Meets Dollar Brand

AMG Review of Meets Dollar Brand

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

This CD reissue has an unusual match-up that works pretty well. Although veteran swing tenor Buddy Tate plays Abdullah Ibrahim's vamp tune "Goduka Mfundi," in most cases it is the pianist (at the time known as Dollar Brand) who goes the extra distance to make Tate comfortable. Ibrahim's other original for the quartet (which also includes bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Roy Brooks) is a blues; otherwise the repertoire is comprised of swing standards such as "Poor Butterfly" and "Just You, Just Me." Ibrahim plays quite sparsely and sometimes drops out altogether behind Tate. The tenor (who is in top form) easily emerges as the solo star. The CD adds two previously unissued trio numbers without Tate ("Shrimp Boats" and "Django") from the same day that give Ibrahim more of a chance to shine. Worth investigating.