Body & Soul

Description

Jazzwise September issue by Kevin Le Gendre

Archie Shepp is possibly one of the most prolific duo partners in jazz history, having formed memorable partnerships with the like of Max Roach, Horace Parlan, and most recently Jason Moran.
Shepp’s tenor saxophone, which is raucous, rugged and smokily sensual in line with role models such as Ben Webster, has sufficient character and emotional depth to withstand an exposed setting, and the presence of masterful double bassist Richard Davis as his other musical half here is more than appropriate.
Richard Davis has similar qualities, above all a great richness of tone that makes some of his bulbous single notes as impactful as chords, and on this live set of standards the two are on remarkable good form.
Whether tackling Great American Songbook staples or modern jazz classics by Thelonious Monk they serve the material well and always push themselves as both accompanists and soloists. In fact, the lengthy improvisation Davis takes on `Body & Soul’ is a tour de force of both textural invention and structural daring as his movement crashing double stops to booming glissando to bowed lines that are so explosive they sound almost like an electric guitar, is a big time showstopper.