Close Encounters

by Teddy Edwards, Houston Person

Overview

A follow-up to their previous excellent CD Horn To Horn has the two veteran tenor saxophonists with the same drummer, Kenny Washington, joined by pianist Stan Hope and bassist Ray Drummond. They swing and stroll through another seven standards, Edwards with his lithe, breezy, matter-of-fact tone, Person displaying the bluesy, street smart literate, fluid approach that always holds him in good stead. There are two selections where Edwards and Person play in lock step, note for note before trading solos. "Twisted" and "The Breeze & I" echo a collective century of jazz friendship, both knowing the tune so well, no stumbling at all. They play in harmony for the old rugged "Night Train," alternate during the easygoing "Pennies From Heaven," and the even smoother "Blue & Sentimental." Each also gets a feature, Edwards consummately punctuating his flattened interpretation of "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance," while Person goes a little over the top putting his soulful stamp on "Little Girl Blue." Hope does get a smidgen of solo space here and there, while Drummond and Washington do their rhythmic duties admirably, as always. The beautiful thing is that while Edwards continually refines, picking notes even more carefully, and Person digs deeper into his blue gutbucket, there's no stepping on toes. The late Gene Kalbacher, on his liner notes for Horn to Horn called it a mutual "caress" rather than a tenor duel. There's a bit of flailing, but the respectful attitude of these two present-day jazz giants is clear and admirable. This CD is easily as good as the first collaboration, albeit clocking in at only 48 minutes or so. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Product Details

Release Date:	07/27/1999
Label:	HIGHNOTE
UPC:	0632375700225

Tracks

1. Twisted
2. Blue and Sentimental
3. Pennies from Heaven
4. Night Train
5. I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You
6. The Breeze and I
7. Little Girl Blue

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Teddy Edwards   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Houston Person   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Stan Hope   Guest Artist,Piano
Ray Drummond   Guest Artist,Bass
Kenny Washington   Guest Artist,Drums

Technical Credits

Ted Panken   Liner Notes
Bing Crosby   Composer
Ernesto Lecuona   Composer
Oscar Washington   Composer
Pamela Xavier   Graphic Design
Johnny Burke   Composer
Victor Young   Composer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Ned Washington   Composer
Jimmy Forrest   Composer
Joe Fields   Executive Producer
Count Basie   Composer
Mack David   Composer
Jerry Livingston   Composer
Wardell Gray   Composer
Lorenz Hart   Composer
Houston Person   Performer,Producer
Arthur Johnston   Composer
Annie Ross   Composer
Al Stillman   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Lewis Simpkins   Composer