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- Verified Buyer
I'm pretty sure the claim that Carter is the heavyweight champ on sax isn't without competition,but there has to be less serious competition for the title than there is in boxing.And,while there may be a jazz club somewhere to compete with Baker's-established in May 1934-the world's oldest jazz club,I don't wanna hear about some club in New York that charges a $40 cover and a two drink minimum.I've been going to Baker's for 30 years-and while it generally doesn't get "out of town" jazz greats anymore,Carter is an exception.When he's back in his old hometown,he likes to sit in with the local cats and I've seen him do this several times for no cover.The last time, he shot it out with a local-and excellent musician-on baritone sax-and destroyed him;there's no shame in that and I hope the cat returns.On this cd,Carter is joined by several excellent local musicians who've played regularly at Baker's such as Gerard Gibbs on organ(who I even like better without the synthesizer),Dwight Adams on trumpet,Leonard King and the late,great Pistol Allen on drums,Larry Smith on alto sax and Ralphe Armstrong on bass.And he brought in "the outsiders" as well-Johnny Griffin,Franz Jackson and David Murray on tenor sax.This is an excellent cd-but not neccesarily better than the music he's played on other occasions I've seen him at Baker's-uh uh,yuh gotta see the champ live at Baker's.