In the 1980s, tenor saxophonist
Houston Person and bassist
Ron Carter recorded a pair of unlikely but successful duo albums.
Person, who has mostly been heard through the years with organ groups, piano trios, and accompanying the late singer
Etta Jones, has a large tone worthy of
Gene Ammons, while
Ron Carter (who has played with everyone) clearly had a good time interacting with
Person in the sparse format. In 2000,
Person and
Carter recorded their third duet album, and the results are at least as rewarding as their first two collaborations. On such songs as "Doxy," "Dear Old Stockholm," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and "Mack the Knife,"
Person and
Carter swing hard and sound at their most playful and creative in each other's company. They both sound inspired by this setting (where every sound counts) and play with full confidence; there is not a single hesitant moment. This is a particularly memorable and enjoyable effort that features the two musicians at their best. ~ Scott Yanow