BEST known as the producer at Columbia records during the 1950s and '60s, where he steered some of Miles Davis's most famous records through the recording process, including Kind of Blue, Macero is also a composer of no little talent. Here, he directs the NYU Steinhardt Jazz Orchestra through an enjoyable set of his own compositions and drafts in some of his heavyweight friends to add substance. Among the guests are two giants of the saxophone, Lee Konitz and Dave Liebman, and their presence alone makes this a worthwhile purchase for lovers of big band music.