Live at Carnegie Hall

By 1965, trumpeter Al Hirt was a commercial success, although from the jazz standpoint most of his output for RCA was becoming increasingly forgettable. Although he was joined by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra for nine of the 13 selections on this live LP, all of the selections (other than a six-minute rendition of "Carnival of Venice") are quite brief, with several under two minutes. Hirt shows off his technique on a variety of showy devices, but every note sounds planned in advance, whether it be "Bye Bye Blues," "Down By the Riverside" or a remake of his hit "Java." ~ Scott Yanow