High-spirited fun.
Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 07/02/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Any album that allots Terry Gibbs ample solo space is sure to swing. And Babasin's contributions don't detract--in fact, his sound on cello is reminiscent of a funky, lower-register guitar as played by someone like Herb Ellis. But this album, while a spirited and loose session, is hardly innovative, nor did it start any trend. The definitive work on the instrument still has to be by Oscar Pettiford, but good luck trying to lay your hands on "The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi Fi," a big band outing on ABC Paramount that outswings this session and features not only Oscar's cello and bass but cutting-edge arrangements that still sound ahead of their time."