EDDIE "LOCKJAW" DAVIS &
JOHNNY GRIFFIN
Battle Stations (OJC/Prestige)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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The 1950s and 1960s were an era of great tenor sax battles, with combatants like Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane and many more facing off for memorable stations. One of the most consistently satisfying pairings, though, was Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin. Two of the toughest tenors on the scene, they had each faced off with others as well (Griffin was at the center of one famous session that featured triple combat with Trane and Hank Mobley), but there was something special about the pairing of Lock and Griffin. There's plenty of evidence of that special relationship on this reissue of a 1960 session in Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio.

The rhythm section for the date included Victor Sproles on bass and Ben Riley on drums, who provide solid support, and Norman Simmons on piano, whose contribution is particularly noteworthy, nearly deserving equal credit with the reedmen. This reissue includes a pair of bonus cuts from a 1961 session with Junior Mance on piano, Larry Gales on bass and Riley back on drums, and the 12 minute take of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce" is one of those bonus tracks that's truly deserving of the name.

This is great hard bop from a pair of the greatest and hardest hard boppers.

Track List:

What's Happening * Abundance * If I Had You * 63rd Street Theme * Pull My Coat * Hey Jim! * Billie's Bounce * Theme

© 2002 - Shaun Dale