Although best known as a flexible and tasteful drummer, Bob Moses displayed a great deal of talent as a composer and arranger on this exciting project. He utilized a particularly colorful cast of characters, including altoist David Gross, Jim Pepper on tenor, cornetist Terumasa Hino, trombonist Barry Rogers, flutist Jeremy Steig, vibraphonist David Friedman, guitarist Bill Frisell, keyboardist Lyle Mays, electric bassist Steve Swallow, Howard Johnson on electric contrabass clarinet and tuba, and the voices of Sheila Jordan and Jeanne Lee, among many others. Some of the music is quite lyrical and laid-back, and there are tributes to Miles Davis and Billy Strayhorn, but it is the rambunctious and hilarious "Everybody Knows You When You're Up and In" (his answer to "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out") that is most memorable. Highly recommended. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
01. Trevor
02. Picolo And Lulu
03. Everybody Knows When You're Up And In
04. Lava Flow
05. Happy To Be Here Today
06. For Miles
07. Embraceable Jew
08. Bugs Bunny
09. Black Orchid
10. Disappearing Blues
11. Ripped Van Winkle
12. Blame It On The Egg
13. The River
MICHAEL FORMANEK acoustic bass
DAVID GROSS alto saxophone
HOWARD JOHNSON electric contrabass, clarinet, tuba
TERUMASA HINO cornet
BOB WEINER drums (6)
STEVE SWALLOW electric bass
PAUL SOCOLOW electric bass (6)
BILL FRISELL electric guitar
JEREMY STEIG bass flute (13)
AIYB DIENG percussion
JOE BONADIO percussion
NANÁ VASCONCELOS percussion, voice
LYLE MAYS synthesizer
JIM PEPPER tenor saxophone
DOC HALLIDAY tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
BARRY ROGERS trombone, bass trombone
CHRIS ROGERS trumpet
DAVID FRIEDMAN vibraphone, marimba
BEMSHI SHEARER voice (4, 13)
JAHNET LEVATIN voice (13)
JEANNE LEE voice (13)
MARION COWINGS voice (4, 13)
PAULA POTOCKI voice (13)
SHEILA JORDAN voice (5)
TONI WILSON voice (13)
Music composed by Bob Moses
Recorded April 11-12, 1982 at Vanguard Studio, New York City
Gramavision – R2 79491