In 1961 Oliver Nelson released the legendary album The Blues And The Abstract Truth. It was recorded with an all star lineup: Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Roy Haynes (drums), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Eric Dolphy (flute, alto saxophone), George Barrow (baritone saxophone) and Nelson himself (alto and tenor saxophone). With his round and warm brassy sound, smart use of dissonance and tight interpretation of harmonies, Nelson marked a new era in jazz music with The Blues And The Abstract Truth. The Metropole Orkest Big Band, conducted by Jörg Achim Keller, pays homage to Oliver Nelson by performing the complete album, retaining its original magic without blindly copying it. Keller has written new arrangements, based on the solos on the album and on Nelson’s later adaptations for big bands.
