Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (ts);
Johnny Griffin (ts); Francy Boland (p); Jimmy Woode (b); Kenny Clarke (d)
Recorded on April 24, 1970
There’s a long and glorious tradition
of two-tenor combos in jazz. Three examples: Gene
Ammons & Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims & Al Cohn, and Dexter Gordon & Wardell
Gray. All these two-tenor front lines were
wonderful, and all of them made compelling records. But, for this listener, there’s one two-tenor
combo that stands apart from the others.
This duo is the most enjoyable and most felicitous of the two-tenor
duos. Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis & Johnny
Griffin, the “Tough Tenors.”
Like any effective pairing, these guys
have deliciously contrasting sounds. Griffin’s
lightning, Lockjaw’s thunder. Griffin’s
speed, Lockjaw’s soul. Griffin’s puckishness,
Lockjaw’s imperiousness.
This record effectively matches the duo with
the rhythm section from the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band, a group with whom
Davis and Griffin were playing regularly in the preceding years.
On a certain level, there’s nothing unduly
complicated here. Just compelling personalities
and masterful soloing and interesting tunes and a superbly swinging rhythm section. In other words, great jazz.
Hi.
ReplyDeleteI love that album. I have that since I was a young man. Precisely that edition of the STOP JAZZ series published in Spain. It was my first record of this pair of tenors, then I discovered their other recordings.
Thank you for remembering and greetings from Toledo, Spain.