To You

Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (February 12, 1991)
• Label: Bmg Music
• ASIN: B00000ENTU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,492,501 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Paper Spoons

2. 5 1/2 Weeks

3. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

4. Nocturne

5. ABC Blues

6. Bob Brookmeyer

7. To You

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, June 11, 2003

By 

Jon Cohen (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis (Audio CD)

An impressive modern big band recording. From the lush harmonies of 'To You' to the atonal schizophrenia of 'ABC blues,' this is a brilliant display of contemporary composition in a pure jazz form. The latin number, '5 1/2 weeks,' features one of the finest sax solos ever recorded on a big band album. It's short, but Ted Nash teaches a masterclass on how to lay down a melody over a rhythm section, while at the same time weaving around the rest of the horn section. The arranging, composition, and soloing skills of this band are second to none, and this album puts their best efforts on display.

This was the first Mel Lewis/Village Vanguard orchestra album I ever bought, and it turned me on to the rest of their work. I highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Hard Driving Organization., December 7, 2002

By 

Robert J. Ament "papacoolbreeze" (Ballwin, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis (Audio CD)

This is a recording made less than a year after Mel's death and while not being familiar with his band, I can certainly understand the fan enthusiasm for the music. It's like no other I've heard although flash mental associations with the music of Stan Kenton, Bob Florence, and as crazy as it may seem.... even the sound of Claude Thornhill (possibly because of the french horn and some of the harmonies).

The title song, written by Thad Jones, is pure beauty.

The leadoff track has a wild beginning and some good tenor work by Ralph Lalama. The liner notes aptly describe this as "controlled fury".

Ted Nash's "5 1/2 Weeks" has a nice Latin touch.

The old standard "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" comes off really good with an arrangement that does a lot of things with tempos and timing.

"Nocturne" by pianist Kenny Werner is a beautiful piece of work with a nice solo by Joe Lovano.

The Bob Brookmeyer original, "ABC Blues", has a little bit of everything from variations in time to swing. Some great baritone work on this one by Gary Smulyan. I'm amazed that this sounds so contemporary considering it was written back in 1966!

The other Werner composition, "Bob Brookmeyer" has some fantastic solos by Dick Oatts on soprano sax and Ted Nash on alto.

This is a great contemporary big band sound and I'm surprised that as popular as I've heard the Mel Lewis band was, that this album ranks so low in sales on Amazon.