JAZZ MISSION TO MOSCOW

MISSION TO MOSCOW

Everyone knows the storys of Benny Goodman’s trip to Moscow. They are many and pretty sad On their return home, Al Cohn rewrote  the arrangements and with most of the original Soviet trip band recorded Mission To Moscow—-sans Goodman

Phil Woods admirably plays the part of Benny Goodman.

In 1962 Benny Goodman had a historic visit to the Soviet Union, touring with a big band full of young all-stars. After the orchestra returned to the U.S., tenor saxophonist Al Cohn (who had not made the trip but did write some of Goodman's charts) put together an album (also released by Colpix) using many of the sidemen and paying tribute to the event. Strangely enough none of the six numbers are Cohn originals and he does not play on the record although he arranged all of the music. Of the six songs, "Mission to Moscow," "Let's Dance" and "Russian Lullaby" were part of Goodman's repertoire. Altoist Phil Woods effectively doubles on clarinet and other soloists include tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, trumpeter Marky Markowitz and trombonist Willie Dennis. An interesting set of modern swing but this LP has been unfortunately long out-of-print.

• Al Cohn – arranger, conductor

• Markie Markowitz, Jimmy Maxwell – trumpet

• Willie Dennis – trombone

• Phil Woods – alto saxophone, clarinet

• Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute

• Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone

• Gene Allen – baritone saxophone

• Eddie Costa – piano

• Bill Crow – bass

• Mel Lewis – drums