It's interesting to note that after all these years,
Red Holloway, who like peers
Johnny Griffin and
Von Freeman studied with
Captain Walter Dyett at DuSable High School, finally lands on his hometown-based Delmark label for a spirited session featuring younger sidemen from the Windy City. Guitarist
Henry Johnson joins organist
Chris Foreman and drummer
Greg Rockingham from
the Deep Blue Organ Trio to back the classic soul-jazz tenor saxophonist on a set of standards and jam tunes typical of the material
Holloway has always favored. His tart sweet tone is intact, choosing not to play it smooth and cool, but injecting his personal bluesy fervor into a context that most jazz listeners can relate to. Always comparable to
Arnett Cobb,
Illinois Jacquet,
Gene Ammons,
David "Fathead" Newman, and
Hank Crawford, tenor and alto saxophonist
Holloway has outlasted them all, and still thrives in an atmosphere of R&B-based swing that goes down-home at the drop of a hat. While he rarely turns to a contemporary approach, there are flavors of funkiness on a quite different arrangement of "Bags' Groove," while
Holloway and
Foreman join together on the ageless melody of the steamy, fluid calypso "St. Thomas." These are prime examples of how
Holloway can turn well-worn tunes into new gems. Standards like the good swinger "Love Walked In" and "Wave" suggest the solid-sounding soulful Chicago tradition of mixing jazz and blues 50-50, with melodies lovingly and patiently rendered. The title selection is the feverish heavy bop jam tune you expect, borrowed from
Arnett Cobb, featuring some exciting counterpunches and tradeoffs with
Foreman. But it is on the extended ballads "Deep Purple" and "Stardust" where
Holloway's veteran status shines through. It's more difficult to play slow than fast, and here the saxophonist proves his mettle as not only a refined performer, but a singular voice in his own right. You also get the blues-drenched "I Like It Funky," while
Holloway gets back to his bar-walkin' roots singing the old rocking R&B hit "Keep Your Hands Off Her," made popular by one of his old employers,
Roosevelt Sykes. Guitarist
George Freeman sits in on these two, and he is as delightful as ever -- witty, charming, and completely cooperative with the organist and drummer. At age 80 during these recording sessions,
Red Holloway is swinging just like in the old days, unaffected by commercial claptrap and retaining his personal sonic identity for all the people to enjoy.