[MRL 373] Clark Terry/Bob Brookmeyer Quintet - Gingerbread Men

AMG Review by Jason Ankeny

Perhaps because trumpeter Clark Terry and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer spent the majority of their respective careers as sidemen, they retain a remarkable spirit of generosity and unity as leaders--for all the virtuosity on display across Gingerbread Men, what impresses most is the selfless coherence of the session as a whole. Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Bob Crenshaw and drummer Dave Bailey further underline the joie de vivre that characterizes the album, playing with exuberance and creativity--for all the music's visceral punch, it still boasts an uncommon and most welcome elegance. (Long out-of-print, Gingerbread Men was finally reissued in 2005 via the two-disc Clark Terry/Bob Brookmeyer Quintet Complete Studio Recordings.)