Mary Lou Williams
was a giant in
jazz
history, in spite of
Ken Burns
' inexcusable failure to acknowledge her importance in his public television documentary. Prior to her death in 1981, she set up a foundation to expose children to
, leaving all of her manuscripts to its archives. Since then her music has slowly begun to reappear on CD, but this phenomenal release by
the Dutch Jazz Orchestra
explores a number of her compositions and arrangements that were never recorded, or in some cases, performed at all. She wrote the rhythmic
"Chief"
as one of several pieces intended for
Duke Ellington
, though it was never played.
Ruud Breuts
' expressive muted trumpet and
Rob Van Bavel
's
post-bop
piano keep this piece sounding very modern. Alto saxophonist
Albert Beltman
brings
Johnny Hodges
to mind in the lush, very subdued
ballad
setting of
"Scratchin' in the Gravel."
Clarinetist
John Ruocco
shines in the relaxed interpretation of
Williams
' famous
blues
"What's Your Story, Morning Glory?"
It seems obvious throughout this excellent CD that the musicians spent time and effort exploring this music prior to recording it, adding to
' already sizable
legacy. ~ Ken Dryden