When you get up in the morning, you must have a song - Ray Charles

Monday, March 9, 2009

Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and Umo



Here's one done full jazz orchestra style. This record was recorded in Helsinki in '77. UMO is an acronym for The New Music Orchestra so I think these guys may have playing together already and Jones/Lewis step in a guest leaders. The music swings and the solos by this unknown bunch are quite good.


The record is self titled and was released on RCA as AFL 1-3423. Once again my vinyl rip.

The Finnish band is too large and the names too obtuse for me to type out here.



1. Groove Merchant
2. It Only Happens Every Time
3. Tip-Toe
4. The Great One
5. Kids Are Pretty People
6. Summary
7. Little Pixie
8. Only For Now
update: I posted this on another site was informed that UMO is still around and still prolifically recording this intelligent and adventurous big band music.

1 comment:

il angelo said...

Thad & Mel were at the top of the game, and the UMO have punch, always play solid, sometimes very inspired music (they even had a Muhal Richard Abrams record - I haven't heard-, and are not shy when they get latin accented).
Thanks for this.