Two Tenors, One Room, No Apologies
Griffin and Davis trade solos with the directness of two guys who know exactly what they want to say.
Tough Tenors pairs Johnny Griffin and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis for what amounts to a friendly argument in the best sense. Both men were heavy hitters in the tenor saxophone world, and rather than smooth over their differences, this album lets them collide. Griffin was the faster, more angular player—his lines dart and weave. Davis came in lower, grittier, with a tone that sounded like he gargled gravel for breakfast. On these sessions, they don't try to blend; they try to outthink each other.
What makes this record work is that neither player dominates. The rhythm section stays compact and swinging, giving the two horns room to breathe without leaving awkward silences. The tunes are mostly standards and blues heads, nothing fancy, which is exactly the right vehicle for this kind of conversation. Griffin's quicker approach highlights just how deliberately Davis works—he doesn't play as many notes, but each one lands with weight. You hear two different philosophies of tenor saxophone on the same record, and both sound legitimate.
If you're already familiar with both players' solo work, Tough Tenors is worth tracking down, though it's not the place to start with either man. It's solidly in the middle of their catalogs—competent, swinging, and honest, but not the recording that made either of their reputations. That said, there's something refreshing about an album that doesn't oversell itself. It's two expert musicians doing their job in a room, and you can hear exactly how they work.
Who's playing
Larry Galesbass
Junior Mancepiano
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davistenor saxophone
Johnny Griffintenor saxophone
Ben Rileydrums
Where next?
More by Johnny Griffin
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