From the soundtrack to the 1973 lighthearted crime comedy *The Thief Who Came to Dinner* by master composer Henry Mancini, the A-side cover of the title track, “The Thief Who Came to Dinner” (sample 1) —a track born from the magic of studio improvisation, elevated to the level of a soundtrack for a yet-to-be-made vintage film—and the B-side features a light, bouncy reggae number (sample 2) that evokes the atmosphere of Jamaican reggae from the good old days, dedicated to the late Earl Appleton, one of Jamaica’s greatest pianists “Earl” (sample 2) is featured on the B-side.
Once again, a masterpiece has been born—one that weaves together the past, present, and future of Jamaican music in a way that will never fade.
Centered around Larry McDonald—whose musical career spans 70 years—and two musicians who have also performed as touring members of the legendary band “The Skatalites,” this album brings together a group of talented artists who form the backbone of New York’s reggae scene. The lineup includes Priet Patel and Rich Terrana (The Frightnrs), Matt Burdi and Michael Sarason (The Far East), Brett Tubin (Channel Tubes), veteran session trombonist Clark Gayton, and Victor Axelrod (Ticklah), who contributed to the studio recordings, are among the lineup.
A superb 7-inch “doughnut” record on a cardboard sleeve from Names You Can Trust. Highly recommended. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)