Playful, theatrical pieces from the original Jelly line up. The repertoire 
includes covers of Mingus, Rolling Stones, Rota, Vlach, and Italian 
folk music as well as some hardy originals.

"The collective calling itself Available Jelly is a five-horn 
sextet having a fun time interacting on mostly original material but 
also with several well-known Jazz and traditional vehicles on this 
1984 recording. Multi-reedists Moore, Curtis and Block team with 
brass players G. Moore and Sernesky to promote a large ensemble sound 
while Vatcher provides the rhythm through his percussion and string 
supplements. The session comes off as a type of review where the 
tightly structured program acts as a gateway for more raucous playing 
in the Dutch tradition of musical theater. Moore contributed about 
half of the songs, all of which rely heavily on written ensemble 
parts capable of being transformed into improvising gems of 
light-heartedness. Operetta-style singing is infused on a few 
occasions to reinforce the theatrical concept of the production, but 
it is generally used for effect before the band takes flight with 
riotous playing. Moore moves over to the piano stool on "On the 
Rag" to add some ragtime gaiety to the festiveness while G. Moore 
puffs along on tuba. Organ grinder, parade, polka, circus, and other 
forms of European ethnicity take hold, and the program swells with 
the humorous/serious improvisations overlaid by the band. Even 
Mingus's "Fables of Faubus" is given frolicsome treatment. Available 
Jelly had a good time making this recording, and you can share in the 
party with this reissue."

Frank Rubolino, Cadence, April, 2001