For “My Centennial,” go here. Feel free to dance.