This album has a somewhat unlikely matchup. While
Willis "Gator" Jackson's roots are in honking and screaming R&B, and he later became a top-notch soul-jazz player,
Von Freeman's unusual tone and exploratory style resulted in him being associated with the avant-garde and post-bop. However, this encounter works well. With organist
Carl Wilson, guitarist
Joe "Boogaloo" Jones and drummer Yusef Ali giving strong support, the two tenors challenge each other, romp on "Pow!" and "Willis and Von," and show off their highly original sounds on individual features. Hopefully, this unique set will be reissued on CD. ~ Scott Yanow