By 1965, trumpeter
Al Hirt
was a commercial success, although from the jazz standpoint most of his output for RCA was becoming increasingly forgettable. Although he was joined by
the Gerald Wilson Orchestra
for nine of the 13 selections on this live LP, all of the selections (other than a six-minute rendition of
"Carnival of Venice"
) are quite brief, with several under two minutes.
Hirt
shows off his technique on a variety of showy devices, but every note sounds planned in advance, whether it be "Bye Bye Blues," "Down By the Riverside" or a remake of his hit "Java." ~ Scott Yanow