One of the unexpected treats of the past year was the sight of this eightysomething saxophonist blasting the roof off Ronnie Scott's in the company of another grand old man, the trombonist Slide Hampton. One of Dizzy Gillespie's most loyal sidemen, James Moody had clearly not lost his puckish sense of humour, either. His quartet date with a rhythm section led by that elegant pianist Kenny Barron is a rather more sedate affair - the leader is on his best behaviour throughout - but it is cheering to hear him negotiating Stella by Starlight, East of the Sun and the rest of the standards with little sense of strain. Lewis Nash is his usual immaculate self on drums.
IPO IPOC1016