Critic Gary Giddins commented that, "a few complicated arrangements notwithstanding, this album is mostly an upbeat jam".[2] One of the complicated arrangements was "Cat's Cradle Conference Rag" – each of five musicians "play five standards based on similar harmonies simultaneously".[3] With the drummer added, these were: "Take the A Train" (Byard); "Jersey Bounce" (Nance); "Darktown Strutters' Ball" (Benson); "Intermission Riff" (Davis); "Desafinado" (Carter); and "Ring Dem Bells" (Dawson).[2]
Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars with its review by Scott Yanow, stating, "The repertoire includes a jammed version of "How High the Moon," a couple of tricky Byard originals and the then-current pop tune "Music to Watch Girls By." But more significant than the songs is the playing by the distinctive musicians who almost make the band sound like a regular group rather than a one-time get-together".[4] Giddins was also positive; he picked out Ray Nance's solo on "How High the Moon": it "ranks with the one he recorded on Dizzy Gillespie's "Lover Come Back to Me" as the best work of his later years".[6]
Track listing
All compositions by Jaki Byard except as indicated
^Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 35. ISBN0-394-72643-X.
^Giddins, Gary (1985) Rhythm-a-ning: Jazz Tradition and Innovation in the 1980s, p. 6. Oxford University Press.
Further reading
Williams, Martin T. (1991) Jazz in Its Time, pp. 147–159. Oxford University Press. Contains a detailed description of the recording session by someone who was present.
