If you were lucky enough to be at "The Club Nowhere," as an emcee calls New York's Allegro, site of these recordings, you were definitely somewhere that was a stronghold of soul-jazz. Boss tenor man Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson (1932-1987) headed one of the tightest, fullest-sounding little bands around, one that not only could get a club crowd up with an infectious, instantly danceable mix informed by jazz, blues, R&B, rock 'n' roll, and gospel, but could fire up the jazz fans as well, via swinging renditions of jam-session staples like "Perdido" and "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid." This set joins the LPs Soul Night/Live! and Tell It..., both recorded on March 21, 1964. On the former, the guitarist was billed as "Pat Azzara"; on the latter, "Patrick Azzara." Now internationally acclaimed as Pat Martino, he was when he worked with Jackson a 19-year-old burner from Philadelphia, whose lightning-like lines and rich chordal voicings are featured on the ballads "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and "Flamingo." As for the Gator, he shouts and wails and tells it with the kind of conviction that makes every night Soul Night/Live!

with Frank Robinson, Pat Martino, Carl Wilson, Joe Hadrick