Each of the releases from the British Zephyr label features
Brian Lemon on piano. This is one of the best in the series because it matches together the many reeds of
Tony Coe (tenor, soprano and clarinet) and
Alan Barnes (alto, baritone, soprano, clarinet and bass clarinet) with a solid four-piece rhythm section (
Lemon, guitarist
Dave Cliff, bassist Dave Green and drummer Allan Ganley). Because
Coe and
Barnes switch instruments from cut-to-cut, there is a lot of variety in tone colors throughout the session, which mostly concentrates on swing and bop standards.
Coe, who can be quite adventurous, has little difficulty adjusting to the conservative yet colorful setting. Among the many enjoyable selections are the renditions of
George Gershwin's "Who Cares,"
Art Pepper's "Chili Pepper," "Too Late Now" and "Blue Room," and
Gerry Mulligan's "Applecore." A joyful and swinging set. ~ Scott Yanow