Although already 42 at the time of this LP and widely respected as a talented swing/Dixieland clarinetist and soprano-saxophonist for 20 years, this was only Kenny Davern's second album as a leader (and the first was a very obscure effort for Elektra in 1958). Actually Davern (switching between soprano, clarinet and C-melody sax) shares the spotlight with the hot swing tenor Flip Phillips (who also contributes some bass clarinet and soprano) in a quintet with pianist Dave McKenna, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Bobby Rosengarden. The quintet performs six veteran standards (and the more recent "Elsa's Dream") in spirited fashion with plenty of interplay between the two horns. This version of "Mood Indigo" (with its clarinet and bass clarinet frontline) is a near-classic, Flip takes "Candy" as his feature and "Cottontail" really cooks. ~ Scott Yanow

Rovi