by Scott Yanow
This CD finds trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie at age 55, just beginning to slip. Gillespie plays well enough on these nine selections with a fine rhythm section comprised of pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Pederson, drummer Kenny Clarke and the congas of Humberto Canto; Johnny Griffin's tenor is a major asset on four numbers. Still, the edge is missing on these explorations of standards and recent originals although he is in particularly fine form on the ballads such as &I Waited for You& and &The Girl of My Dreams.&