LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

One of Chicago's favorite native tenor saxophonists meets an admired visiting tenor in a free-swinging session. Gene Ammons hosts James Moody in an encounter that ranges from down-the-middle blues blowing to adventuring on the fringe of the avant-garde. Whenever either of these saxophonists was on the bandstand, every musician involved knew it was going to be an all-out affair. When both were present, and with a knowledgeable Chicago audience paying close attention, anticipation ran high, and so did performance. With a blue-ribbon rhythm section headed by piano veteran Jodie Christian, Ammons and Moody charge through a program of classic standard songs and jazz compositions by Duke Elllington, Nat Adderley, and Charlie Parker. On CD for the first time, the music includes a previously unissued vigorous romp through Parker's "Yardbird Suite."Just in Time, Work Song, Have You Met Miss Jones?, Jim-Jam-Jug, I'll Close My Eyes, C-Jam Blues, plus CD bonus track Yardbird Suite with Jodie Christian, Cleveland Eaton, Marshall Thompson