ALBUM REVIEWS

Not a bad idea--picking nine tunes associated with tenor saxophonists such as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and others, and showcasing them with some of today’s talented players of the same instrument. Golson has brought in Branford Marsalis, James Carter and Ellington veteran Harold Ashby to share the spotlight on “Lester Leaps In,” “St. Thomas,” “Body and Soul,” “My Favorite Things” and others.

The combinations work strikingly well. Golson’s once-brawny sound has matured into a surprisingly mellow expression, and his lines retain the appealing fluidity that has always characterized his playing. His interaction with Marsalis on “Body and Soul,” with its resonance with Hawkins’ classic reading, is especially appealing. Carter’s solo work tends, perhaps predictably, to be a bit too wildly self-indulgent, his choruses going off in all directions. But Ashby, despite some control uncertainties, reveals that, at 73, he continues to be an imaginative player.

Arkadia has erred, however, in not providing playing sequences for the various saxophonists. Although their sounds are different enough to eventually make identities clear, a simple list of solo orders would have helped.

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