by George W. Harris
While he’s posing on the cover of this album with his alto sax, Kenney Polson displays a mastery of many reeds, including bass clarinet, even some times alternating on the same tune on this smooth sailing session. His alto is warm and glowing with Tom Grant at the piano on a modern R&Bish take of “Stella By Starlight,” and with legendary bassist/vocalist Michael Henderson, the band grooves with romance on a sensuous “Valentine Love.” His soprano sax is fun along on the doo woppy classic “La La (Means I Love You)” and gets funky for his own “Innocence.” Larry Gittens brings a late era Miles Davis mood with his thick horn for a deeply pulsed “Forever Yours” that has Polson on soprano sax, tenor sax, bass clarinet and even keyboards, and the leader shows his romantic soul on the hip “For Lovers Only.” While the alto on the cover isn’t on all the tunes, Polson’s smile definitely is.
Title: For Lovers Only | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Prodigee Records
View the full interview on jazzweekly.com