The Woody Herman Big Band – World Class

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AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow:
As with most of the Woody Herman Orchestra’s recordings for Concord, this set (taken from concerts in Japan) welcomes guests from Herman’s past. In this case tenors Al Cohn, Med Flory, Sal Nistico and Flip Phillips get to star on half of the eight selections including a remake of “Four Brothers” and Phillips’s “The Claw.” Phillips has an opportunity to reprise his famous Jazz at the Philharmonic solo on “Perdido.” The regular Herman sidemen do not sound as distinctive in comparison, but they play quite well on these attractive arrangements, four of them by pianist John Oddo.

Track listing:

1 Four Brothers 3:16
2 Rockin’ Chair 4:48
3 The Claw 6:17
4 Woody’s Lament 5:20
5 Peanut Vender 6:05
6 Crystal Silence 5:07
7 Greasy Sack Blues 7:02
8 Perdido 4:39

Personnel:

Mike Brignola – baritone saxophone, bass carinet
Dave Shapiro – bass
Woody Herman – clarinet, vocals , bandleader
Dave Ratajczak – drums
Jeff Hamilton (# B1, B2) – percussion
John Oddo – piano
Al Cohn, Flip Phillips, Frank Tiberi, Jim Carroll, Med Flory, Sal Nistico – tenor saxophone
Paul McGinley – tenor saxophone, flute
Gene Smith , John Fedchock, Randy Hawes – trombone
Bill Byrne, Brian O’Flaherty, George Rabbai, Mark Lewis , Scott Wagstaff – trumpet, flugelhorn

Recorded Live in, Japan, September 1982