How to Listen to Jazz

After his contract with Columbia ran out, Tony went to England to record a couple LP's for Verve/MGM. The first was "The Good Things In Life" and the second was this one.

Not only does this LP feature a "new quartet," but it marks the beginning of Gary Burton's longtime association with ECM. In general, Burton's ECM dates were more introverted and laid-back than his more diverse Atlantic releases, but they always had their moments of interest. On this set, the vibraphonist, guitarist Mick (then known as Michael) Goodrick, bassist Abraham Laboriel, and drummer Harry Blazer perform numbers by Chick Corea ("Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly"), Keith Jarrett ("Coral"), Gordon Beck, Carla Bley, and Mike Gibbs, in addition to Burton's "Brownout." Intriguing if not essential music.

"Labor of love" is the inevitable phrase to describe this album on which composer/conductor/arrangers Quincy Jones and Sammy Nestico, both of whom wrote for Count Basie and His Orchestra, assemble a top-flight big band to perform some of their vintage charts. Despite the use of the bandleader's name in the title and the pictures of him with the two principals on the front and back of the album, the music is more "beyond" than "Basie." It is true that both Jones and Nestico are steeped in the Basie band's light, rhythmic approach to playing and their music is imbued with that style. But both are better understood as graduates of the Basie school than true adherents, people who have spent the better parts of their careers applying their knowledge of swing to other endeavors, notably film scores…

This DVD/2CD set includes a deluxe lift top box packaging and postcards. The DVD includes promo videos, footage from Top of the Pops from 2001, Later…With Jools Holland: 06/09/2001, and Top of the Pops: 08/17/2001. The CDs include the original album plus a CD with footage from Pyramid Song, Knives Out, Canal + Studios from 2001, and I Might Be Wrong - live recordings