Mulligan always seemed to make his bigger bands – this is a 13-piece, Sims added – sound like a small group. The writing was uncluttered and often spare, allowing the soloists to spring out as if impromptu, the ensemble under orders to support rather than suffocate. Then again, this was a working band, heard here on tour, with a superior rhythm section, fully-bedded in and on song, and stuffed with good soloists. First among equals (and busiest) was Mulligan himself, peerless on baritone, aided by his principal sidekick, valve-trombonist (and sometime pianist) Bob Brookmeyer, the two men alive to every nuance and irresistibly creative, Mullligan soberly joyous and Brookmeyer ribald and tongue-in-cheek. Add to these two their near-equal, the splendid Candoli, who pops up a lot and Sims, of course, the band's featured guest soloist.

GM's very perky, ‘18 Carrots for Rabbit’ has Quill erupting in boppish fashion over the simplest of band riffs, nothing over-written, the altoist responding at length, Mulligan close-in to encourage, the band there to ensure lift off. Then again, there's ‘Piano Blues’ with GM playing better-than-average arranger's piano ahead of a thorough workout by the trumpets (shame not to have each man identified). The wonderfully fluent Sims scores on a quintet version of ‘The Red Door' (with BB on piano) seemingly never running short of a good idea, Mulligan responding with verve and vigour.

Put simply, this is glorious music: shapely, hard-swinging, clever yet never modish, the band caught in Wally Heider's superb live recording at the peak of its powers. Six of these tracks were included in a Mosaic box set way back but Fresh Sound say this issue presents the concert in its entirety for the first time. Two CDs in a neat digipack with a good note from label boss Jordi Pujol; music to return to again and again and a near certainty for our year-end ‘Best Of’ lists. Don't hesitate.