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Houston Person: Mellow

By Andrew Velez
March 5, 2010
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Houston Person's Mellow could easily have been called "Up Close and Personal." With dozens and dozens of recordings to his credit, it's just the latest in a long list of exemplary sets that always evidence the warmth of his tone and the directness of his tenor sax phrasing. Also mixed in as well is a funky R&B feeling. That is particularly noticeable on the bouncy "Sunny" that opens the set. Everyone gets into a sweet heat, most notably when James Chirillo pungently strums his guitar,

John J. DiMartino

drums
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">John J. DiMartino jumping in with emphatic piano. Ultimately Person wraps it all up with blazing, beefy blasts that gradually diminish and fade away as if into some celestial cloud-space.

With that old gem of Lane-Lerner's, "Too Late Now," the contrast is dramatic. It's typical of Person's deep knowledge of the Great American Songbook. Long ago

Lester Young

saxophone
1909 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Lester Young suggested that jazz soloists ought to know the lyrics of a song. This is a lush, unhurried take on which the emotional connection is immediate as Person soars with his saxophone.

He can also be surprising as with that old Dinah Washington standby, "What a Difference a Day Makes," recast here with a distinctly bolero-like feel. The rhythm is dynamic, the beat clear and effect irresistible. Person's own "Blues in the AM" is the most specifically blues-drenched number on the set, a showcase for the gospel side of his playing, inspiring Chirillo to chime in with particularly inventive enthusiasm. The set closes with a rollicking "Lester Leaps In" and they're clearly having a blast. You will too.

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Track Listing

Sunny; Too Late Now; In A Mellow Tone; To Each His Own; What A Difference A Day Made; Two Different Worlds; Blues In the AM; Who Can I Turn To?; God Bless the Child; Lester Leaps In.

Personnel

Houston Person

saxophone, tenor

Houston Person: tenor saxophone; John Di Martino: piano; James Chirillo: guitar; Ray Drummond: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Album information

Title: Mellow | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: HighNote Records

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