What's Up?: The Very Tall Band

by Ray Brown, -M-, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson

Overview

Very Tall, the initial 1961 summit that found pianist Oscar Peterson and vibist Milt Jackson combining forces (with Ray Brown on bass), is considered by many to be among the most artistically successful collaborations in the careers of both musicians. A long 37 years later, and despite Peterson's 1993 stroke, all three were still going strong when they hooked up as "the Very Tall Band" to play a series of dates at New York's prestigious Blue Note. Telarc previously released one set of recordings made at the shows, simply called Live at the Blue Note, but this sequel, What's Up?: The Very Tall Band, repeats none of the material from that album, and serves as proof that everything the trio produced on those dates -- with young drummer Karriem Riggins keeping pace -- was nothing less than sublime. Peterson and Jackson (who has since died, as has Brown) allow each other all the space required to stretch out, but the brightest sparks come from the spontaneous interactions. On the Dizzy Gillespie standard "Salt Peanuts," Jackson is particularly sparkling, and Peterson makes the most of Lester Young's simple, unhurried "Ad Lib Blues." But when the quartet is locked into a groove together, as on "Limehouse Blues" and "The More I See You," that's when the specialness of this rare occasion is made clear once again. ~ Jeff Tamarkin

Product Details

Release Date:	04/17/2012
Label:	Lim
UPC:	4892843002251
Rank:	170226

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Milt Jackson   Primary Artist,Vibraphone
Oscar Peterson   Primary Artist,Piano
-M-   Primary Artist
Ray Brown   Primary Artist,Bass (Upright),Bass,Double Bass
Karriem Riggins   Drums

Technical Credits

Jack Renner   Audio Engineer,Engineer,Recording
Elaine Martone   Audio Production,Producer,Recording Producer,Production Supervisor,Recording Supervision
Fletcher Henderson   Composer
Dizzy Gillespie   Composer
Douglas Furber   Composer
Lester Young   Composer
Robert Friedrich   Assistant Engineer
Ralph Rainger   Composer
Johnny Hodges   Composer
Paul Blakemore   Editing,Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Mack Gordon   Composer
Leo Robin   Composer
Robert Woods   Executive Producer
Roy Alfred   Composer
Philip Braham   Composer
Harry Warren   Composer
Anilda Carrasquillo   Design,Art Direction
Barbara Pease Renner   Piano Preparation
Amit Peleg   Live Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Kenny Clarke   Composer
Chaz Clifton   Live Mixing,Mixing Engineer