A follow-up to his well-received
Standing Ovation at Newport from 1965, this set features the popular flutist at the 1966 Festival (except for "All Blues," which is from four months earlier) jamming some heated grooves with trumpeter
Jimmy Owens, trombonists Joe Orange and
Jack Hitchcock, bassist
Reggie Workman, drummer
Bruno Carr and percussionist
Patato Valdes. The material is stronger than was often the case on
Mann's albums from this period, with
Jimmy Heath's "Project S,"
Wayne Henderson's "Scratch" and "All Blues" being among the high points.
Herbie Mann's 1960s recordings, which are generally superior to what he would be playing a decade later, tend to be underrated because he had become quite popular. This fine date is worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow