Touching

Tenor saxophonist delivers his first album of all ballads with 2013's . Once again working with his longtime cohorts -- pianist , bassist and drummer -- has crafted a bluesy, soulful, and romantic album that, while soft in conception, is in no way smooth. is a long avowed straight-ahead jazz stylist and is no exception. Here, he plays in his own no-nonsense way, often with limited embellishment on the melody lines and always with a muscular sense of rhythm and swing when soloing. What is also pleasing is that and have chosen a handful of lesser-performed songs. Here, we get songs like pianist 's gorgeous "Touching," which was inspired by 's version of his 1975 album , as well as superb takes of 's "Gone Too Soon," 's "Central Park West," and "The Way She Makes Me Feel," from the soundtrack. Ultimately, is a steamy album, with just enough classy restraint to make it a perfect accompaniment for any stylish afterglow. ~ Matt Collar