Complete Recordings: Strike Up The Band & Creole Cookin'

by Scott Yanow Hackett recorded many excellent performances throughout his life; this LP is one of the more rewarding of his later years. He is teamed successfully with tenor-saxophonist Zoot Sims and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli in a frequently exciting sextet. Highpoints include the uptempo "Strike up the Band," a revisit to "Embraceable You" (Hackett had cut a famous solo on that standard 34 years earlier) and a variety of standards and basic originals. A consistently stimulating and enjoyable set, it is well-deserving of being reissued on CD.