Fred Anderson

Though the audio recording of this 80th birthday celebration received excellent reviews, seeing the event itself adds much to the enjoyment of the music. After all, on disc, applause is just applause, but on video, the heartfelt emotion of the crowd enhances the overall feeling of the event. I saw Anderson this September and he was just okay, but this disc finds him in excellent form in a more familiar setting. He's filmed at his home base ― the Velvet Lounge in Chicago ― in duet with old pal Kidd Jordan. He doesn't have to reach too far outside his comfort zone to play with great command. Heroic statements are produced by both tenor players, as they spar with expert precision. The rhythm section of Harrison Bankhead and Chad Taylor are obviously amped to be there too. Bonus points for the one-track cameo of bass elder statesman Henry Grimes.