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Reviews
of Coast to Coast
Red
Holloway is recording again in one of the environments that he relishes:
that of two saxophonists feeding ideas to each other and spurring
one another to ever-rising heights of inspired dialogue. This time,
Holloway has teamed with Frank Wess, who is just as accustomed to
two-saxophone "battles" and complementary balladeering,
even from the 1950's when he played in the Count Basie band with
Frank Foster. Add Dr. Lonnie Smith on B-3, Melvin Sparks on guitar
and Paul Humphrey on drums, and you've got two hard-swinging, burly
saxophone voices backed by a rhythm section with decades of experience
in deep groove, whether in swaying after-hours immediacy or a blues
shuffle.
It's evident that all of the musicians involved in Coast to Coast
are reveling in the chance to make the music that they enjoy, and
perhaps Holloway's easy-going, good-times personality enhances the
atmosphere of the session. From the first track, Holloway's "Still
Groovin'," with its backbeated irresistibility, the fun of
the recording unfolds, and the empathy between the two saxophonists,
good-naturedly taunting, sets the stage for the following seven
tracks. Wess' "3 Steps Up Clark" unifies both tenor saxophonists
on the opening unison blues theme, complete with slick glissando
and slurred, tripping lines, before they split into their own improvisational
wails and shouts.
In contrast to the upbeat numbers, Holloway switches to alto sax
on the slower and more mellow piece, "Indian Summer,"
creating a greater contrast as he responds with elaboration to the
languorous melody played with characteristic ease by Wess. "Avalon"
races, its fast tempo underlying the longer tones of the saxophonists
until they choose to burst forth with their own equally paced solos
of bent notes and honks and cries and quickened lines. The most
unexpected track on Coast to Coast occurs when Holloway sings the
lyrics to Helen Humes' song, "Million Dollar Secret,"
which breaks listeners into broad smiles with words like: "Get
you one around 78,/And you're just 22./Your friends may think you're
crazy,/But his will's made out to you./So get yourself an old man/'Cause
they really know what to do./They'll give you a whole lot of lovin'/And
a whole lot of money too."
All in all, Coast to Coast brings together two of the leading saxophonists
of their generation, who, even after half a century in the business,
maintain the fun of performing together or before an audience--which,
after all, keeps them young.
Reviewed by: Don Williamson, JazzReview.com
My,
my, my. It's impossible to stay in a bad mood listening to this
new CD: five seasoned swingmeisters and a bag full of uptempo blues.
"Coast to Coast" achieves that perfect paradox: music
that's tight and relaxed at the same time. It's a treat for tenor
fans, with both the estimable Red Holloway and Frank Wess on the
stand, and it's great to hear organist Dr. Lonnie Smith again, who
remains one of the classiest practitioners of his instrument. Veterans
Paul Humphrey (bass) and Melvin Sparks (guitar) aid and abet this
thoroughly enjoyable session, where the solos in a breakneck-paced
"Avalon" are enough to make the record (I had to check
the credits to make sure there wasn't a bass player in there - it's
Smith doing the fast- walking lines with his foot pedals).
The only ballad is a luscious "Indian Summer," with Holloway
on alto weaving commentary around Wess's tenor lines. Holloway also
does a very credible job singing Helen Humes's racy "Million
Dollar Secret," as affable and expressive on vocals as he is
on his horn.
If you don't move some part of your body while listening to this
one, you'd better check your pulse. Recommended.
~ Dr. Judith Schlesinger, AllAboutJazz
9/15/2003
By: Christopher Porte, Jazz Times
rRed Holloway has got the blues. Ha ha! That's
a good one. A real good one. *sigh* Ol' Red also has a bluesy new
CD, Coast to Coast, for Milestone, which follows 2001's exuberantly
titled Keep That Groove Going! (Sure thing, Red!).
On that last CD Holloway sparred with fellow tenor saxophonist Plas
Johnson. For Coast to Coast Frank Wess steps up into the ring for
a clash of tenor titans. The two have known each other for 40 years,
ever since Holloway moved from Chicago to New York City to play
in Lloyd Price's big band. Wess played with Count Basie at that
time, and the two tenorists lived in the President Hotel in the
Big Apple (when they weren't on the road, which was most of the
time).
Also kickin' it into the red with Red is Dr. Lonnie Smith, the doc
of the dancing B3, and Holloway sideman from the 1965 Prestige session
Red Soul. Guitarist Melvin Sparks was on Keep That Groove Going!,
and Red invited him back for Coast to Coast. Drummer Paul Humphrey
rounds out the band as the only full-time member of Holloway's working
group to appear on the CD. Like many soul-jazz CDs on the Fantasy-associated
labels, Bob Porter produced the disc, cutting it at Rudy Van Gelder's
New Jersey studio earlier this year.
Red Holloway is known for his big tenor tone, which he developed
by blowing outdoors over the sounds of nature. "If you practice
with the wind blowing, you'll get a good sound outside, so when
you come inside, you can blow the walls down," he explained
in a statement. "If you practice inside, your sound is bouncing
off the walls. You think you're raising hell, but you're not."
If you're in the San Pedro, California, on September 20, you can
see Red Holloway and his quartet and singer Ernestine Anderson at
the Warner Grand Theater. The concert is a benefit for the William
Baker/Toberman Settlement House.
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