This release (with additional tracks) from Barry Martyn's respected Mono catalogue is an absolute gem, and gives the effect of traveling back more strongly, no doubt, than the current film remake of the classic H.G. Wells story. The atmosphere conveyed by this session really puts you at the heart of the music in a long ago West Bank dance hall as recorded in Marrero on a hot June night.

Charles DeVore, who as a young enthusiast, recorded the Thomas band with the inevitable assistance of Bill Russell, has supplied some evocative liner notes and says of his first encounter with the band: "I really didn't know what to make of it. Here was a trombonist getting up there and playing the melody more than the trumpet, the trumpet going blat, blat, blat behind the trombone beat and, off in the background a kind of wistful sound of a saxophone and a piano player. They had the wildest drummer I ever heard in my life and the bass player was very strong."

That gives some idea of the impact that can be felt on this remarkable release. Certainly Thomas' trumpet was, to say the least, minimalist, sour, and an acquired taste. But his sense of swing and drive made this band an exciting unit with a totally individual sound. From the first track, preceded by audience atmosphere, you feel you are in among the dancers and OVER THE WAVES is played in 3/4 time throughout with a sax obligato to the trumpet lead and no sense of parody -- this is functional music doing its job, complete with encore, no doubt responding to the fans. MARIE kicks off with a chorus by Nelson echoing Dorsey but in his own inimitable exciting way and once it gets under way we feel the teamwork within the ensemble; lightly swinging bass and top cymbal underpinning things. Joe James was never more perfunctory with his chord knowledge, but that somehow adds to the rough hewn charm of the proceedings. BLUEBERRY HILL has some nice blues-tinged alto from Ed Washington and intense playing from Nelson, with Sammy Penn's trademark cowbells getting an outing before Thomas' staccato pick up for the ride out, exciting and dynamic stuff. TWELFTH STREET RAG was probably a request and Thomas doesn't quite know it but gets away with it in his abrupt way. LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND was revived by Pat Boone around that time and we first heard Thomas play it on the informal session recorded by Pete Deuchar the same year that fascinated so many of us, when it was released in the UK.

It's a wonderful vehicle for Nelson's melodic gifts as is TENNESSEE WALTZ. GREEN EYES, in Latin style aimed at the punters as is MACK THE KNIFE that had been a hit for Louis Armstrong the year before, reflecting here the regard his hometown pals still had for him.

An album to cherish -- complete with a lovely rascally photo of Thomas inside!