The Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Big Band was formed in New York City in 1965, but performed in countries all around the world for decades, including The Soviet Union during The Cold War years. Come Sunday is a Duke Ellington composition written in 1942 as part of the first movement of a suite entitled Black, Brown and Beige. The Groove Merchant is a Jerome Richardson original written for the band’s Central Park North album.
Both tunes performed here are from a September 1969 concert in Soburg, Denmark. The personnel roster reads like a “Who’s Who” of jazz musicians, most of whom went on to individual greatness with their own bands. Featured are Thad Jones (flhrn); Snooky Young, Al Porcino, Richard Williams, Danny Moore (tp); Jimmy Knepper, Eddie Bert, Astley Fennell (tb); Cliff Heather (b-tb); Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson (as); Eddie Daniels, Joe Henderson (ts); Pepper Adams (bars); Sir Roland Hanna (p); Richard Davis (b); Mel Lewis (d).
