Fingers – 1978
Thad Jones and the Danish Radio Big Band
Jones conducts a mighty big band through a raging performance
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In 1978, cornetist-arranger-composer Thad Jones was in Europe with the big band that he co-led with drummer Mel Lewis.
Taking time off from that orchestra (which he would leave altogether the following year), Jones recorded and performed with the Danish Radio Big Band.
This film clip has Thad Jones conducting the impressive European orchestra (which includes a few Americans) through his “Fingers,” a piece based on “I Got Rhythm.”
The cooking performance features solos from trombonist Richard Boone, pianist Ole Kock Hansen, trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, guitarist Bo Sylven, and tenor-saxophonist Bent Jaedig along with some impressive work from the sax section.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald