Billy Drummond - Dubai (Criss Cross, 1995)

Billy Drummond, drums
Walt Weiskopf, tenor sax
Chris Potter, tenor & soprano sax, bass clarinet
Peter Washington, bass

Recorded December 15, 1995
RPM Studio, NYC
Engineer: Max Bolleman

Billy Drummond was one of the most active drummers in the 1990s, both as a first call accompanist and as a leader of his own group. Dubai pairs two powerful reedmen, Chris Potter and Walt Weiskopf, to headline the date. I've known both Potter and Weiskopf through their recordings since the early 1990s. Neither would have been out of place in the 1950s and 1960s during hard bop's golden era. 

The program is a varied one, including oldies by Irving Berlin and Billy Strayhorn, as well as tunes by Dewey Redman and Pat Metheny. The band members account for half of the composing credits. 

Drummond's title track is the most interesting and familiar one to me. Its Middle Eastern vibe and odd time signature make it stand out. Potter's soprano floating over the repetitive vamp laid down by Peter Washington is irresistible. It's one of the great jazz compositions of the decade and should be covered by other artists. 

Potter uses all three of his reeds, occasionally doubling on the same track. Weiskopf stays with his tenor throughout. Potter's tone and approach are different from Weiskopf's so there's no difficulty distinguishing who is playing. (If you're listening, Potter stays in the left channel and Weiskopf the right.) They share the limelight equally, and delight in their friendly "duels," as on "Invisible Sun" where Potter's bass clarinet and Weiskopf's tenor conjure memories of Eric Dolphy and John Coltrane. 

The freest moments come on "Drumhead," where the entire group engages in a spontaneous collective improvisation, as Drummond explains in his booklet notes. By contrast, Weiskopf's feature on "Daydream" provides the most sensitively romantic music on the album.

Dubai is another of Criss Cross's New York recordings. December was usually the month for the Dutch team to travel to the city for recording sessions. It's a tribute to late producer Gary Teekens and engineer Max Bolleman who made those treks, bought studio time, and made solid albums like Dubai.