A humdinger! Trumpet ace Brian Lynch and alto sax legend Charles McPherson blow their socks off both instrumentally and as composers - they chalk up three compositions each including one a-piece in collaboration with Samara Joy although it has to be said that their finest solos actually come on Barry Harris' Luminescence.
McPherson's opening break on that number is worthy of being ranked alongside Charlie Parker's famous alto break on his 1946 recording of A Night in Tunisia. McPherson of course provided part of the soundtrack for the biopic Bird. I also recall McPherson playing a knockout session at Newcastle's Corner House around about the time the movie was released. Good to know he's still playing as good as ever.
The two numbers with Samara: McPherson's The Joy of Love and Lynch's Pursuit of a Dream display her amazing range as well as her ability to extract every emotional nuance from a lyric.
The pianists that are spread across the album keep things swinging but, even with Samara in great form it's the two horns who grab the kudos. Their take on But Beautiful is perhaps the best instrumental version of the Van Heusen and Burke tune ever. It lasts just under eleven minutes and it's not a second too long.
Blue N' Boogie wraps up an excellent album - Bird and Diz live with this last track! Lance
Luck of the Draw: The Joy of Love; Kyle's Dilemma; 7-24; Luminescence; Pursuit of a Dream; The Juggler; But Beautiful; Blue N' Boogie
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