This budget disc from the 32 Jazz label is aptly titled
A Little Houston on the Side. It highlights the jazz-soul of tenor saxophonist
Houston Person: a leader, sideman, and producer. The material on this compilation comes from
Person's stint with the now-defunct Muse label, and was recorded in the '70s, '80s, and early '90s.
A Little Houston on the Side emphasizes the stripped-down raucous blues of Hammond B-3 heroes
Joey DeFrancesco,
Sonny Phillips, and Groove Holmes, although a highlight has to be
Jack McDuff's "Walking the Dog," featuring the battling tenors of
Person and
Ron Bridgewater. The tenor-organ combo bases are beautifully covered here. Also represented are the soulful vocals of
Etta Jones, pianist
Charles Brown, and a duet with bassist
Ron Carter.
Person's haunting, breathy tone is used to great effect on the ballads "My Romance" and "I Remember Clifford," but this reissue also reminds us he can blow in a hard bop tenor style influenced by greats like
John Coltrane and
Dexter Gordon.
Person's versions of "Equinox" and "Broadway" are classic examples of the hard bop influence on his playing. Recommended. ~ Al Campbell