The Microscopic Septet: Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down To Me

The subtitle of this album is “The Micros Play The Blues,” and the four sax team of Phillip Johnston/ss, Don Davis/as, Mike Hashim/ts and Dave Sewelson/bs make for a formidable front line as they moan along with Joel Forrester/p, Dave Hofstra/b and Richard Dworkin/dr. The ringer here is a cleverly harmonized read of “Silent Night,” but this tune is for any time of the year. Elsewhere, Hashim growls through the frenetic bopper “PJ in the 60s” and swings on “Cat Toys.” Hofstra is slinky with Forrester as Johnston sighs on “Dark Blue,” and is peppy on “Don’t Mind If I Do.” Davis is loose on “Simple Minded Blues” and the foursome create a thick reed sauce on “Blues Cubistico” and the 60s rockish “When It’s Getting Dark.” Small group swing at its funnest.

 

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