Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

Close to the end of 1965, harmonically advanced trumpeter/cornetist Thad Jones organized a large music group with drummer Mel Lewis that from February 1966 onward played Monday evenings in the Village Vanguard. Through the following 10 years, the orchestra (although usually a part-time affair) became popular and offered Jones an store for his composing. He made up one regular (“A KID EXISTS”) along numerous fine items, including “Fingertips,” “Small Pixie,” and “Tiptoe.” Among the sidemen in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (which began as an all-star group and down the road featured more youthful players) had been trumpeters Expenses Berry, Danny Stiles, Richard Williams, Marvin Stamm, Snooky Youthful, and Jon Faddis, trombonists Bob Brookmeyer, Jimmy Knepper, and Quentin Jackson, the reeds of Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Eddie Daniels, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, and Billy Harper, pianists Hank Jones and Roland Hanna, and bassists Richard Davis and George Mraz. In 1978, Jones amazed Lewis by all of a sudden leaving the music group and shifting to Denmark, an actions he never described. He wrote for any radio orchestra and led his personal group, known as Eclipse. In past due 1984, Jones overran the leadership from the Count number Basie Orchestra but within a 12 months, bad health pressured him to retire.