Tenor saxophone battles are a rich tradition in jazz, dating back to the vibrant days of Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon and especially the fiery partnership of Eddie Davis and Johnny Griffin. With Cory Weeds Meets Jerry Weldon, the torch is passed with style, swagger, and an infectious swing. Weeds, the Canadian impresario and saxophonist, teams up with seasoned tenor giant Jerry Weldon, whose commanding tone and blues-inflected phrasing offer both a challenge and a source of inspiration. Their interplay throughout the album is a master class in musical camaraderie.
Opening with Eddie Davis’s “Hey Lock,” the duo sets the tone — rollicking, brawny, and full of greasy old-school grit. Weldon’s horn roars with Lockjaw’s ghostly approval, while Weeds…