Revisiting a super CD.

I was mulling through the albums I'd reviewed thinking in terms of best of... This one came out in January and, although I raved over it then, it somehow slipped off my radar - I played it again (Sam) and realised what I've been missing! So I've brought it back into the fray to remind readers of just how good it is.

At the time I actually had a spare copy which I passed on to The Jazz Coop for one of their raffles. I wonder who won it and if he thinks it is as fantastic as I do? Or maybe it's lying, hidden amidst a pile of unraffled CDs, the JC team unaware of the gem that lies within their reach...



Ernie Watts (tenor sax); Christof Saenger (piano); Rudi Engel (bass); Heinrich Koebberling (drums).

(Review by Lance).

I first heard Ernie Watts playing alto on Buddy Rich's famed big band album, Big Swing Face. Impressed was I.

In 2012 I was even more impressed when I heard him live, with the above musicians, at Ronnie's. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ernie Watts is the real deal as is this, his latest recording.

Blowing tenor, although his light tone could easily be mistaken at times for an alto, Watts lays down the gauntlet. A gauntlet that was, amazingly, not picked up by either readers or critics in the 2018 DownBeat Polls!  Presumably, this album came out after the polls had closed.*

Next year, those with ears will surely plump for Watts in alto/tenor/small group categories. And, unless the electorate finds difficulty in spelling their names, piano, bass and drums, must also be in the frame although, as the album was recorded in Cologne, maybe not. Saenger is comparable with any pianist anywhere and likewise his fellow workers down in the engine room. An album of pure joy. If you go to check it out then try Joe, a tribute to Joe Henderson. Joe would have liked it. 

100 stars and counting!

Lance.
*Ernie came in at 16 in the 2019 Tenor Sax section with 213 votes. Chris Potter won with 948 but Ernie had 27 more boxes ticked than Donny McCaslin.

Listen/buy.