So Nice

Houston Person is a very versatile veteran tenor saxophonist who tends to get overlooked in critics' polls, yet his extensive musical resume is ample proof that he is a jazz master. This 2011 session ranges from a duet to septet, with everyone playing compact solos, keeping all but one under the six-minute mark, a lost art in modern jazz. The rhythm section includes pianist John Di Martino (who regularly works with the leader), bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Lewis Nash (whose respective resumes are likely as long as Person's), seven-string guitarist Howard Alden, plus cornetist Warren Vache and trombonist Mark Patterson. Two less familiar jazz works stand out. The disc opens with the full septet playing a snappy rendition of Shirley Scott's "Blues Everywhere," with Person, Vache, Patterson, Alden, and Di Martino all featured. Elmo Hope's "So Nice" is a perfect example of a midtempo bop gem, with a beautifully understated solo by Di Martino, Patterson's expressive chops, and the leader's buoyant, soulful tenor. There are several standards, including a richly textured "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" with Patterson's muted horn providing the perfect follow-up to Person's mellow opening statement, while the lush "Easy Living" suggests a late-night romantic atmosphere. The solo spotlight is equally shared by Vache and Person in the shimmering, deliberate treatment of Duke Ellington's gorgeous "All Too Soon." Ironically, the longest track is a sensitive duet by Person and Di Martino, exploring a pair of Stephen Sondheim's show tunes, "Small World" and "Anyone Can Whistle." Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden