Drummer
Nick Fatool only had one opportunity to lead a record date in his entire career, and that was late in his life. Fortunately, it was a very good Dixieland-oriented session featuring a mostly all-star cast: cornetist
Ernie Carson (in top form), tenor saxophonist
Eddie Miller, clarinetist
Johnny Mince, pianist
Lou Stein, guitarist
Bill Rutan and bassist
Bob Haggart. Although
Fatool takes some drum breaks, he does not dominate the music. Highlights of the eight selections include heated renditions of "Down Among the Sheltering Palms," "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland" and "Hotter Than That." This CD reissue adds two previously unreleased numbers (which are not mentioned at all in the liner notes, although they are listed) from a live date in 1982. Tenor great
Bud Freeman starts off by praising
Fatool as his favorite drummer and then jams "The Man I Love" and "Just One of Those Things" in a quintet with
Fatool, pianist
Ray Sherman, the young guitarist
Howard Alden and bassist
Phil Stephens. The interplay and tradeoffs between the 75-year-old
Freeman and the 23-year-old
Alden are delightful. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
