Two at the Top

Two at the Top
Studio album by Frank Wess and Johnny Coles
Released	1983
Recorded	June 8 & 9, 1983
Studio	Van Gelder Studio Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre	Jazz
Length	138:39 CD reissue with additional tracks and bonus disc
Label	Uptown UP 27.14
Producer	Mark Feldman MD., Robert E. Sunenblick MD.
Frank Wess chronology
Flute Juice (1981) Two at the Top (1983) Two for the Blues (1984)
Johnny Coles chronology
New Morning (1982) Two at the Top (1983)

Two at the Top is an album by saxophonist/flautist Frank Wess and flugelhornist Johnny Coles, recorded and released on the Uptown label in 1983.^[1][2] The original album was rereleased on CD in 2012 along with one additional number and five alternate takes and a bonus live disc recorded in 1988.^[3]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Tom Hull	B+ ()[4]

The AllMusic review by Ken Dryden said "Two at the Top is one of the label's finest releases, a session pairing Frank Wess and the unjustly neglected Johnny Coles, accompanied by a potent rhythm section Highly recommended".^[3] On All About Jazz Marc Myers called it "a powerfully superb jazz album".^[5]

Track listing

Disc One:

1. "Whistle Stop" (Kenny Dorham) – 6:03
2. "Morning Star" (Rodgers Grant) – 5:38
3. "Celia" (Bud Powell) – 5:04
4. "Nica's Tempo" (Gigi Gryce) – 6:42
5. "Minority" (Gryce) – 5:49
6. "Ill Wind" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 6:36
7. "Stablemates" (Benny Golson) – 6:12
8. "An Oscar for Oscar" (Dorham) – 4:21
9. "A Blue Time" (Tadd Dameron) – 6:53 Additional track on CD release
10. "An Oscar for Oscar" [Take One] (Dorham) – 4:21 Additional track on CD release
11. "Stablemates" [Take One] (Golson) – 5:05 Additional track on CD release
12. "Minority" [Take One] (Gryce) – 5:10 Additional track on CD release
13. "Whistle Stop" [Take One] (Dorham) – 4:40 Additional track on CD release
14. "Morning Star" [Take One] (Grant) – 5:38 Additional track on CD release

Disc Two: Live at Yoshi's 1988

1. "One for Amos" (Sam Jones) – 14:37
2. "If You Can't Call, Don't Come [aka Don't Come, Don't Call]" (Frank Wess) – 9:25
3. "Morning Star" (Grant) – 9:03
4. "Minority" (Gryce) – 12:09
5. "Blues for David" (Charles "Buddy" Montgomery) – 15:03

• Recorded at Yoshi's, Oakland, CA on January 15, 1988

Personnel

• Frank Wess – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute
• Johnny Coles – flugelhorn
• Kenny Barron (Disc One), Smith Dobson (Disc Two) – piano
• Reggie Johnson (Disc One), Larry Grenadier (Disc Two) – double bass
• Kenny Washington (Disc One), Donald 'Duck' Bailey (Disc Two) – drums
• Don Sickler – arranger (Disc One)

References

1. Jazzlists: Uptown Records discography accessed May 8, 2018
2. Johnny Coles discography accessed May 9, 2018
3. Dryden, Ken. Frank Wess / Johnny Coles: Two at the Top – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
4. Hull, Tom (December 2013). "Recycled Goods (#115)". A Consumer Guide to the Trailing Edge. Tom Hull. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
5. Myers, M. All About Jazz Review accessed May 9, 2018