Release Date: 1960 (recorded 16 June 1960)
Song Count: 7
Rating: 7.5/10
Description:
Delving into a one-of-a-kind genre I've still yet to indulge myself in further, today's reviewed album is Boss Tenor, an authentic jazz album released 65 years ago from now at the time of listening by the highly regarded saxophonist Gene Ammons. Throughout his life, Gene Ammons has been an active and dedicated musician, releasing many musical works, refining his style of playing the saxophone in front of a worldwide scene, and pioneering the art of jazz as an entire genre.
At a glimpse, the tracks within the album may seem like the most clasically jazz-sounding pieces in the world with not much else going on for them; however, listening to them with an open but focused perspective reveals the true variations between them and leads the way to a listening experience far more enrichening than merely "listening to boring ol' jazz". Gene Ammons leans into his expressive saxophone playstyle that stands out as the sole woodwind instrument sound and carries through the entire album, backed by a comparatively simple yet effective set of jazz instruments and percussion that sets the mood of each individual track. While some of these meticulously crafted ambiences do mesh into each other or blend more into the background, they particularly elevate the tracks that are faster in tempo and higher in energy, such as "Close Your Eyes" and "Confirmation", which go on to be personal favourites in terms of enjoyment.
Very glad to have discovered this album and experienced it as a sort of gateway to the wondrous world of jazz as a whole. I would recommend Boss Tenor to anyone else who is equally interested in trying out this often overlooked genre of music for themselves!