Franco Ambrosetti & Don Sebesky - Sleeping Gypsy (1980/2018) [Hi-Res]

Ambrosetti's best solo album ever. At the height of his powers, the Swiss trumpetist shows why he is one of the top all-time flugelhorn players, alongside Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard and Chuck Mangione. Don Sebesky provides sumptuous scores in the lush CTI style, and contributes with two original tunes: the haunting title track "Sleeping Gypsy" (the guitar intro recalls the Jay Berliner performance on "For Someone I Love," from the Sebesky-arranged Milt Jackson's "Sunflower" album) and the fusion-oriented "Lugano Lady."

There's also an inspired version of Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark" (a tune he had arranged for CTI sessions by Paul Desmond and Roland Hanna, this time a vehicle for a great solo by Eddie Daniels on tenor), and lovely ballads by Stephen Sondheim ("Johanna") and Tito Fontana ("Demoiselle.")

Franco Ambrosetti, flugelhorn
Eddie Daniels, tenor saxophone
George Gruntz, piano
Barry Miles, synthesisers
Joe Beck, guitar
Ron Carter, bass
Grady Tate, drums
Portinho, percussion

Produced by Norman Schwartz

Digitally remastered