Dizzy Gillespie - The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie + Have Trumpet, Will Excite!

2010 European CD collection.

Though Dizzy Gillespies 1959 quintet had lesser names than his previous groups, the standard of performance he delivered remained at the same high level. The main soloist, he was the old master clearly invigorated by his young colleagues. His front line partner here was Les Spann; doubling on guitar and flute, he proved to be a fine guitarist with laconic tone and manner of execution, while his flute playing was assured and skilful. The distinctive, soul-tinged piano of Junior Mance, with Lex Humphries on drums, and Sam Jones on bass, formed a strong, responsive rhythm section.

This quintet was for the most part a working band on the club and concert circuit, offering a neat mixture of Gillespies entertaining songs, established repertoire, and some Latin and African-influenced pieces. With this quintet, Dizzy found a middle ground in his music that gave his bebop legacy room to breathe, but with much more rhythmic variety and accessibility.

CD 1
01. Girl of My Dreams (Clapp) 7:41
02. My Man (Yvain-Charles-Pollock-Willemetz) 4:15
03. Moonglow (DeLange-Hudson-Mills) 6:20
04. There Is No Greater Love (Jones-Symes) 3:22
05. St. Louis Blues (Handy) 5:50
06. Oo-Shoo-Be-Doo-Be (Carroll-Graham) 3:22
07. I Found a Million Dollar Baby (Warren-Rose-Dixon) 6:30
08. Swing Low Sweet Cadillac (Gillespie) 7:06
09. Always (Berlin) 5:34
10. The Umbrella Man (Stock-Rose-Cavanaugh) 2:40

CD 2
01. Willow Weep for Me (Ronell) 7:20
02. My Heart Belongs to Daddy (Porter) 6:00
03. Constantinople (Gillespie) 7:00
04. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Koller-Barris-Moll) 7:13
05. Woodyn You (Gillespie) 6:20
06. Lorraine (Gillespie) 4:14
07. Ungawa (Gillespie-Nuñez) 3:19
08. Squatty Roo (Hodges) 7:25