Lee Konitz & Renato Sellani - Speaking' Lowly (1993)

During his journeys to Europe in the 1990s, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz made a number of recordings for Philology with some of the continent's best musicians; this duo date with pianist Renato Sellani is no exception. All of the standards within this CD have appeared countless times on various jazz CDs and LPs, yet every take produces something very fresh. With a play list suggested by producer Paolo Piangiarelli, the emphasis is on ballads played at a leisurely tempo, which works very well on lush tunes like "Laura" but is a bit more unusual for jazz musicians playing warhorses like "Cherokee" and "Yesterdays," which are more commonly heard at breakneck speeds. As a result, the lyricism of these two fine players comes through quite well. Highly recommended! © Ken Dryden