Tenor Battle

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Illinois Jacquet made “Flying Home” famous in 1942 on his recording with Lionel Hampton’s orchestra.

Dexter Gordon was in that sax section and Arnett Cobb would record “Flying Home #2” with Hampton in 1944.

Those three tenors plus Budd Johnson and Buddy Tate are featured on a joyous version of “Flying Home” from a 1979 jazz festival at the Hague in Holland.

Budd Johnson, Dexter Gordon (who makes Jacquet chuckle by quoting his famous solo) and Illinois Jacquet all get to stretch out a bit on this spirited version while Cobb and Tate are heard in the ensembles.

Not so much a tenor battle as a celebration of swinging jazz, this performance is full of joy.

Personnel:

Dexter Gordon, tenor
Budd Johnson, tenor
Illinois Jacquet, tenor
Arnett Cobb, tenor
Buddy Tate, tenor
Hank Jones, piano
Gene Ramey, bass
Gus Johnson, drums

-Scott Yanow

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