Illinois Jacquet was one of the giants of the tenor-sax, the man who made “Flying Home” famous with his classic solo, an inspiration for a countless number of r&b tenors with his honking choruses, and a swing stylist with his own tough Texas sound.

In his later years, starting around 1986, Jacquet put together his own hard-swinging big band.

While they only recorded one album for Atlantic, the big band was featured on a few albums on the tiny Squatty Roo and Jacquet labels and remained active until Jacquet’s death in 2004.

The Illinois Jacquet Big Band is featured from a concert in Germany that took place on March 24, 1996, performing a rousing version of “Tickle Toe.”

The soloists are Jacquet, altoist Joey “G-Clef” Cavaseno, and trumpeter Brian Sledge; the lineup also includes lead trumpeter Winston Byrd, guitarist Gray Sargent, and drummer Clyde Lucas.

One can easily understand why Illinois Jacquet loved this band.

-Scott Yanow