Critic's Review
Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
A quick glimpse at the front cover of this live CD might give the impression that Bob Dorough and Phil Woods are featured together in concert; however, Woods actually appears on only one track, a medley of "Au Privave" and the pianist's "Sittin' in at the Au Privave," which is the high point of this release. As a result, Dorough's only accompaniment is electric bassist Bill Takas for most of the CD's 74-plus minutes, and that's an awful lot of time for the pianist to fill on his own. Compiled from two separate European concerts in 1983 and 1985 (only the latter of which is actually a tribute to Charlie Parker), this CD is not without its merits, including a campy "Everything Happens to Me" and an old favorite, "Better Than Anything." But because of his thin voice and the lack of supporting musicians to provide a little more variety, this CD will mostly appeal to hardcore fans of Bob Dorough rather than the average bop fan.
