Intersecting Lines

The title says it all, this album is about the interplay between saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and Dick Oatts. This is an old-school blowing session in the context of hard bop and bebop, and the focus is squarely on the two horns. Bergonzi's style is influenced by the titans (Coltrane, Rollins) but clearly his own. His sound and his music are a study in contrasts, juxtaposing softness with strength, simplicity with complexity. Oatts is a perfect foil; both men take unexpected twists and turns in their solos, employing sudden moves and breakneck runs with razor-sharp articulation.