1. June Night
2. Someday Sweetheart
3. If You Could See Me Now
4. I’ll Remember April
5. Georgia on my Mind
6. Alone Together
6. Bye Bye Blackbird
7. Isfahan
8. Lullaby of the Leaves
Buddy Tate – Tenor sax, clarinet
Wray Downes – Piano
Dave Young – Bass
Pete Magadini - Drums
There has been at least one other album with the same title as this, which suggests that Buddy Tate can be pigeon-holed as a Texas Tenor: one of those
musicians from Texas with a hard-blowing style to match the breadth and image of the Lone Star State. Other tenorists in the same camp include Arnett Cobb,
Illinois Jacquet and Herschel Evans.
When Herschel Evans died in 1939, Buddy Tate replaced him in the Count Basie band, where he stayed for almost ten years. That band contained one fine
tenorist after another: from Lester Young to Don Byas, Lucky Thompson, Illinois Jacquet and Paul Gonsalves. Buddy Tate learnt something from each of these
men but developed a distinctive sound of his own.
This album, recorded in 1978, contains some fine examples of muscular blowing, but it also proves that Buddy Tate could play delicately when he wished. For
example, If You Could See Me Now is taken as a gentle ballad which Buddy savours thoughtfully. And Isfahan matches Johnny Hodges in its
tenderness, without becoming bland. On tracks 5 and 9, Tate plays the clarinet with a satisfyingly full tone, approaching the rather sweet sound of Acker
Bilk.
Buddy Tate is well served by his accompanying trio from Canada. Wray Downes furnishes some clean piano solos, while Dave Young and Pete Magadini ensure
that the music swings even in the slower numbers. This CD contains barely 50 minutes, which is rather miserly, but the sound quality is clear and every
track has something to commend it.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
Sackville SK 3027
