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"... if you're a fan of the TJ/ML Orchestra, you'll flip over the new set. (The sound restoration) is exceptional and makes the recording sound as if these guys are in the room with you." - JazzWax.com "... the acoustics are superb and a testament to the 'on the fly' engineering skills of George Klabin ... both discs sound superb with the dynamic power of the orchestra on full display ... this is stunning music with visceral power, an historical testament to the best of big band jazz ... if you are a connoisseur of big band jazz, this is a must-have purchase ..." - Audiophile Audition "Five Stars ... the apotheosis of live jazz performance ... before even considering the music, there is the captured ambiance ... a very intimate listening experience that only lacks the smell of just-lit Lucky Strikes and Cutty Sark on the rocks ... the sound and atmosphere is electrically charged and immediate. The sound is spacious enough to get up and walk around in, passing through all of the sections ... a compounded product of rare substance and beauty. It is immediately evident that there is something special taking place ... this is, simply, what live music is all about: invention, spontaneity, improvisation and spring freshness. Hear from where all big band since has come." - All About Jazz This double album marks the first official release of recordings capturing the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in concert at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City in early 1966. The treasure trove of previously unheard live performances from two shows six weeks apart is presented in ahead-of-its-time audiophile quality. George Klabin, a 19-year-old engineer, taped the orchestra direct to two-track, mixing each of the soloists live on the fly. For this package, Klabin transferred and remastered the audio using the original tapes. "Put on a pair of good stereo headphones and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of those two nights. You will hear all the subtleties: Thad's shouts, the room sound, the musicians' camaraderie, encouraging each other and most of all the pure joy! Now you can be there, too." - George Klabin, executive producer/original engineer