March 7, 2019
Recorded at the Village Vanguard on the night of his 67th birthday, Tommy Flanagan celebrated by recording this memorable set. Joined by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, the brilliant pianist devours two up-tempo bop classics by Thad Jones, “Birdsong” and “Let’s,” plus a trio of tunes by Tom MacIntosh (a composer who merits wider recognition). His lengthy sojourn through Dizzy Gillespie’s “Tin Tin Deo” explores new ground, while the late trumpeter’s lesser-known “I Waited for You” is quite enchanting. Flanagan’s arrangement of the title track, a rarely performed song from Duke Ellington’s “Queen’s Suite,” matches the elegance of the late composer’s recording. His dramatic solo of “Good Night My Love” is dedicated to his wife Diana, who is not only present but heard answering her husband’s call to her at the end of the night. ~ Ken Dryden
