MARTIAL SOLAL / JOHNNY GRIFFIN
In & Out
Dreyfus Jazz
FDM 36610-2

When I think of Johnny Griffin, I think of tenor titans locked in a never-ending cutting contest at breakneck tempos. After all, he’s been the fastest tenor in town longer than I’ve been alive. Recent sessions that seem to showcase his abilities as a balladeer (e.g., "The Cat," from 1990) notwithstanding, Griffin is still one tough old tenor. So, I hardly knew what to expect from this duo performance with the veteran French pianist Martial Solal. On the surface, Griffin and Solal seem to be an odd pairing. Solal’s wry pianistics are most heavily informed by the Tatum – Peterson – Powell lineage, though there’s an unmistakably European air to his composing and playing. On In & Out Griffin and Solal meet on intimate and equal terms. Both contribute three original tunes to the set, which is bookended by sympathetic versions of "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and a tune by Grifin’s former employer, Thelonious Monk.

The relaxed, conversational tone of this session is most charming, as is the strong contrast between the writing styles of the two principals. Solal’s tunes tend toward the oblique and pointillistic, and have all sorts of interesting rhythmic and harmonic trap-doors, nooks and crannies. Though undeniably melodic, these are certainly not the sort of straight-ahead blowing tunes that constitute Griffin’s bread-and-butter. Similarly, Griffin’s tunes are blues-based, with a child-like simplicity and directness (e.g., "Come With Me"), and plenty of room for flashy soloing. This recording works because both Solal and Griffin are so adept, not only as players, but as thinkers and individuals. These guys make every note count, and neither seems to coast for even a second. Wonderful, fresh and inspired music from the first note, In & Out will spend more time in your CD player than out.

Dave Wayne

Track Listing: 1. You Stepped Out of a Dream; 2. Come With Me; 3. In & Out; 4. Hey Now; 5. L’Orielle est Hardie; 6. When You’re In My Arms; 7. Neutralisme; 8. Well, You Needn’t

Personnel: Martial Solal, piano; Johnny Griffin, tenor sax