Tommy Banks Jazz Band - At The Montreux Festival (1997)

Tommy Banks, a veteran Canadian pianist/arranger, headed a big band for an appearance at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival. This double-CD features his 16-piece orchestra (which includes altoist P.J. Perry and trumpeter Arnie Chycoski as the biggest names and sometimes sounds a bit like the Buddy Rich Big Band of the period) swinging their way through a variety of originals and occasional standards such as "Stella by Starlight" and "Just Friends." Big Miller takes several vocals that are among the high points of this decent if not essential release, which is mostly recommended to fans of '70s-era big bands.