Conceived originally as a tenor and organ quartet (we are told in the liner notes), this session was later converted into an Ellington related programme. Hamilton breathes lightly into the tenor saxophone; it is a caress rather than a blow job, if you will excuse the terminology, and his satin smooth lines rise and fall on a fluctuating river of perfect time; only the occasional crackle of a snare accent disturbs the constant 4/4 metre. Long notes, slurs and exquisitely contoured melodic phrases are put together with real panache. Moon Mist conjures up memories of a hundred or more similarly fabricated solos by Webster, Hodges, ‘Lockjaw’ Davis and others way back in the forties and fifties. LeDonne makes a near perfect foil for the leader here, his riffs, throbbing ostinato and wheezing counterlines cushioning the tenor at all stages of the set. He stretches out on Paris Blues, coaxing a blossoming organ solo into a prelude to Hamilton’s double-time tenor excursion.
This is inventive, immaculately played mainstream jazz, set firmly in the swing era, with each man supporting the other to the full. Although their solo opportunities are minimal, Irwin and Riggs keep the pulse flowing effortlessly and must take a big share of the credit for the overall success of the session.
Hamilton is a throwback to the past but is obviously happiest when playing this music. If he had been born 20 or so years earlier he would have made a fine soloist in vintage Basie and Ellington orchestras.
Discography
Jump For Joy; Blue Hodge; Moon Mist; Paris Blues; Castle Rock; Just A Sittin’ And A Rockin’; Rockin’ In Rhythm; Isfahan; Love You Madly; The Old Circus Train Turn-Around Blues (58.31)
Scott Hamilton (ts); Mike LeDonne (org); Dennis Irwin (b); Chuck Riggs (d). NYC, May 18, 19, 1994.
(Concord Jazz CCD-4623)
