A trombonist's paradise: who could ask for anything more than two of the greatest
modern jazz soloists,
Bill Watrous and
Carl Fontana, fronting a rhythm section for an entire album of unadulterated bliss? Fortunately, this obscure release fulfills all expectations with the trombonists at the peak of their powers, soloing magnificently and showing how this arcane instrument can compete competitively (as if there were any question!) with its more fluid cousins, the saxophone and trumpet. The rhythm section of pianist
Ross Tomkins, bassist
Bob Maize, and drummer
Jack Hanna do their job by staying in the background (except for several fairly nondescript solos), letting the trombonists spread their wings. While
Watrous and
Fontana come from the same school of "doodle do," in which they attack the horn with machine gun-like precision, running up and down the slide with spectacular effect, there is a clear distinction between the two.
Watrous is a touch less smooth, with a greater range, while
Fontana is the more suave and polished, his quiet tonguing a study in perfection. When they converse on "Baby, Its Cold Outside," you can close your eyes and imagine the sexual bantering. The meeting of
Bill Watrous and
Carl Fontana rivals that of the great association of J. J. Johnson and
Kai Winding in the 1950s, only updated for a later generation. A classic and rare combination, this wonderful album should satisfy the most demanding aficionados of
modern jazz trombone. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide
