1. Loose Wig 2. Run Joe 3. Theme For Teddy, A 4. In A Spanish Town 5. Don't Blame Me 6. J.K. Blues 7. Well You Needn't 8. How High The Moon Personnel: Randy Weston (piano); Cecil Payne (alto & baritone saxophones); Ray Copeland (trumpet); Ahmed-Abdul Malik (bass); Willie Jones, Wilbert Hogan (drums). Recorded in New York, New York on November 21 & 22, 1956. Includes liner notes by Chris Albertson. This is part of Biograph's Rare Dawn series. This wonderful 1957 release finds pianist Randy Weston expanding from his usual trio to a quintet. Three of his original compositions are joined by five jazz standards on this set. "Run Joe" is a pure delight and Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't" is a nod to one of Weston's early inspirations. "Don't Blame Me" and the title track show the inventive and emotional way in which Weston draws from, and builds upon, great melodic and harmonic foundations. His own "A Theme For Teddy" is a sterling and romantic original that also serves as an excellent showcase for the empathetic interplay of the trio. Weston has produced an enormous body of work over the second half of the 20th Century, and this album is a high point from the '50s.
