Who is vibes player on Gil Melle's Gil's Guests

Hi Folks:

While this question may be a little (a lot) off-centre for the list(s) indulge me since the composer/saxophonist Gil Melle moved in the same circles as Mingus in New York and later experimented with electronics and wrote movie soundtracks, which moved him into the Ra sphere.

I just picked up a copy of Gil's Guests (Prestige OJCCD 1753-2), where Melle is supposed to be playing with three similarly constituted septets. That is the first six tracks are septets, and the third, the "Bonus" tracks only a sextet.

However there is the unmistakable sound of vibes on those three numbers - "Funk for Star People" [a title Ra may have liked], "Golden Age" and "Herbie".

One conjecture would be that drummer Ed Thigpen is also playing vibes, though I've never heard of this, nor do I think Donald Byrd, Phil Woods, guitarist Joe Cinderella, bassist Vinne Burke or Melle himself is doing so.

Does anybody know if perhaps Teddy Charles -- another Mingus connection -- could have made an uncredited -- or left out -- appearance on the disc. The only other person who seems logical is Eddie Costa who moved in those same circles.

I've looked at Melle's own page, All About Jazz, All Music Guide and Mike Fitzgerald's discographies with no luck.

Anyone have any ideas, Andrew? Mike? etc.

This work of Melle's is arranged in an East Coast sophisticated style reminiscent of Teddy Charles' Tentet or Gil Evans style, which makes the CD an interesting listen.

Ken

Ken Waxman mingusaum@yahoo.ca www.jazzword.com - Jazz/improv news, CD reviews and photos

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