On those long notes behind the trumpet solo, if anyone lets his mind wander for a minute he is dead.

The record was released by MPS Records which would also release Ellis's next album Haiku. Ellis later won a Grammy for this project ("Best Instrumental Arrangement") and was asked to write the music to the film's sequel French Connection II in 1975. A later recording of Austin's piece featuring Ellis bassist Barre Phillips drummer Joe Cocuzzo and the New York Philharmonic (directed by Bernstein) was released on an album entitled Leonard Bernstein Conducts Music Of Our Time (1965).

Don Ellis (July 25 1934–December 17 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter drummer composer and bandleader. Later in his life he worked as a film composer among other works contributing a score to 1971's The French Connection and 1973's The Seven-Ups.