Cannonball & Nat Adderley

by Stewart MasonThe "and Strings" album is one of the biggest clichés of '50s jazz. The idea of taking a prominent jazz soloist and placing him in an orchestral context usually doesn't work as jazz and often doesn't cut it as mood music, either. Julian Cannonball Adderley and Strings suffers a bit in terms of song selection -- "Surrey With a Fringe on Top" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams (Around a Pug-Nosed Dream)" are a little on the corny side -- but Adderley himself plays beautifully, showing off his typically excellent soloing throughout, and Bill Russo's orchestral arrangements are less invasive than similar arrangements for other "and Strings" albums, more Gil Evans than Mantovani. The opening "I Cover the Waterfront" is a stellar kickoff, a smoky ballad perfect for Adderley's soulful style, but barring a few minor missteps, all of Julian Cannonball Adderley and Strings is well worth hearing.