Bennie Wallace - Twilight Time (1985/2019)

This Blue Note album is a classic. Although tenor-saxophonist Bennie Wallace was originally thought of as an avant-gardist, his large tone (in the tradition of Ben Webster) and roots in Southern music always made him stand out from the crowd. On this inspired project, Wallace, trombonist Ray Anderson, and guitarist John Scofield are well-showcased in R&Bish and funky settings with such musicians as pianist Dr. John, Bob Cranshaw, or Eddie Gomez on bass, Jack DeJohnette, Chris Parker, or Bernard Purdie on drums, and (during two numbers) blues guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan. To hear the lead voices rocking out on "Is It True What They Say About Dixie," "Tennessee Waltz," and "Trouble in Mind" is a unique experience, and Wallace's lively cadenza on "Twilight Time" steals the show.