Willis Jackson, a veteran of the jazz-oriented R&B music of the late '40s, was a powerful tenor in the tradition of
Gene Ammons. This is a particularly exciting release with
Charles Earland pumping away at the organ, guitarist
Pat Martino offering a contrasting solo voice and
Jackson in top form, wailing away on the uptempo pieces. The CD reissue of the original LP adds two alternate takes to the program. The chord changes might be fairly basic but
Willis Jackson plays with such enthusiasm and exuberance that it almost sounds as if he had discovered the joy of playing music. ~ Scott Yanow