George Young - Burgundy (1987)

George Young served in the Army until the early '70s before embarking on a full-time career as a musician. This second effort as a leader features Young on tenor sax, with pianist Warren Bernhardt, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Al Foster, and harmonica player Toots Thielemans as a guest on one track. Young is somewhat overshadowed by his rhythm section during some of this 1986 session but gets his inner fires burning in a furious take of "Groovin' High," though his languid interpretation of "My Foolish Heart" could have been a bit more inspired, as Thielemans steals the show. Among the four originals written by the leader, the brisk "Yum Yum" (based on the chord changes to the standard "You Stepped Out of a Dream") and the easygoing waltz "October" stand out. Originally recorded for the Japanese label Paddle Wheel, this CD has been unavailable in the U.S. since the demise of Projazz. -- Ken Dryden