This early-'70s meeting between two giants of the tenor sax (both of whom by this time were living in Europe on a permanent basis) is full of memorable moments. The styles of
Ben Webster and
Don Byas provide a distinct contrast (though
Byas was also a swing-influenced saxophonist, he was heavily into bop as well), yet they mesh very well together. On their opening improvised "Blues for Dottie Mae,"
Webster's big-toned swing tends to dominate, though
Byas' boppish lines dart around at lightning speeds;
Tete Montoliu's bluesy piano provides the perfect support. The roles are evened out a bit more on a swinging take of "Sunday." The evenly matched tenor battle continues with a rousing "Perdido" and very swinging "Caravan." Bassist
Peter Trunk introduces
Byas' "Lullaby to Dottie Mae," an easygoing reworking of the timeless ballad "Body and Soul," which features a rapid-fire solo by
Byas.
Webster's turn in the solo spotlight is his own ballad "When Ash Meets Henry," in which he is accompanied only by
Trunk's well-chosen basslines. Also present on the date is drummer
Albert "Tootie" Heath. Sadly, this LP was a bit of a swan song for both tenor saxophonists;
Byas died in the year prior to its 1973 release, while
Webster died the following year, though he taped at least one more album following this one. ~ Ken Dryden