Brew Moore: The Brew Moore Quintet

That Brew Moore was a disciple of Lester Young is a cliché ¢y now, but too few are aware of how good a saxophonist Brew Moore could be. The Brew Moore Quintet was originally recorded in 1956. It has been recently re-mastered, presenting Moore in a relaxed setting playing solo after solo of swinging, soulful jazz.

Moore is obviously very comfortable with this attentive San Francisco band. These musicians play a supportive role, highlighting Moore's extended solo work while adding their own concise solo statements. Dickie Mills on trumpet is a consistently interesting contributor with a warm, bluesy tone. Pianist John Marabuto adds thoughtful solos throughout. Max Hartstein and Gus Gustofson on bass and drums are tasteful and low-key, providing a solid, swinging foundation.

During the late 1940's and early 1950's, Brew Moore was a young, talented tenor on the New York scene before moving to the West Coast and later to Europe. His erratic career has not been well documented but we can be thankful for this recording of standards and blues. Moore's rhythmic and melodic gifts are most evident on slower and medium tempo numbers. His long solos on "I Want A Little Girl" and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" are particularly memorable. In short, this is a warm, appealing session that gets better and better with repeated listening. Moore may sound at times like Lester Young, but on this recording I'd say he sounds like "late" Lester Young on a night when the ideas were flowing and the local band was tight.