Terry Gibbs • Sal Nestico - It's Time We Met

Terry Gibbs plays a series of original blues riffs on this sextet session from 1963. The focus is primarily on the vibraphonist and tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico, with Benny Goodman veteran Turk Van Lake on guitar and Nat Pierce (organ), bassist Charlie Andrus and drummer Jake Hanna on loan from the then-current edition of Woody Herman's band. Gibbs and Nistico deliver consistently strong solos, especially in the uptempo cooker "The Tweaker". The substitution of organ for the usual piano in Gibbs' rhythm section adds to the bluesy flavor of the date and while the music is enjoyable, none of the songs is particularly memorable. Reissued by Mainstream as It's Time We Met a few years after the demise of Time, either pressing of this long unavailable album should be considered somewhat difficult to acquire. *Ken Dryden*

As one would expect from looking at the lineup (vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico, guitarist Turk Lake, bassist Charlie Andrus, drummer Jake Hanna and pianist Nat Pierce), swing is the thing on this Time release. The odd part is that Pierce mostly plays organ (whose idea was that?), which weighs down the group a bit since his is very much a pianistic style. The nine tunes are all Terry Gibbs originals, and Gibbs, although a masterful vibraphonist, has never been a major composer. However, the enthusiastic solos of the co-leaders keep the music colorful and swinging. *Scott Yanow*

Great work from Terry Gibbs —an album of all original material, recorded for Mainstream and not nearly as well-known as some of his bigger dates from the old days! The lineup here is a bit unusual— with Nat Pierce playing organ, Sal Nistico on tenor, and Turk Van Lake on guitar —all working with Gibbs in a groove that's a fair bit grittier than most of his other work, almost a soul jazz approach to the vibes at times! The original tracks are all appreciated too— nicely fresh numbers that bring in plenty of tenor and organ grooving. *dustygroove.com*

Side 1

1 - We Three

2 - Bathtub Eyes

3 - 7 F

4 - Settling Down Slow

5 - The Tweaker

Side 2

6 - Baby Blues

7 - Big Lips

8 - No Chops

9 - Movin' In

(All compositions by Terry Gibbs)

Terry Gibbs (vibraphone), Sal Nestico (tenor sax), Nat Pierce (organ), Turk Van Lake (guitar), Charlie Andrus (bass), Jake Hanna (drums).

Recorded at the Nola Penthouse Sound Studios, New York City, 1963.