Tracklist

1. Stablemates (Golson)  2. It Only Happens When I Dance With You (Berlin)  3. The Duke (Brubeck)  4. The Sound Of Music (Rogers/Hammerstein)  5. Steeplechase (Parker)  6. Round Midnight (Monk)  7. Strollin' (Silver)  8. One For Clifford (Horler)  9. Shadow Waltz (Warren)  10. Love Letters (Young)  11. Line For Lyons (Mulligan)

Personnel

Alan Barnes alto / tenor / baritone John Horler piano 

Review

This is turning out to be the season of the saxophone-and-piano duets. A few weeks ago, it was Danny Moss and Stan Tracey, now this well-matched pair. Indeed, so well matched are they that for much of the time the traditional roles of soloist and accompanist fall away and we find ourselves following a two-way conversation, replete with ideas, jokes, abrupt changes of subject, but only the occasional disagreement. Horler's piano can always hold the attention on account of his quirky inventiveness and his sneaky way of reharmonising familiar tunes. Barnes, who plays clarinet here, as well as alto and baritone saxophones, is simply never at a loss. He's a one-man musical Niagara. I used to wonder how long he would be able to keep it up, but I now realise it's a permanent condition.

Wycliffe Gordon