David "Fathead" Newman has such a strong reputation as a soulful saxophonist that sometimes people forget how creative a straight-ahead improviser he can be. His two Muse LPs, Resurgence and Still Hard Times, have been reissued in full on this deluxe single CD. Whether playing tenor, flute, soprano or alto,
Newman's solos are full of personality and logical ideas. On one of the sets he is teamed with trumpeter
Marcus Belgrave in a sextet (along with guitarist
Ted Dunbar, pianist
Cedar Walton, bassist
Buster Williams and drummer
Louis Hayes). The other date has
Newman as part of an octet also including his old bandmate from his
Ray Charles days, altoist
Hank Crawford; baritonist
Howard Johnson; trumpeter
Charlie Miller; pianist
Larry Willis; bassist
Walter Booker; drummer
Jimmy Cobb; and vibraphonist
Steve Nelson, who has two features of his own. On both sets,
Newman is heard in top form and he gets to show off his talents on all of his four axes. The highlights include "Everything Must Change,"
Walton's "To the Holy Land," "One for My Baby" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love" but all dozen performances are colorful and well-played. Prime
Fathead. ~ Scott Yanow