The Concord Jazz Heritage Series (1979)

About this title: Woody Herman spent his twilight years recording for the Concord label, both with his big band and in all-star groups that he sponsored. For this 1998 sampler CD, Herman & His Orchestra are featured on a dozen selections (not programmed in chronological order) that often welcome guests. Herman himself takes clarinet solos on only six of the numbers, but that is compensated for by appearances from Stan Getz (on "The Dolphin" and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life"), Woody Shaw, Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton, Flip Phillips ("Perdido") and Al Cohn. Some of Herman's earlier hits are ... read more

Tracks:

1. Things Ain't What They Used to Be [Ellington/Persons]
2. Four Brothers [Giuffre]
3. 'Round Midnight [Monk/Hanighen/Willi]
4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) [Ellington/Mills]
5. The Dolphin [Eca]
6. Woody 'N You [Gillespie]
7. Blues for Red [Fedchock]
8. Perdido [Tizol/Lengsfelder]
9. Central Park West [Coltrane]
10. Lemon Drop [Wallington]
11. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? [Bergman/Bergman/Leg]
12. Battle Royal [Ellington]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.