Nick Hempton Cory Weeds: Horns Locked

The storied tradition of tenor saxophone battles has produced some of jazz's most thrilling moments, dating back to the classic duels of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt or Johnny Griffin and Eddie Davis. Carrying that torch forward with equal measures of bravado and reverence are Nick Hempton and Cory Weeds on Horns Locked, a rollicking straight-ahead session that captures the spirit of friendly combat and deep mutual admiration.

Split between an electrifying live performance at Frankie's Jazz Club, Vancouver, BC and a live in the studio session with no isolation and no safety net, the album thrives on immediacy and unfiltered energy. Hempton and Weeds are both seasoned hard bop warriors. Supported by Nick Peck's Hammond B3 organ and the ever-swinging drumming of Jesse Cahill, the band turns out a session filled with swagger, subtlety and a touch of good-natured mischief.

The program opens with James Moody's "Last Train From Overbrook." The two tenors trade phrases with the urgency that suggests they might miss that train if they do not catch it in 16 bars. Peck and Cahill keep everything moving fluidly and with energy. The first live track from Frankie's is Hempton's own " Change For A Dollar." It is a catchy, blues-drenched riff that offers an irresistible pocket for the front line to stretch out, which it does with solos full of sly turns and rhythmic jabs. Cahill propels the number along. Dexter Gordon's "Soy Califa" is given a fiery Latin-tinged treatment that channels Gordon's original brashness while injecting a new vitality into the rhythmic undercurrent. There is some tight unison horn playing before branching out into a series of muscular, high-energy solos. Cahill adds extra propulsion with his cymbal work and smart accents. Peck's Hammond B3 churns beneath the soloists like a restless tide. So, whether it is the lyrical respite offered by "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" or the buoyant medium swing tempo taken by "When You're Smiling," Hempton and Weeds lean into the numbers without irony, just the delight of two horn players in their element.

The closer is another Hempton original, "Loose Ends," which is fitting as it ties the session together with both grit and elegance. It is perfect terrain for Hempton and Weeds to take one last spirited run at each other. There's almost a conspiratorial energy between them, trading phrases and ideas as if reluctant to let the conversation end. Peck and Cahill play their part, providing a nimble, propulsive lift to the number.

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