Cy Touff & Sandy Mosse - Tickle Toe

Delmark

Childhood friends, the two Chicagoan principals on this date followed similar paths through jazz. Touff was arguably the better known of the two, primarily because of the relative exoticism of his chosen axe and Pacific Jazz date he waxed as a leader (reissued back in ’01 by Blue Note as part of their short-lived West Coast Classics series). The pair led a quintet in their home town, but eventually drifted apart. Mosse expatriated to Amsterdam in the late 70s though a return visit to the Windy City in 1981 resulted in a studio reunion with his old pal. For reasons explicated only vaguely in the album’s liners, the seven swing-to-bop standards taped by the quintet never received a commercial release date until now. Touff’s bass trumpet isn’t as radical as it sounds on paper, usually liming register territory somewhere between regular trumpet and trombone. Both horns blend swing and bop vernaculars in fluid fashion. A local rhythm section led by pianist John Campbell lends support while eking out its own territory within the extended track durations.

Touff and Mosse fall back on arranger abilities no doubt gleaned during their joint apprenticeship in Woody Herman’s road bands. Head-solos structures alternate with more challenging chase sequences, some of which are pretty impressive in terms of evinced agility and incisiveness. The studio sound is warm and faithful to the instruments and it’s a treat to hear Touff, in particular, operate under such capacious circumstances. Mosse wears his Lestorian lapels conspicuously with an aerated tone and gliding delivery that jibes well in concert with Touff’s weightier, but still spry, brass lines. Bassist Kelly Sill and drummer Jerry Coleman, the latter of whom also contributes reminiscences about the session, are able but not revelatory. Digesting the mostly unflappable music it’s difficult to refrain from wondering how many more of these sorts of vintage dust-collecting dates Delmark has waiting in its queue. Regardless of that number, the label’s usual standard of quality control is upheld with this enjoyable and historic entry.

~ Derek Taylor