A quote from my friend Chick Corea who was a great sounding board while recording heartwarming.

Uploaded on Jul 10, 2015
I met Miles Davis when I was 13 years old at Birdland in NYC in 1961. He was there with his historic sextet with John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley. This album is half with all star small group and half orchestra ala Gil Evans concentrating on Miles work in the 50s that changed jazz and my life.

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Glenn Zottola “Miles Davis Remembered” by Nick Mondello

A young musician’s mind can be so very impressionable, so capable and available to lock onto a recording, a phrase or texture and hold it. The effect is almost nuclear – one note, perfectly placed by the performer and into a young listener’s ear, can set into play a chain of music-driven events that can spawn professional careers, if not a lifelong interest in the art. Such was- and is – the case with trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist, Glenn Zottola. A phenomenon in his own right.
With Miles RememberedZottola, as he did with his prior tribute recordings of Clifford Brown, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker (all superb, by the way), Zottola offers a salute to another of his early childhood influences – {{Miles Davis}}. And, this effort is terrific.
Incorporating and recording in two accompaniment formats – a sextet and a full orchestra (both of which were previously recorded and plucked like gems mined from the exhaustive Classic Jazz Records vault ) Zottola’s complete focus here shades and genuflects to Davis and his classic Prestige and early {{Gil Evans}}/Columbia period. It’s the best of all jazz worlds – great GAS material (“This Heart of Mine,” “I Cover the Waterfront,” “My Funny Valentine), highly-expressive improv, and trumpeting wizardry.
Throughout the recording, Zottola demonstrates a deep, musically sincere affection for Davis and this celebrated period. He wisely avoids any “Miles Davis classics,” direct playing imitation, or “Miles licks.” Zottola doesn’t have to; he’s an Ace player with a great sound and jazz touch (“Just You, Just Me,” “Beta Minus”). But, as any jazz trumpeter worth his valve oil would, the Davis influences on Zottola percolate effortlessly from the recesses of his mind and out the end of both his Harmon-muted or open horn.
A word about the accompaniment; as one would expect of Davis, Zottola or any performing great, the accompaniment here is A-1, swings and frames the front man fine. Zottola’s overdubbing onto the support of {{Jimmy Raney}}, {{Stan Getz}}, {{Ed Shaugnessey}} and also the All-Star orchestra is dead-on. This is not karaoke or recorda-me, by any means.
While Miles Davis was a constantly evolving jazz entity over many decades, with Miles Remembered Glenn Zottola ‘scopes a robust Davis period and in doing so does one of his idols – and himself – most proud.

Glenn Zottola- “Miles Davis Remembered” by Scott Yanow
(Classic Jazz)

Glenn Zottola had his greatest prominence in the jazz world in the 1970s and 80s when he appeared on many high-quality mainstream and swing sessions. An exciting trumpeter, he doubled on alto-sax during that era, working with Benny Goodman, Bob Wilber’s Bechet Legacy, Peanuts Hucko and his own combos,. His playing can be heard on recordings for such labels as Famous Door, Dreamstreet, Concord and Chiaroscuro. However Zottola’s career took a surprising turn when he became Suzanne Somers’ musical director, working on her television show away from the jazz scene. After that period, he largely retired from playing, just picking up his horns now and then for the fun of it.
During the past few years, Zottola’s life has taken another turn. He has returned to jazz, at least in the recording studios. In addition to a few previously unreleased sets of music being been released from his earlier years, he has also recorded 14 albums for the Classic Jazz label including tributes to Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and Clifford Brown. What is particularly unusual is that Zottola is heard playing to pre-recorded tracks, some of which of which were Music Minus One productions from the 1950s and ‘60s. While the backgrounds are set, Zottola’s playing is full of life and constant invention. While some of these sessions feature him on alto or tenor, his comeback on trumpet was quite notable on the Clifford Brown set.
Miles Davis Remembered has Zottola on trumpet interacting with an orchestra on some Gil Evans-inspired arrangements and playing with a classic combo that includes Stan Getz and guitarist Jimmy Raney. Zottola has always been proud of the fact that he never copies his heroes and predecessors. While he purposely hints at vintage Miles Davis’ relaxed style and cool sound throughout these ten performances, most of the songs (other than ‘Spring Is Here” and “My Funny Valentine”) are actually not from Davis’ repertoire. Many, including “This Heart Of Mine,” “Just You, Just Me” and “Sunday,” were never recorded by Davis. Zottola even includes two originals, “Jupiter” and “Beta Minus,” as orchestral pieces. His trumpet solos are both melodic and fresh.
Glenn Zottola’s comeback is to be cheered.
Scott Yanow