This is an alblum littered with some of the best jazz

players on the planet. Many of them are dead now mind

you, so you might want to get out and listen to some

of the great live ones while they're still with us.

I think that for an alblum to get a 5 star rating, there

I'm not so keen on jazz music; however, I must say that this album is excellent, probably the second best of its kind after the all-time classic soundtrack for "Ascenseur Pour L'Echauffaud" ("Elevator to the Gallows"), one of the masterpieces by Louis Malle. The music here is certainly high class material: atmospheric, suggestive and wonderfully interpreted. If you're a jazz buff and haven't heard it yet, be sure that you've missed half of your life, so GET IT RIGHT AWAY!

There are alot of marvelous musicians on this record. Herbie Hancock does a wonderful job as music director. It is a real treat to hear John McGloughlin play standard, traditional jazz guitar. No one can doubt his chops, but some if his playing on his Mahavishnu Orchestra is just noise to me.

The movie that serves as the inspiration of this record is good to see and interesting for the story. Dexter's playing is some of his worst. I do not know if the point of the story is to tell the last years of a broken down jazz musician or if not, but that is how he sounds for much of this soundtrack.

If you want this record as souvenir of the movie, so be it. If you want this record to be an example of Dexter Gordon's playing, forget it. I probably have most if not all of the compact discs commercially available of Dexter Gordon's music--both live dates and studio recordings. This is not one of his best performance.

I've never seen the movie and really, I don't have to. I love this album. I thought that it was very nicely done and it is so perfect. But really, it was the song "Round Midnight" with Bobby McFerrin that caught my ear. Listening to him singing that muted trumpet is sooo heavenly. So, I had to find this album if only to hear this song. It was a real treat that I got the other songs as well. "Fair Weather" by Chet Baker is another favorite of mine. I would urge any jazz lover to pick this album up. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

Very mellow and bluesy instrumental and vocal tunes. Good for those lonely and introspective days and evenings. For a more fiery chet listen to the "italian sessions".