For many years, the breathy, full bodied and melodious tone of the tenor sax was out of fashion, overshadowed by altissimo shrieks and wails. Back in the 70s, Scott Hamilton shocked the world by bringing that warm sound back, and his disciple Harry Allen is carrying the passed on baton. Here, het teams up with Ehud Asherie/p, Nicki Parrot/b-voc, Chuch Redd/dr-vib and “Little Johnny” Rivero/perc for a mixture of settings that all feature the sax aglow.
Parrot is given a few chances at bringing her upbeat voice into the mix, with a gorgeous “In A Mellow Tone” setting the stage for Allen’s Websterish fog. A couple obscure pieces by the famous composers George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington are treated well here. Who ever heard of Ellington’s “Purple Gazelle”? Well, Allen and company do wonders with it, as well as bringing in a cleverly latin percussion groove on “Mood Indigo” and Porter’s “Love For Sale.” Another hidden treasure is Porter’s “I Love You Samantha” with some starkly gorgeous work by the leader, and Gershwin’s “By Strauss” that glows like a late night ember. Then, just when you think it’s safe to go outside again, Parrott and Asherie do this intimate duet on “How Long Has This Been Going On” that finally allows Allen’s horn to blow in like a late night breeze through the side window. The do it again with a bit more bounce and vibes on “Who Cares?” and either way, it’s just not a fair way to have your ears so seduced. This is an album to appreciate the joy of the sounds of the tenor. It’s palpable!
Blue Heron Records