Blue Mitchell

• 5 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Vinyl LP repressing of this 1964 album from the jazz trumpeter. This LP reissue is part of Blue Note's 75th anniversary celebration. On The Thing To Do, Blue is joined by Junior Cook (tenor saxophone), Chick Corea (piano), Gene Taylor (bass) and Al Foster (drums). Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He began playing trumpet in high school, where he acquired his nickname, Blue. After high school he played in the rhythm and blues ensembles of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic, and Chuck Willis. After returning to Miami he was noticed by Cannonball Adderley, with whom he recorded for Riverside Records in New York in 1958. He then joined the Horace Silver Quintet, playing with tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks. Mitchell stayed with Silver's group until the band's break-up in 1964, after which he formed a group with members from the Silver quintet, substituting the young pianist Chick Corea for Silver and replacing Brooks, who had fallen ill, with drummer Al Foster.

PERSONNEL:

• Blue Mitchell - trumpet
• Junior Cook - tenor sax
• Chick Corea - piano
• Gene Taylor - bass
• Aloysius Foster - drums

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Fungii Mama
• A2. Mon's Mood
• A3. The Thing To Do

• SIDE B
• B1. Step Lightly
• B2. Chick's Tune