Cool Blues – 1978
Lee Konitz and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis
An unlikely but successful matchup of two masterful saxophonists
Altoist Lee Konitz and tenor-saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis had very different musical personalities and they never recorded together.
Konitz’s cool-toned sound, inquisitive solos, and openness to freer forms of jazz contrasted with Lockjaw’s more direct approach, guttural sound, and hard-driving style.
Despite that, they sound quite compatible on this performance from 1978, jamming Charlie Parker’s “Cool Blues” while joined by pianist Jimmy Rowles, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Shelly Manne
Everyone gets to solo during the swinging blues.
-Scott Yanow