The Octet’s Personnel
Ernie Royal, lead trumpet; Art Farmer, solo trumpet; Jerome Richardson, tenor sax, clarinet, flute; Gigi Gryce, alto sax, flute; Jimmy Cleveland, trombone; Hank Jones, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Osie Johnson, drums
Dave recalls...
This octet equaled any Pettiford group on record and was far superior to the octet that recorded for the Bethlehem label. An audible aura of Ellingtoniana in miniature pervaded the sets chosen by Pettiford, and the players committed themselves to the collective artistic results of the evening as if this opportunity would never happen again. They all read Pettiford’s charts with an ease that’s unimaginable. Jimmy Cleveland shares with Carl Fontana the distinction of being one of the most monster trombone soloists I have ever heard.
Point of interest: Jerome Richardson can concoct some of the most subtly humorous tenor sax lines ever heard in small group surroundings. I laughed out loud at one such phrase and was honored to have Osie Johnson point his left drumstick at me in recognition of my wide-open ears.