Record date: November 14 and 15, 1988
Yeah! They are back again, and how! Mal’s last record in 1988 was a reunion with alto saxophonist Marion Brown. Both men had toured the USA that very year together and made another record in Paris. Just like it’s predecessor it consists mainly of very, very beautiful ballads played in a very sensitive way. But also some more uptempo bebop classics like ‘All God’s Chillun God Rhythm’ and ‘Nows The Time’.
Mal plays with stunning beauty on all of the tracks. With his ultra dark romantic lyricism he really is the perfect accompanist for Brown who plays so soft one almost couldn’t hear what he’s playing. Mal plays solo on Someone to Watch Over Me which gets a very warm treatment. Marion Brown sounds beautiful with that squeezed tone of his but also a little vulnerable. It’s his typical sound, especially in these years. Highlight of the album is the version of ‘My Funny Valentine’ that starts off with Mal’s easy but oh so beautiful approach. Then in comes Marion Brown with a beautiful soft vibrato, not even playing much more than the theme but it really is enough. Brown had his teeth fixed in this year, which took 7 months for a German dentist to repair. Sounds funny but of course as a saxophonist you’re teeth could really break or make you. The dentist is thanked in the liner notes by Brown.
This was really the era that labels wanted you to buy cd’s. Buying the vinyl version will make you miss a beautiful version of ‘My Old Flame’. Sometimes this session is hard to find but it’s not impossible. For around 20 euros you should be able to obtain a copy. If you like their first set, you gotta hear this one two. I like their first duet best. But this one is really enjoyable also. Made with thanks to Dr. Fritz Eberhard Preusse (German dentist).
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