Search - Buddy Tate, Al Grey :: Just Jazz

Some guys will stay young forever,like Buddy.

JEAN-MARIE JUIF | BESANCON France | 01/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Buddy Tate was one of the great "Texas tenor" school,with Arnett Cobb,and Hershell Evans.Born in Sherman,Tx,in 1913,he remained active in music until his death in 2001,aged 88.He was the last of the great tenor sax players of the Swing Era (Illinois Jacquet,who is still alive at 80,and playing,was too young and didn't start his career before the fourties).Buddy Tate,the man who never played an unnecesserary note,has to be considered at the same level as Webster,Hawkins,Evans or Byas.He worked with Andy Kirk before taking Hershell Evans' chair in the Count Basie band in 1939,after Evans' death at 30.Stayed in the band for ten years,then led his own groups.
Al Grey,who left us some years ago,was a very nice guy.Born in 1925,he played with Lunceford,Benny Carter,Hampton,Gillespie and Basie.I had the priviledge of meeting him in Paris,some 15 years ago,at Sam Woodyard's appartment.A gentle,very funny guy.And a great trombone player,mostly influenced,I think,by Vic Dickenson.This beautiful session,recorded in 1984,will offer you some great Kansas City swing.Buddy,71 at this time,plays and swings like a young man ("Straighten up and fly","Topsy").Al's amazing use of the plunger delivers an almost vocal effect.They meet three great musicians,pianist Richard Wyands,bassist Major Holley (who liked to play bowed choruses,while singing,like Slam Stewart),and drummer Al Harewood,who was a Blue Note artist for years.
"Just jazz",as the title says.Just good tunes,and very swinging music.Just another swinging session,so is it necessary to have it ? Listen to it and you'll know the answer.But remember this: guys who play "Topsy" have to make a very good recording session."