Houston Person

Moment to Moment HighNote***

At 75, Carolina-born Person must be the last of the so-called Texas Tenors line that goes back to the late Illinois Jacquet and Gene Ammons, with whom he shares a broad-shouldered sound, an unfazed masculinity and an authoritative way with blues and ballads. For this trip to the Great American Songbook, Person assembles players a generation younger in Terell Stafford (trumpet), Randy Johnston (guitar) and a made-to-measure John Di Martino-Ray Drummond- Willie Jones III rhythm section. With Person in charge there's no self-indulgence; solos are kept brief, pithy and melodic, although there's a glimpse of other possibilities when he and Stafford stretch out on the longest track, Just the Way You Are,and the whole band locks into an unforced, euphoric groove as if it could go on forever. Jazz has moved elsewhere, but this is a consistent, swinging reminder of an older style. see jazzdepot.com