Intersecting Lines

The title says it all. "Intersecting Lines" is about the interplay between saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and Dick Oatts. This is an old-school blowing session in the context of hard bop and bebop, and the focus is squarely on the two horns. Bass and drum solos are few and far between - and brief. Bergonzi's style is influenced by the titans (Coltrane, Rollins) but clearly his own. His sound and his music are a study in contrasts, juxtaposing softness with strength, simplicity with complexity. Oatts is a perfect foil; both men take unexpected twists and turns in their solos, employing sudden moves and breakneck runs with razor-sharp articulation. Though Bergonzi plays tenor and Oatts alto, it's occasionally hard to tell who's playing which line when their solos overlap. In any case, the two consistently exhibit that brazen freshness and avian freedom that contribute to jazz being 'forever young,' cogently backed by bassist Dave Santoro and drummer Andrea Michelutti.

JERRY BERGONZI, tenor saxophone
Featuring: Dick Oatts, alto saxophone
Dave Santoro, bass
Andrea Michelutti, drums