If jazz were a meal, the Texas Tenor would be comfort food. Full of caloric fat and flavor, rich like chocolate, creamy like Mac ‘n Cheese, it satisfies every mood and craving. Buddy Tate, who started his career with Count Basie’s classic band sitting next to Lester Young, was one of the first to perfect the warm glowing sound and vibrato. Here is a two disc set from his time at the famed Rudy Van Gelder Studios from 1959-61 where he teams up with some friendly swingers.
The 1959 Tate’s Date session has Buddy with Ben Richardson/bs-cl-as, Pat Jenkins/tp, Eli Robinson/tb, Argonne Thornton/as, Sadik Hakim/p, Wendell Marshall/b and Osie Johnson/dr . With that big of a “small band,” you get some hard hitting music such as the finger popping “Moon Dog” and a nicely jamming “Me ‘N You.” Tate is a joy on “Blow Low” while Jenkins is full of surprising fun on “No Kiddin’. From 1960, 
Tate-A-Tate includes fellow Basie-ite Clark Terry/tp-fh as well as Tommy Flanagan/p and Larry Gales/b, and Terry steals the show as he switches horns back and forth on “Groun’ Hog” and “take the A Train.” Tate himself burns like charcoal embers on “All Too Soon” and is fun and cozy during “Snatchin’ It Back.” For the 1961 Groovin’ With Buddy Tate album, the leader brings in his clarinet for a superbly enjoyable and warm “Lucky So and So” while blowing a warm vibrato on “East of the Sun.” The team of Ronnell Bright/p, Wally Richardson/g, George Tucker/b and Roy Brooks/dr keeps things mellow and deep on “Blues For Trix” and then hit on the gas pedal and charge through “The Salt Mines.” Tunes like the funky “Boardwalk” and the riffing “ Overdrive” are perfect for what they are set out to do-get you in the mood for a good time. Isn’t that why you originally fell in love with jazz?
Fresh Sound Records