The era of big, bold and bodacious tenor sax players has not completely left us. Here are some classic gents that still hold to the idea that, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, “jazz is 90 percent tone; the other half is chops”.
Don Braden returns to a winning idea, giving a second helping of jazz takes of soul tunes from Wonder and EWF. Yes, he plays a gorgeous flute on “Bird of Beauty” and is soft on a percussive take of “Creepin’”. But with Miki Hayama-Art Hirahara/p-key, Jeremy Warren, Kenny Davis/b and Kahlil Kwame Bell/perc, Braden rolls in like a fog for the warm “In The Stone”, a peppy bopper of “That’s the Way of the World” and a romantic “Send One Your Love”. He pops the clutch and goes modal as Hayama taps into Tyner on “Master Blaster” and “Arise”. Slipping into warmness.
Javon Jackson brings his beefy tenor into a classic hard bop quintet mode for a soundtrack to With Peter Bradley. He shares the front line with Greg Glassman/tp and is supported by McClenty Hunter-Charles Gould/dr, David Williams/b and Jeremy Manasia/p for a boogalooing “ ‘D’” Town, a waltzing skater of “In The Clouds” and some fun boppers like “Mr. Parker” and “That’s Earl Brother”. Jackson gets Trane-ish on “Peter Bradley” and digs into the groove for “The Game” with a soul stirrer of “Amy’s Theme”. As with all tenor saxists, he makes a nice shuffle with Glassman on “In the Studio” and opens up his heart and horn for the lovely ballad “Never Let Me Go”. Tough tenor!
It’s encouraging to hear a younger cat like Tim Lin on the sax, as you almost feel as if he’s taking the baton from these older genres. He’s got a sound similar to Hank Mobley, warm and assured, and while he also plays the soprano sax, as on the modal “Fourth Right” and classy “Dolphin Dance”, it’s his tenor work that is going to win you over. He swings easy with the team of Andy Laverne/p (who veers between Garland and Tyner throughout), Jay Anderson/b and Billy Drummond/dr settling in well on “If I Should Lose You” and warm and breathy as all get out on “ Namely You”. He does a snazzy intro with Anderson for a lyrical “Waltz For Debby” and dances over Drummond’s cymbals for “I Wish I New”. When’s this guy coming to LA?