I’ve always been a sucker for duet recordings, as there’s just nowhere to hide. This one by bassist Jason Foureman and pianist Stephen Anderson is a lyrical delight, conversant, swinging and thoughtfully melodic.
Anderson’s touch sounds like he drank deep from the waters of Bill Evans, with a pretty collection of ripples gurgling along Foureman’s bass on Steve Swallow’s “Falling Grace” while there’s also a garnish of Errol Garner on the cheerful intro to “That‘s My Desire”. His fingers stretch out on the stride to bopper “Reet’s Neet” and has an uptown feel as he prances over Foureman on the swinging “To Each His Own.” Anderson takes some time out front as well, stating the melody with style on the sensuous “Caminhos Cruzados”, giving some nice harmonic contrast to Chick Corea’s bopper “The One Step” as well. Fragile sparkles dot the midnight sky on “The Touch Of Your Lips” and sophisticated elegance is well dressed on “Ultra Blues” as each partner knows when to lead and when to sit back. Excellent discussions.