Alligator

The track was recorded in 1970 at Century Sound Studios in New York City, featuring leader Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet alongside keyboardist Mike Longo, saxophonist James Moody, guitarist Phil Upchurch, and drummer Bernard Purdie. Released on the album The Real Thing, the track marked a notable stylistic departure for Gillespie as he embraced a contemporary jazz-funk and soul-jazz sound characterized by heavy, driving electric basslines. The composition helped bridge the gap between bebop and modern groove music, earning an enduring status among rare groove aficionados and securing reissues by labels like BBE Music.