Mundell Lowe – Blues for a Stripper (2017)

The music on this big-band date led by guitarist Mundell Lowe has a somewhat confusing history, since it was initially released as the soundtrack to the low-budget film Satan in High Heels and later reissued as Blues for a Stripper. The ten originals are written, arranged, and conducted by Lowe, with a formidable all-star big band that includes Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Jimmy Cleveland, Joe Newman, Al Cohn, Oliver Nelson, and Eddie Costa. His brief sketches are enjoyable, running the gamut of bop, hard bop, cool, and swing, though none of them makes a lasting impression. Sadly, none of the soloists is identified and the solos are too brief to make it obvious who is playing, though Costa takes several excellent solos on vibes. This LP, issued on the Charlie Parker label, is a bit of an obscurity that is worth searching for.~Ken Dryden