It's nothing shy of amazing that -- now in his mid-sixties -- tenor saxophonist
Ernie Watts just gets better and better. Like his California peers
Charles Lloyd and
Azar Lawrence,
Watts keeps refining his post-
John Coltrane approach with a passion and inventiveness younger musicians can only dream of. He also keeps coming up with new aspects of execution, here presenting his regular working quartet, a newly formed four-piece based in Cologne, Germany, and on one track, both ensembles combined. Save a single standard, this CD also features new material from
Watts and his estimable bandmembers, sounding fresh and always either swinging or in a modal base. The greatest quality
Watts possesses is ability to sing through his horn, evidenced perfectly during
"Crossings," written by the pianist from his European band,
Christof Saenger. Then there's the tenor man playing with an immediacy but no rushed sense of urgency for the clockwork pace of
"Wings of the Dreamer," with American pianist and underrated stalwart
David Witham, who plays beautifully understated piano that can easily be appreciated on its own merits. Both groups collaborate on the floating
"Through My Window," evoking
Coltrane's spirit similar to his great composition
"Wise One," If you haven't become a fan of
Ernie Watts yet, it's time to get on the bandwagon. His savvy, tasteful, fully flowered music stands apart from his contemporaries, previous masters, and those burgeoning players claiming
Coltrane as a major influence. In short, he's the very best at what he does -- which in itself is a proven, time-tested commodity. ~ Michael G. Nastos
![Beggars Banquet [50th Anniversary Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0018771850229_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Beggars Banquet [50th Anniversary Edition]")
