Peter Leitch and Gary Bartz - The Montréal Concert (2001) [CD-Rip]

Tracklist

01. The Touch of Your LipsBut Not for Me
02. Well, You Needn'tThey Say It's Wonderful
03. Some Other Samba
04. Surrey with the Fringe on TopThe Song of Loving Kindness
05. Uncle Bubba

Guitar/saxophone duos are rare in the jazz world, primarily due to the difficulty of keeping everything moving without having the bottom fall out when it comes time for the guitarist to improvise. One successful recorded example was the Zoot Sims/Joe Pass match up Blues for Two (Pablo, 1982), but then Pass had years of experience as a solo performer under his belt. On the opener to The Montreal Concert, “The Touch of Your Lips,” guitarist Peter Leitch does an admirable job of supporting saxophonist Gary Bartz, supplying a complex but organic network of slippery chords and walking bass lines. When it comes time to solo, he opts for single-notes, which Bartz masterfully complements with counterpoint that alternates between long tones and more active phrases. In contrast, “Well You Needn’t” fares less well, although it has some fine playing in places. After a Monkish guitar intro and alto reading of the head, Bartz launches into a nice, angular solo supported by chords and moving bass lines. But when it’s Leitch’s turn, something just seems to be missing, even though Bartz does his best to provide a foundation. Then again, Leitch’s vibrant “Some Other Samba,” which begins with a cool introduction and has an active overall harmonic structure, is more successful due to the increased number of chords that he works into his improvisation.

Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Gary Bartz
Guitar – Peter Leitch

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