Jamal At The Penthouse // Ahmad Jamal, Argo LP 646

A string orchestra in a jazz setting has always been an uneasy relationship, going back to the 1930's.  Many critics deride such Mozart-meets-jazz mashups, claiming the strings sound too sweet and syrupy, that they don't swing, or that they overpower the music so that it's not jazz anymore.  For the most part, those are fair [...]