Fate in a Pleasant Mood
, recorded in 1960, finds
the Arkestra
at the very end of their Chicago days. The tunes still have that '50s
Arkestra
sound (great horn arrangements, prominent tympani), although there is an increasing use of dissonance and the arrangements are more spare, thanks to a dwindling
.
Ra
sticks to piano on these tracks, with excellent flute contributions from
Marshall Allen
and some fine trumpet as well, mostly courtesy of
Phil Cohran
Gilmore
shines on
"Ankhnaton"
and
"Distant Stars."
Most of the tunes still have strong ties to
bop
swing
, although
"Space Mates"
"Kingdom of Thunder"
point the way to a percussion-led sound that would be further explored after the band relocated to New York. [Now available paired with
When Sun Comes Out
on the
Evidence
label.] ~ Sean Westergaard