Hank Crawford - Down On The Deuce (1984)

This Hank Crawford session was his third for Milestone and follows his appealing soul jazz formula. Crawford's alto is the main voice throughout although there is some solo space for keyboardist Cedar Walton, guitarists Jimmy Ponder and Melvin Sparks, and David Newman on tenor and flute. Crawford is joined by a funky four-piece rhythm section plus four horns and, although the material is not as strong as usual, there are some good performances, particularly on "Down Home Blues" and "When a Man Loves a Woman." © Scott Yanow