If they handed out MVP awards for jazz musicians, Frank Wess would have a trophy-lined fireplace. A great Cool-toned sax player, Wess actually earned a name for himself playing flute for the "atomic" period of the 1950s Basie band. Between band duties and a busy session schedule, he also found the time to record dozens of swingin' solo records over the latter half of the twentieth century. Unlike Bud Shank, an equally fine woodwind master, Wess doesn't seem to have a chip on his shoulder about giving equal time to the flute and tenor sax. Lend a listen to his current work on the ever classy Concord label -- Wess' sound is as delightful as ever.
