Veteran tenor saxophonist
George Garzone spent much of his life in jazz education, though he picked up his pace recording as a leader beginning in the mid-'90s. This European release issued by Stunt features
Garzone with a masterful rhythm section including pianist
Steve Kuhn, bassist
Anders Christensen, and drummer
Paul Motian. The ballad-oriented set primarily focuses on
Garzone's lush originals, including the wistful "Farewell" and the mellow, Latin-tinged "Between Two Cities," a feature for his infectious soprano sax. He also covers a few familiar songs, including a dreamy rendition of the standard "My One and Only Love,"
Miles Davis' 1940s bop vehicle "Milestones" (not to be confused with the song sometimes issued under the same name from the 1950s), and an extended workout of
Fred Lacey's "Theme for Ernie" that is reminiscent of
Stan Getz.
Kuhn is a superb accompanist and soloist throughout the date, while
Christensen and
Motian also make their presence felt.