The Final Prestige Session, Played Straight
Everyone plays up to their usual high level—no surprises, but solid work from a seasoned septet.
By 1958, Gene Ammons had already built a reputation as a reliable, swinging tenor saxophonist, and Blue Gene sits near the end of a productive run of jam sessions he cut for Prestige. This is not a turning point or a statement of new direction. It is workmanlike stuff—a professional saxophonist leading capable musicians through standards and blues changes, everyone doing exactly what you'd expect them to do.
The septet lineup is sturdy: Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Mal Waldron at the piano, Doug Watkins on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Ray Barretto adding congas. The horns trade solos in the post-bop idiom, Waldron comps intelligently, and the rhythm section locks in without fuss. There are no experiments here, no left turns. The playing is competent and engaging, the kind of record you put on when you want to hear musicians who know their craft execute it cleanly.
AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow was direct about it: this was the final of Ammons' Prestige jam sessions, and while no surprises occur, everyone meets a professional standard. If you're new to Ammons, this is not the entry point—start with something that captures more of his voice. If you already know his work and want another solid example, this delivers exactly that.
Who's playing
Doug Watkinsdouble bass
Mal Waldronpiano
Pepper Adamsbaritone saxophone
Gene Ammonstenor saxophone
Idrees Suliemantrumpet
Art Taylordrums
Ray Barrettocongas
Where next?
More by Gene Ammons
Boss Tenor 1960
Bad! Bossa Nova 1962
Jammin' With Gene 1956
Boss Tenors: Straight Ahead from Chicago August 1961 1962
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
