Paul Kendall/Bob Leto

Paul Kendall/Bob Leto: Excursions

by David A. Orthmann
May 1, 2001

The primary strength ofExcursions, a date co-led by tenor saxophonist Paul Kendall and drummer Bob Leto, is the contrast between Kendall’s style and the record’s other primary soloist, pianist Kenny Drew Jr. A thoughtful, deliberate player with bebop roots and hints of Shorter and Coltrane in his approach, Kendall makes a visceral impact without getting showy. In contrast, Drew is a dramatic soloist whose influences encompass the entire scope of modern jazz piano, with a prodigious technique that he frequently ...