AMG Review of One for My Baby

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

After leaving RCA Victor Records in 1966, Joe Williams began performing with the recently formed Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, which had some of the rhythmic impetus he had enjoyed with Count Basie. Contracted to Solid State Records, they cut two albums, a blues collection called Presenting Joe Williams And The Jazz Orchestra (1967) and a ballad set, Something Old, New And Blue (1968). This budget-priced compilation selects a mere four tracks from the former and 11 of the 12 tracks from the latter (the missing one is "Everybody Loves My Baby"). While a more complete collection might have been hoped for, the music is still impressive, as Williams re-lives the kind of sound he achieved with Basie and the Jones-Lewis organization proves itself an effective neo-swing unit.