Lee Konitz and Michel Petrucciani - Toots Sweet (1982)

LEE KONITZ & MICHEL PETRUCCIANI

Toot Sweet

01. I Hear A Rhapsody   

02. To Erlinda    

03. Round About Midnight   

04. Lover Man    

05. Ode    

06. Lovelee    

Lee Konitz (alto sax), Michel Petrucciani (piano).

Recorded: Paris, France, May 25, 1982

The idea to bring Lee KONITZ and Michel Petrucciani together for an entire duo album was an excellent one. French producer Jean-Jacques Pussiau had supervised some of Petrucciani's first records, and was fully aware of the young pianist's potential though, at 20, he'd never played a duet with such a master as the altoist. Indeed, he sounds very respectful of Konitz's approach and, after a short intro, mostly plays the tune's chords as his partner states the melody, then choruses. But the piano's beautiful sound, and the way it follows the alto and develops parallel melodic lines while feeding the soloist strong bass notes as harmonic pillars, entices KONITZ to express his most lyrical side. He never wanders far from the melody, and his sound is so close to that of the piano that you're hardly conscious of the transition between his solo and Petrucciani's. When the altoist restates the theme, the empathy between the two players becomes even more obvious, as is their choice to tackle this melody in the simplest way, without overly romantic effects to obstruct its genuine emotional power. With such inspired instrumentalists, music doesn't need to be loud and extroverted. Less is more.