As recorded by Shelly Manne & His Men on The Gambit (Contemporary) 1957

JSC-011 Score and parts for trumpet, alto sax, piano, bass and drums  – 60€

In the late 1950s, when great altoist Charlie Mariano was with Shelly Manne’s band, he was used by the leader both as a soloist and composer. Indeed, his compositions were stiumlating, challenging, daring, yet swinging.
The Gambit is a unique-of-its-kind suite for jazz quintet in four movements : I. Queen’s Pawn; II. En Passant; III. Casting; IV. Checkmate. Insipred by chess moves, it is a very beautiful 20 minutes-long composition, full of surprises, changes of mood and always clever in treating the jazz quintet in an orchestral way.