01 Stella By Starlight
02 Manha De Carnival
03 Green Dolphin Street
04 My Funny Valentine
05 No Greater Love
06 Wave
07 Donna Lee

Jack Wilkins and Attila Zoller - guitar
Eddie Gomez - bass
Ted Moore Drums

November 23, 1975

This cd requires a bit of a back story. At the time of this recording I was hired by the Ramada Inn in Schenectady to book jazz groups every Sunday. That usually involved a fairly well known jazz artist and local rhythm section. All artists were asked if they objected to me bringing a cassette deck and mics to my table right in front of the bandstand and record them. No one ever objected.

I first became familiar with Jack Wilkins when Mainstream sent me his first album to review. I was duly impressed and was determined to get him up to Schenectady, which is about 150 miles from New York City.

Meanwhile, Attila Zoller was living less than an hour away in Vermont and had friends in the Schenectady area. So, he was frequently available because of the proximity of the club.

So called guitar battles often have a wide appeal and so I booked the two of them together. Eddie Gomez came simply because he was a friend of Jack's and so he was willing to fit into my budget. Ted Moore lived about an hour away in Woodstock at the time and was playing in Nick Brignola's group.

Jack and Attila had heard of each other, but had never met before this gig. Judging by their rather heated discussion before they took the stand (I think it centered around who was the leader), it was obvious that they were less than crazy about each other. There was no mistaking the tension surrounding them when they took the stand.

Listening to this music almost exactly 30 years after, I find myself amazed as to how good the music was, especially the interplay between Wilkins and Zoller. As to how it ended up, listen to the ending of Donna Lee.

I think you will find the recording quality pretty good, especially considering it was done on a cheap $75 cassette deck and two mikes.

This performance was issued in two separate segments on Dime.

As always, I look forward to your comments.