WDR Big Band & Mel Lewis: A Tribute To Thad Jones - Live in Leipzig November 1989

WDR Big Band
Jerry van Rooyen - cond
Dennis Mackrel - drums
Mel Lewis - drums (tracks 8 - 10)

recorded live at "Haus der leichten Muse", Leipzig, November 22, 1989

1. Don't Get Sassy
2. Introduction by Jerry van Rooyen
3. Little Pumpkin
4. To You
5. Three In One
6. A Child Is Born
7. Don´t Get Around Much Anymore (Ellington)
8. Introduction by Mel Lewis
9. Little Pixie

In the 1980´s the WDR Big Band Cologne played regularly with drummer legend Mel Lewis, who called this orchestra "my second band" or "my German band". Two weeks after the iron curtain had fallen, Mel Lewis - who was yet quite ill at that time and died just two months later in NYC - and the WDR Big Band did their last concert together in Leipzig (at this time still GDR).