Famed trumpet player and jazz vocalist Clark Terry spent many years in residence at the University of New Hampshire after his retirement from the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands, and his stint at the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  He went on jazz cruises with the UNH Jazz Bands, played concerts and sessions (like the Press Room)  around the state of New Hampshire, and conducted jazz workshops, many times with invited guests from his big band days, such as Al Grey and Snooky Young.  The University hosted several of his birthday celebrations in Johnson Theater, with receptions following in the Bratton Room. 

I was on the adjunct music faculty at UNH in the 1980s and 90s and was privileged to take part in many of those events.  This recording is one of my prize possessions from that time period, and I am proud to share two of the tracks from the CD which were recorded with a small combo in the Bratton Room by sound engineer Gaylord Russell.  Clark recorded “In Orbit” with Thelonious Monk in 1958 and agreed to do a couple of Monk's tunes, “Bemsha Swing," and “Let's Cool One,” for this album.  The combo consisted of Clark on trumpet, me on tenor sax, Gary Wittner on guitar, John Hunter on bass and Les Harris, Jr. on drums.