Only five days after The Quintet concerts in California, V.S.O.P. was caught live again on tape in Tokyo's Den-En Colosseum for another Japanese CBS/Sony release. "Tempest" is a good description, for this CD contains more volatile ensemble playing than its Columbia predecessor; clearly some tighter bonding took place since the trans-Pacific flight. The notion that Freddie Hubbard is filling in for Miles Davis in a reunion of his old quintet does not have much relevance, for Hubbard is always his own man, in command of his reverberant tone quality and idiosyncratic flurries that owe very little to Miles. Only "Lawra" is duplicated from The Quintet, and there is the additional treat of hearing Hubbard's masterpiece "Red Clay" performed to a turn by this crack quintet.
Tempest in the Colosseum was recorded on July 23, 1977 in Tokyo's Den-En Colosseum. Musicians in this landmark performance were Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Tony Williams on drums, Ron Carter on bass, and Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano saxophones. The recording was originally released in late 1977, as a Japan-only release issued on the Columbia label.
Tracklist:
1. Eye of the Hurricane (Hancock) - 16:38
2. Diana (Shorter) - 4:31
3. Eighty-One (Carter) - 13:08
4. Maiden Voyage (Hancock) - 11:55
5. Lawra (Williams) - 8:23
6. Red Clay (Hubbard) - 14:15
Personnel
Ron Carter – bass
Herbie Hancock – keyboards, piano, synthesizer, vocals
Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Tony Williams – drums
