Houston Person: From the Heart

There are seldom any big surprises when tenor saxophonist Houston Person releases a new album. On the other hand, there are few moments that are less than pleasing, as consistency and good taste have been and remain Person's calling cards throughout his more than 60-year career as one of the jazz world's leading artists.

Known for his warm, blues-drenched sound, Person, now in his 90s but showing few signs of bowing to Father Time, draws his magnetism From the Heart, no matter where and with whom he is playing (in this case, a sextet recorded at the famed Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey). As usual, Person's choice of material lends him a solid and well-trodden framework, as it consists for the most part of enduring standards from the Great American Songbook.

Person makes the most of that, soloing with earnestness and assurance from start to finish while entrusting blowing space to the group's other members: trumpeter Eddie Allen, pianist John J. DiMartino, guitarist James Chirillo, bassist Sean Smith and drummer Vince Ector, all of whom embrace their tasks with vigor and awareness, whether soloing or reinforcing Person's amiable solos. Ector warrants special praise for his impeccable brushwork on several numbers, while DiMartino, Chirillo and Smith make sure the rhythmic pulse never wavers, even though most of the tunes are balladic or close to it.

Person's album encompasses more than an hour of splendid albeit low-key jazz, brilliantly performed by Person (who is nearing National Treasure status) and his able teammates. That should be enough to please almost anyone who appreciates classic jazz that comes straight From the Heart.