Search - Ben Webster & Teddy Wilson :: Ben & Teddy

Should be TEDDY and Ben

John Tapscott | Canada | 06/13/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster headlines this CD, which was recorded in Switzerland on May 1, 1970, but he actually plays on only 5 of the 11 tracks. Webster is certainly in good form here, though perhaps not at his very best. (This was getting quite late in his career). As usual, Ben gently caresses the ballads such as Stardust with his beautiful burnished tone, but becomes more emphatic, and even raspish on more up-tempo pieces such as In a Mellotone.
But the real star of this 52 minute CD is Teddy Wilson and his trio (Isla Eckinger on bass and Peter Giger on drums.) The first six tracks are deligthful examples of swing piano trio with much happy interplay among the trio members. Wilson's technique is impeccable, even astonishing at times. Listen to Honeysuckle Rose, for eaxample. (The CD's opening track is not Don't Be That Way, as indicated in the notes, but Stompin' at the Savoy). And of course, Wilson and his trio back Webster with swing and senstivity on his five featured tracks. But the Wilson trio tracks are so impressive that I am planning to check out the Wilson trio box set on Mosaic.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable and well-recorded CD and recommended to all fans of small group swing."