Cotton Tail – 2007
Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen
Two top swing tenors battle it out
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Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen are two of the major swing-based tenor-saxophonists since the 1990s with Hamilton having emerged back in the 1970s.
They can both be relied upon for tasteful renditions of veteran standards, played in a classic manner but without directly copying any of their predecessors.
Since Hamilton and Allen both have a little bit of Ben Webster in their sound, it was only right that for this collaboration they play “Cotton Tail,” a song that Webster made famous while with Duke Ellington in 1940.
With fine backing by pianist Olaf Polziehn, bassist Dave Green, and drummer Steve Brown, Hamilton and Allen stick close to the Ellington arrangement including playing Webster’s solo, the famous saxophone section chorus, and the closing shout choruses.
They also open up the tune with their own swinging solos (Hamilton goes first) and a tradeoff that becomes passionate.
-Scott Yanow
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