Here’s a disc to prove that beautiful music doesn’t have to be associated with wimpy and limp. T.K. Blue plays alto and soprano saxes as well as flute and mixes and matches his lovely and warm tone in a variety of settings. He knows his way around the horn, as he’s been taught by Jimmy Giuffre and has gigged with Abdullah Ibrahim and Randy Weston, so this guys in control of his sound and style.
What you’ve got here is a collection of gloriously melodic melodies, sometimes with a string quartet as on the ebullient “Once Loved” and elseware pairing his willowy flute with pianist James Weidman on the pensive “A Quiet Place.” His teamwork with guitarist Russell Malone on “Tides of Romance” and “Requiem for a Love 1” will make your jaw drop, and his alto on the title track rivals the warmth of Johnny Hodges. It’s refreshing to hear an artist tell a story on his horn something besides “please keep me in tune.” A welcome to the ears and soul.
Blujazz Records