Nick Hempton-Cory Weeds: Horns Locked

It has been far too long since anyone had the pleasure of eavesdropping on a two-tenor duel as heated and expressive as the one between Canadian gurus Nick Hempton and Cory Weeds on the suitably named Horns Locked. As the album's opening number, James Moody's fast-chugging "Last Train from Overbrook," unfolded, the memories came flooding back: hazy snapshots of Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Wardell Gray, Johnny Griffith, Lockjaw Davis and their counterparts who made battling tenors a classic staple during the palmy era of the 1950s-60s.

Hempton and Weeds designed the album to rekindle those memories while offering their own up-to-date version of no-holds-barred twin-tenor combat, a plan that succeeds on every level from first note to last. There are several reasons for that, not the least of which is that Hempton and Weeds are throwbacks to that special era in terms of perception, temperament and style. Not only do these modern-day masters of the horn share the passion and wisdom of the tenor giants of those bygone days, they also sound much like them as well.

While the album notes do not indicate the solo order, that is really unnecessary, as there is not enough room, as the saying goes, to insert a dime between their voices or vocabularies. Suffice to say that Hempton and Weeds are consummate artists whose lyrical pathways coincide far more than they diverge. That does not make the outcome any less pleasurable or inspiring. They are, in fact, emulating their predecessors, many of whom sounded so much alike that one had to pay close attention to ascertain who was playing what and when.

Hempton and Weeds are ably supported on every number by organist Nick Peck (who makes the presence of a bassist unnecessary) and drummer Jesse Cahill. Peck is a superb soloist and accompanist. His technique is in the Joey DeFrancesco realm with perception to match. Cahill, for his part, does whatever is needed to ensure rhythmic vibrance and stability. Besides "Overbrook," the charming program encompasses seductive originals by Gordon ("Soy Califa"), Ammons ("The One Before This") and Weeds ("Conn Men"), the standards "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" and "When You're Smiling," and a pair of gems from Hempton: the chops-busting "Change for a Dollar" and bluesy closer, "Loose Ends." To enhance diversity, half of the album's eight numbers were recorded in a studio, the others live at Frankie's Jazz Club in Vancouver.

While Horns Locked is a self-evident treat for anyone who recalls and cherishes the legendary two-tenor clashes of yesteryear, it has far more than reminiscence or nostalgia to offer. Hempton and Weeds are modern-day masters of the horn, worthy recipients of the praise and honors bestowed on the pioneers who created the genre and paved the way for today's talented luminaries to follow their lead.

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