May 2000

Rob Sudduth
Just One of Those Things
A Records

By Harvey Siders

Forget the Sinatra tribute; he sang these tunes, but there's no musical link, no legacy of phrasing. If Sudduth, an excellent tenor saxophonist from San Francisco, owes a debt, it's emotional, and comes through on haunting ballads, such as "Goodbye" and "Only the Lonely."
Otherwise this session of head arrangements (first by Sudduth as leader) is a straightahead blast, heightened by the four contributions from trombonist Marty Wehner. Those tracks-particularly "Wives and Lovers" and "Too Marvelous"-reveal a front line of compatible timbre and instant chemistry. They should consider forming a permanent quintet.