This 2 song vinyl 45rpm (for maximum sound reproduction and ultimate hipness)features tenor saxist Tubby Hayes in a 1969 concert setting at the Hopbine in England with Mike Pyne/p, Ron Mathewson/b and Spike Wells. While relatively unknown to US audiences, Hayes was quite a legend in the UK, and this collection of two pieces of material from his albums shows why.
He had a tone with the gruff attitude of John Coltrane, but with the melodic feel of Hank Mobley, carefully walking the tightrope . The team bears down hard on a fiery and fierce take of “What is This Thing Called Love,” with a searing solo coaxed by Wells hard hitting drums. The intricate “For Members Only” has Hayes pulling the theme like a dog gnawing at a rope during a tug of war, with Pyne providing some fast paced finger work.
The sound quality is more than adequate, and you can feel the sweat bouncing off the walls. If you’ve got a turntable, don’t walk away from this quickie!