jond ...
Let me know what you think.
Conti Condoli, the trumpet player, and Stan Levy, the drummer, used to play with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse Allstars in at the jazz club known as "The Lighthouse" in Hermosa Beach, CA. My high school buddy and I used to go hear them a couple of nights a week ... and then try to stay awake in class the next day.
I was so taken by Stan Levy's drumming that we would sit right next to him looking up at his foot working all of the pedals. Levy is one of the few drummers that actually plays music on the drums. Shelly Manne is another that comes to mind.
As you listen to Little Band Big Jazz, listen to how Stan Levy drives the band and keeps his ego out of the way as he does it.
The sax player, Buddy Collette, also did some really great work with the Chico Hamilton quintet too. Now THAT is some great work. Check this out. Its a must have:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PACIFIC-JAZZ-1225-CHICO-HAMILTON-QUINTET-Mono-LP-DG-/122423073830?hash=item1...Look for the stereo version ... and not the mono. Fabulous recording and some really cutting edge jazz (for the 1950's). It was considered to be really "far out" back in the day. Collette plays soprano sax on this album like there's no tomorrow. One of my favs ... and everyone I play it for loves it too.
Frank