Presenting Joe Williams And Thad Jones • Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra – Joe Williams And Thad Jones • Mel Lewis*, The Jazz Orchestra – LP – Pre Owned Vinyl (Arrives in 21days)

This album captures a meeting of giants: Joe Williams, whose baritone defined the sound of jazz vocals, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, a big band known for inventive arrangements and a deep, swinging groove. Recorded at a time when big band jazz was carving a new path, this collaboration brings together Williams’s soulful phrasing and the orchestra’s bracing energy, resulting in a set that is both warmly nostalgic and artistically daring.

Williams’s voice rides atop the brass and reeds with effortless authority—sensitive on ballads, electrifying on up-tempo numbers. Thad Jones’s arrangements are full of unexpected turns, keeping the listener engaged with every solo and ensemble passage. The orchestra, under Mel Lewis’s deft leadership, is both tight and expressive, providing the perfect foil for Williams’s vocals. This isn’t just a meeting of talents; it’s a dialogue between tradition and innovation in jazz. For collectors and fans alike, this album is a testament to the enduring power of jazz collaboration—a must-have that rewards repeated listening with new discoveries each time.

Track List:
A1 – Get Out Of My Life – 3:17
A2 – Woman’s Got Soul – 2:20
A3 – Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning – 4:25
A4 – Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You – 2:47
A5 – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – 2:29
A6 – Keep Your Hand On Your Heart – 3:31
B1 – Evil Man Blues – 3:19
B2 – Come Sunday – 3:11
B3 – Smack Dab In The Middle – 3:25
B4 – It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – 3:00
B5 – Hallelujah I Love Her So – 2:55
B6 – Night Time Is The Right Time (To Be With The One You Love) – 5:08