专辑简介

Early on into the Stan Getz Quartet tour of Europe in November 1966 tensions broke out between the saxophonist and his former mistress, the vocalist Astrud Gilberto, who had risen to rapid success after the surprise hit "The Girl From Ipanema" three years previously. Promoters bargaining on a sold-out double header were set into a panic when Gilberto demanded her own accompanists rather than Getz' quartet. Perhaps something of the backstage heat transferred itself to this slice of the tour recorded in Paris.

This album has has always demanded a struggle between the listener and a very askew recording balance, only recently revealed to have been caused a faulty microphone, but strike through the aural distractions and you'll find Getz and the band on top form.

The youthful Gary Burton was an acknowledged stimulus to Getz' creativity and both his comping behind the tenor and shimmering solo work are the stuff of genius; listen for the incredible four-mallet solo treatment of "Edelweiss", sounding for all the world as is Bill Evans is at the vibraphone.

Unfortunately it is bassist Steve Swallow who suffers most at the inefficient hands of the Parisian engineers, never quite sounding like he is sharing the same stage as his cohorts. In his stead drummer Roy Haynes seems to up the ante and at times this session appears more of a drum and tenor duel than a quartet effort.