Search - Freddy Gardner :: Freddy Gardner & His Golden Tone Saxophone

You Can Tell A Man By The Company He Keeps

Barry McCanna | Normandy, France | 07/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's difficult to review this compilation without running out of superlatives. The "golden tone" of the title referred particularly to Freddy's alto playing, but as this CD demonstrates, he excelled on the whole reed family. His tone, which was an integral part of his musicianship, made him as instantly recognisable as his more famous American counterparts, and his range extended from outright jazz to light classics.



The saying that you can tell a man by the company he keeps is particularly apt when you consider the wealth of talent with which he recorded, both in the relaxed small-group sides and in the more hard-hitting Swing Orchestra.



The earlier Naxos release was more biased towards the light orchestral sides, so if you have it already it needn't deter you from buying this also. Sound quality is impeccable throughout the 77 minutes playing time, and this should appeal to all those who love the best in music regardless of category.



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