Ben Webster - There Is No Greater Love (1965)

On this rare studio session of Webster playing with a trio he usually worked with live at the Montmarte Jazzhus in Copenhagen, we hear Webster and his cohorts in a set comprised mostly of ballads. Typically, Webster sounds superb on these standard tunes. Readings of "I Got It Bad [And That Ain't Good]," "Yesterdays," "There is No Greater Love," and "Autumn Leaves" are particularly inspired. Webster's airy, yet thick tone is one that many saxophonists have tried to copy for generations. However, while many of his imitators can offer decent versions of his style, there is no one who can truly evoke meaning from a melody like Webster. One of the great instrumental balladeers in history, Webster, even in 1965, played with a passion for music that was truly remarkable. Not all jazzbos can boast such a high level of musicianship late in their career. ~ CDUniverse.com

Black Lion, BLCD-760151, 1987

Recorded 5^th September, 1965 at Metronome Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark

Personnel:

Ben Webster - Tenor Saxophone

Kenny Drew - Piano

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Bass

Alex Riel - Drums

Track Listing:

1. Easy To Love {Cole Porter} (4:23)

2. Stardust {Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish} (3:49)

3. There Is No Greater Love {Isham Jones, Marty Symes} (4:39)

4. Close Your Eyes {Bernice Petkere} (5:03)

5. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (4:29)

6. I Got It Bad [And That Ain't Good] {Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster} (4:57)

7. Yesterdays {Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern} (5:51)

8. Autumn Leaves {Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer} (5:19)

Credits:

Producer - Alan Bates

Engineer - Birger Svan

Liner Notes - Alun Morgan

Note:

Like many Black Lion releases the sound quality is not always desirable. I have ripped, cleaned and optimized maintaining integrity.