Bud Shank Quartet With Bob Cooper - Jazz at Cal-Tech (2007)

The near-telepathic interplay that distinguishes all of Bud Shank's collaborations with reedist Bob Cooper reaches a dazzling peak with the live Jazz at Cal-Tech. A deceptively freewheeling set recorded with pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Don Prell, and drummer Chuck Flores, it boasts a simmering intensity often missing from Shank and Cooper's subsequent studio sessions, channeling the energy of the audience to add a new edge to their creative give and take, particularly on a rousing rendition of Count Basie's "The King." No less impressive is a lovely ballad medley featuring "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and "Tea for Two."