Clarinetist
Pete Fountain is in typically solid form on this quartet set with pianist Merle Koch, bassist Bunky Jones and drummer V.J. Bourgeois.
Fountain has long had the rare talent of making every song he performs sound as if it were newly written for him. That can be quite a trick when one considers that he mostly plays Dixieland standards that were ancient before he even began his career. On this interesting outing,
Fountain performs lengthy versions of songs like "Up the Lazy River," "Basin Street Blues," "Honeysuckle Rose" and "The Saints," each of which clocks in between nine-and-a-half and eleven minutes. Although he is the main soloist,
Fountain never seems to run out of fresh ideas or enthusiasm. Those listeners wondering why the clarinetist has stuck to New Orleans jazz throughout his career will know why after hearing the joy that he brings out of these warhorses. ~ Scott Yanow