Two tenor battles have been around since the swing era: from Lester Young & Hershel Evans to the bop days of Wardell Grey & Dexter Gordon to Coltrane & Rollins to Zoot Sims & Al Cohn to Sonny Stitt and anyone within 20 miles, the macho sounds of the two saxes is an auditory arm wrestling match made in heaven. Here, we’ve got the master of the breathy tenor, Scott Hamilton, with the latest generation of swing-to-boppers, Harry Allen, and they give a friendly joust on a collection of standards (and a pair of originals).
The supporting team of Rossano Sportiello/p, Joel Forbes/b and Chuck Riggs/dr is first rate (why aren’t they on their usual Arbors label?), and they can shift from easy swingers like “Lover” to agonizing ballads such as the title track. But, let’s face it; you bought this because you want the Dairy Queen swirl of the two horns melding together into a delicious froth, and these guys don’t disappoint. The locked horns of “Melancholy Baby”, “How am I to Know” or the fun “Flight of the Foo Birds” is Hot Fudge Sundae delicious, while the trade offs on “Lover” or “The Opener” is like taking a scoop of butterscotch before going back to the melted chocolate and crushed chocolate. If you want to know what a sax is supposed to sound like, before tin woodsmen took over the mics, look here.
Challenge Records