Guitarist/arranger
Peter Hand
assembled a big band for this concert, stocking it with a number of well-known veterans, but featuring tenor saxophonist
Houston Person
prominently. The program consists of seven songs by the legendary
Harold Arlen
, starting with an easygoing, bluesy take of
"Come Rain or Come Shine"
showcasing
Person
,
Hand
, and pianist
Richard Wyands
, with some potent writing for the horns to accompany it. The poignant ballad
"The Man That Got Away"
is an overlooked gem in
Arlen
's vast output, with a heartfelt solo by
, while the tenor saxophonist communicates the words with his effective playing of
"Stormy Weather,"
backed by
's inspired voicings for the brass and reeds. The one medley of the evening is a departure from the
songbook, a medley of spirited blues by
and
. To wrap the evening,
plays a lush, unaccompanied solo of
"Over the Rainbow"
to bring down the house. ~ Ken Dryden