Tanuki's Night Out

Toshiko Akiyoshi

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Tanuki's Night Out Review

by Scott Yanow

This release from the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band is a bit unusual in that, while Akiyoshi wrote the arrangements as usual, all six songs are Tabackin's. Among his pieces are tributes to Don Byas (the heated "A Bit Byas'd"), Sonny Criss and Ben Webster ("Yet Another Tear") along with three other originals. The Los Angeles-based band had some of the top players in the city including trumpeter Steve Huffsteter, first trumpeter Buddy Childers, trombonist Bruce Fowler and tenorman John Gross, in addition to pianist Akiyoshi and Tabackin on both tenor and flute. A typically excellent effort from the classic orchestra.

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