80 Years Young: Live at the Blue Note, March 26, 2005

Everyone loved James Moody (1925-2010). He came to his musical maturity during the bebop era, playing tenor and alto including with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and in the 1960s with Gillespie's quintet. Moody continued to evolve through the years, taking up the flute and soprano while developing his own distinctive sound on all of his instruments. Always a good-humored and witty performer, particularly during his later years, Moody usually seemed to know half of his audience by their first names and many of his performances had a party atmosphere.

To commemorate his 80th birthday in 2005, the Blue Note in New York had a weeklong celebration. The previously unreleased music on 80 Years Young was performed on his actual birthday (March 26). First Moody sings and plays his two standbys ("Benny's From Heaven" and "Moody Mood For Love"), getting a bit carried away in spots and even including some yodeling. He also plays flute on "Cherokee." For those three numbers he performs in a quartet with pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Todd Coolman and drummer Adam Nussbaum, an outstanding rhythm section.

Then the night turns into a jam session as Moody is joined on three lengthy performances of songs associated with Dizzy Gillespie ("Birk's Works," "Bebop," and "Ow") by trumpeter Jon Faddis, Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet, trombonist Slide Hampton, trumpeter Randy Brecker (for two songs) and, on the closing "Ow," pianist Cedar Walton. The music is as outstanding and exciting as one would expect with D'Rivera's clarinet playing often taking honors although all of the horn players (including the guest of honor) are outstanding on during the stirring version of "Bebop." Moody often sounds like the youngest player on stage. A great time was had by all and now, during the centennial year of James Moody, one can enjoy the music again. 80 Years Young is available from www.originarts.com.