This effervescent disc was the first of several Impulse records waxed by the hugely underrated vibraphonist, composer and arranger Gary McFarland (1933-71). McFarland convened a remarkable sextet here, featuring the sadly ill-fated Willie Dennis (who dominates here) on trombone, Richie Kamuca (who, like both McFarland and Dennis, also died at a terribly young age) on sax and flute, Jimmy Raney on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass and Mel Lewis on drums.
With this disc, you can hear how seamlessly the melodic Mr. McFarland could transition into film, easy listening and even pop music, but still stay true to the spirit of jazz. Indeed, he would conquer all these fronts with what the record itself boasts as “effortless melodic inventiveness” with the short time he had left on this Earth.
Note, too, photographer Pete Turner’s stunning shot of the blithely handsome McFarland, sporting an ever-so regal silk cravat. The photo hints at the breezy music found within. Turner would also shoot McFarland’s visage for the Creed Taylor-produced “Soft Samba Strings,” an image we were able to replicate on our 1998 McFarland CD compilation “Latin Lounge.”