Opening Night (album)

Last updated
Opening Night
OpeningNight ThadJonesMelLewisAndTheJazzOrchestra.jpg
Live album by
Released2000
Recorded1966 February 7, The Village Vanguard, New York City
Genre Jazz
Length71:55
Label Alan Grant Presents (AGP); Resonance Records
Producer Alan Grant
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra chronology
Opening Night
(2000)
Presenting Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra
(1966)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

Opening Night is a big band jazz recording of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra playing at the Village Vanguard club in New York City in February 1966. This was the first performance of the group at this club although the recording was not released until 2000. [2] A 50-year tradition for Monday nights at the Village Vanguard began from this first evening for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra which later became the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and eventually the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Resonance Records released what they term an "official release", approved by the Jones and Lewis estates, in 2016.

Contents

Track listing

All tracks composed by Thad Jones, except as indicated.

  1. Introduction (Mel Lewis & Alan Grant) – 1:50
  2. "Big Dipper" – 5:10
  3. "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" (Van Heusen, Burke) – 3:47
  4. "Once Around" – 12:37
  5. "All My Yesterdays" – 4:08
  6. "Morning Reverend" – 4:50
  7. "Low Down" – 4:25
  8. "Lover Man" (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman) – 5:08
  9. "Mean What You Say" – 5:35
  10. "Don't Ever Leave Me" – 4:15
  11. "Willow Weep for Me" (Ronell) – 6:25
  12. "The Little Pixie" – 13:45

Personnel

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Ken Dryden, Allmusic link. Accessed 2008 April 29.


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