by Jason Ankeny
A gimmick record that transcends its novelty trappings, Take a Number from 1 to 10 begins with Benny Golson's solo rendition of the evergreen &You're My Thrill& and from there adds a new musician (among them Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, and Curtis Fuller) with each successive track, climaxing with the full ten-piece group's rendition of the Golson original &Time.& While the progressive sonic expansion is fascinating to behold, the small-group settings are no less impressive for their intimacy and nuance. In fact, a gorgeous duet rendition of &My Heart Belongs to Daddy& pairing Golson with bassist Tommy Williams may be the most impressive performance here.