Whether it be taking the time to address all the nuances of "Little Rock Getaway" by playing this Joe Sullivan classic at a much slower pace than usual, or mildly swinging and shaking "Big Butter and Egg Man", or splitting the rhythm on "Tain't So Honey, Taint So", the style and substance of the music created by these two giants is immediately recognizable. Only the horns of Harry "Sweet" Edison and Don Fagerquist approach the lyricism of Braff. Here he sticks with the cornet, making that short stumpy piece of brass sound sweet and mellow. When this session was recorded in 1979, Braff and Sutton had been working the boards for more than a combined 70 years. After all this time what can one write about their performing. They have not lost an ounce of their strength, power and melody. Critics, at least the good ones, have stopped trying to pigeon hole them into special categories, traditional jazz for the cornet player and stride for Sutton. What nonsense! They are men for all seasons, adept at all elements of mainstream jazz. On this album, they are talking to each other, sharing their translating of their special language, so we can all listen in.
The other two members of the quartet, Jack Lesberg on bass and the incomparable Gus Johnson on drums, complement the two without being either intrusive oor shy. Listen to Johnson's cymbals kick off "Shoe Shine Boy". Virtually all of the music played at this session is familiar stuff. But there's no lack of exuberance and freshness. For those who occasionally must be happily reminded just how great this music can be, this album is an absolute must.
Track Listing
Shoe Shine Boy; What Is There to Say; Tain't So Honey, Tain't So; Sweethearts on Parade; I Ain't Got Nobody; You Can Depend on Me; Sunday; Big Butter and Egg Man; I Wished on the Moon; I'm Crazy `Bout My Baby; Little Rock Getaway; I Would Do Anything for You; Get Out and Get Under the Moon; Think Well of Me; Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea; Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do; Royal Garden Blues; Deep Summer Music; Dinah
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.