Teddy Charles - Teddy Charles Nonet & Tentet Complete Recordings(2008)

Tracklist

1. Vibrations
2. The Quiet Time
3. The Emperor
4. Nature Boy
5. Green Blues
6. You Go To My Head
7. Lydian M-1
8. Word From Bird
9. Show Time
10. Sheherazade Blue
11. Love For Three Oranges March
12. Borodin Bossa Nova
13. Dance Arabe
14. Lullaby Russe
15. Etude

Most of this CD features vibraphonist Teddy Charles heading an advanced tentet in 1956, a unit including the likes of trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Gigi Gryce, tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose, pianist Mal Waldron, and guitarist Jimmy Raney. The arrangements of George Russell ("Lydian M-1"), Gil Evans (a year before Miles Ahead), Jimmy Giuffre, Mal Waldron, and Charles are quite advanced but often leave room for some swinging spots. The final three selections on the CD are actually taken from a slightly later album. Of these, "Blue Greens" is a change of pace, a quartet outing for Charles, pianist Hall Overton, bassist Charles Mingus, and drummer Ed Shaughnessy. All in all, this CD is pretty definitive of Teddy Charles' more adventurous music of the 1950s and it grows in interest with each listening.~Scott Yanow