‘Orchestral High Jinks’ is a fun album – a musical divertissement full of joviality and relaxed good spirits. The vivacity spreads like wildfire through all of these frisky selections, reflected by the lighthearted moods, exuberant soloist and the sparkling direction of maestro Nathaniel Shilkret. The bright motif is set forth in the opener, Fiddle Frolic, a dividend of revelry among the strings, voiced in a delightful vein and offering a sax solo by Jimmy Abato for its middle passage. Jimmy returns, but on clarinet, along with Albert Gallodoro, to handle the cavorting solos for Niel Hallett’s charming but madcap Clarinet Entr’Acte. Up next is Mary Had A Little Lamb – a witty and devastating parody in which, using the old nursery song as a foundation, composer Edward Ballantine (aided by maestro Shilkret’s spectacular orchestration) executes a series of variations in the styles of great composers. The tune is, of course, simplicity itself, but the first three variations present its transformation, in turn, into the sweeping, melancholy lyricism of Tschaikowsky, the bitter-sweet charm of Schubert and the mysterious, “mountain-king” manner of Edvard Grieg. The second section of Ballantine’s inventive display continues the meandering of Mary’s little lamb at the expense of Liszt and his “Hungarian Rhapsodies,” with Sherman Frank providing the piano solo, then through the blaring big brass band of John Philip Sousa for a rousing finish. The side closes with another melodic caricature, as the varied rhythms of the Symphonic “Pops” Orchestra, with cheerful instrumental sounds, produce a superbly comic lampoon, entitled The Pest. The second half of these orchestral festivities opens with two more tuneful gambols by Niel Hallett. The first, filled with novel ensemble effects, is a rollicking portrait of an egocentric bore, bearing, the satiric title I Know It All. It’s followed by The Serenaders, a session of sportive tonal colors highlighting the solo voices of Jimmy Abato on clarinet and James Burke on trumpet. Then, there’s another two-part theme and variations in the styles of the masters, written by German composer Siegfried Ochs. Here the basic tune, the traditional folk song A Bird Comes Flying, embarks on a fun-packed journey through the Baroque forms of Johann Sebastian Bach, the sophisticated elegance of Mozart and the waltz-time world of Johann Strauss and his Vienna. Part Two of this amusing prank deals with opera’s greats. After an elaborate lampoon of the tempestuous mannerisms of Verdi, there’s a brief take-off on a sentimental excerpt from Gounod’s ‘Faust,’ followed by an impression of the majestic and grandiose manner of Richard Wagner. The high jinks reach their completion with a whimsical bit of vivid tone-painting in a musical portrait, full of humorous sound effects, of The Ugly Duckling.