During the late 1950s and well into the '60s,
Stanley Black churned out a steady stream of thematically focused concept albums, often tapping into selected ethnic traditions. Dutton Vocalion presents a pair of sequels to
Black's albums
All-Time Top Tangos and
Spain, including a suite based upon themes from
Georges Bizet's "Pearl Fishers,"
Emmanuel Chabrier's "Espana" and
Joaquín Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez," a piece most famously handled by
Miles Davis and
Gil Evans on their 1959 album
Sketches of Spain. This reissue belongs among the better titles in the
Stanley Black discography. For background and context, see his earlier work as pianist and arranger with British dance bands and a 1934 session with
Coleman Hawkins.
–
arwulf arwulf, Rovi