They play everything from original bebop tunes, "It's surely Gonna Flop If It Ain't Go That Bop", adaptations of movie soundtracks, the theme from the movie the Odd Couple, to a cut by the Grateful Dead, "China Cat Sunflower"; not songs that your apt to find sharing most band's set lists for a concert. Of course what those songs have in common is that they all allow plenty of room to maneuver, so there is a lot of extrapolating on themes and playing around with tunes by the two leads.

With the two front men taking on most of the improvisational duties, Sirota and Benson are responsible for holding the framework together. Not only does Benson handle that with his keyboard, but also with the bass pedals on the Hammond. In many ways he's doing the equivalent of playing both the guitar and bass parts for the band. On the opening track, "Blues For C. Piff", a twelve minute plus hot and heavy bluesy number written by Mallinger for Pfiffner, you can feel Benson's presence running through the tune like an electric current.

As usual for a Delmark live recording, the sound is impeccable. Not only have they recorded the band wonderfully, but they have allowed enough of the crowd noise to leak through to ensure that you feel like you're at the gig. A great example of how effective a job they have done with this is the song "Tetemetearri." Up until that point, the crowd has been boisterously responding to the rambunctious nature of the music, but at the first note of the Native American flute that Pat Mallinger opens the song with, you can hear a pin drop.

Because the sounds of the crowd have been such a constant throughout the disc until this point, having it drop it off completely, in reaction to what's happening on the stage, increases our attention. While the song would have been captivating enough on its own, this serves to accent its distinctive quality and pull us into the track deeper than we might have gone normally. I don't think I've ever experienced a live recording where I've become as directly involved in the music as I did on this disc.

When it comes right down to it Sabertooth's Dr. Midnight Live At The Green Mill is an exhilarating jazz party. Everybody, including the band, are having such a good time that it's impossible not to get caught up in the excitement of the moment. There's nothing quite like listening to live jazz until the sun comes up, and if you can't be there in person, this disc is the next best thing.