Joe Lovano - Tenor Time (1997)

This project was Michael Cuscuna's idea for Toshiba/EMI, which is part of Blue Note in Japan. It was the first time I played the straight tenor exclusively. It's a unique instrument, with a different feeling than the regular tenor saxophone. In fact, it has a different attitude and personality that comes through the music as well. Because the bell of the horn is directed downward, the sound comes out of the horn differently, using the floor to fill the room with the tone of the horn. The idea was to do some famous music, some classics, and that's how the repetoire came together. I chose the material and we did one of my originals, Dewey Said, which dedicated to both Dewey Redman and Miles Dewey Davis. Junko is a very soulful, swinging player and we had an instant rapport.