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Dave O’Higgins Trio + Max Ionata: Tenors Of Our Time
ByFrom the very opening, the memorable "Fourplay" signposts that this is a very classy hard bop set comprising mostly originals with a couple of exceptions. There's Stitt's number of course and Gorni Kramer's bossa nova "Donna" is given an irresistible makeover. O'Higgins' compositional ability is equal to his muscular playing as evidenced by numbers such as "Song For Cape Town," "The Enigma Of The Day" or the slinky, spiralling "You're Nicked" which all benefit from ineluctable heads. Ionata's two tunes, the relaxed "Rainy Day" and the hauntingly themed "Satosong" are excellent too.
Whether it's in the individual solos or when the two saxophonists play in unison or harmony the tracks all swing like crazy. Plus Stanley's biting- toned Hammond organ contributions are positively smoking, proving right now he's probably the best jazz organist in Britain. Additionally, Santanillo demonstrates that he's not merely a timekeeper but rather that he's a powerhouse drummer who motors the whole album along with deftness and subtle precision. Whilst the ten compositions here are not of a ground-breaking nature (nor are they intended to be), the unifying factor is one of a strong, hummable melody which, sadly, seems to be something of an overlooked quality in jazz these days.
Track Listing
Fourplay; Satosong; Lady Face; Donna; Medication; Song For Cape Town; The Eternal Triangle; The Enigma Of The Day; You’re Nicked; Rainy Day.
Personnel
Dave O’Higgins: tenor sax; Max Ionata: tenor sax; Ross Stanley: Hammond organ; Luca Santaniello: drums.
Album information
Title: Tenors Of Our Time | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Albore Jazz
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