Houston Person: Moment To Moment

Houston Person, tenor saxophone; John di Martino, piano; Terell Stafford, trumpet; Randy Johnston, guitar; Ray Drummond, bass; Willie Jones III, drums

Tracks: Bleeker Street o I Cover the Waterfront o Moment to Moment o Freight Dance o Don't Take Your Love From Me o E Nada Mais o Just the Way You Are o Back in New Orleans o All My Life o Love Won't Let Me Wait o Nina Never Knew

Houston Person is a gentleman of jazz, a versatile player who honors the compositions he has assembled in his discography with a seemingly effortless approach that's elegantly sensuous and unabashedly romantic. There's a smooth, creamy warmth to his tone, but a decidedly muscular undercurrent keeps saccharine sweetness firmly at bay. His players provide superbly understated, gently swinging support with the trumpet of Terell Stafford receiving plenty of time in the spotlight from the ever-generous Houston. Beautifully recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, Houston explores and elaborates on melodic themes with unhurried ease. His lines are resolutely lyrical, gently toying with the melodies yet never compromising the essential structure; reflecting upon rather than re-inventing each composition. It's just first-rate music played with exquisite taste and an emphasis on the sheer beauty of timeless tunes.

Price: $22.98