Georgei Roberts and Dado Moron: Youngbloods

Although Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines’ 1928 duo recording of “Weather Bird” was considered something of a novelty at the time, the modern-day advent of solo wind instrument recordings has made the horn/piano duo seem rather conventional in comparison. Still, it takes two players with considerable musical empathy to pull it off. Fortunately, the Swiss-born Robert on alto, soprano, and clarinet and the Italian Moroni on acoustic and electric pianos play with and off each other almost as if their improvisations had been orchestrated. Very impressive is how they never allow the forward momentum to lag, even in the midst of daring rhythmic excursions. Both performers are fertile improvisors with broad emotional ranges, as evidenced on a varied program of mostly standards that includes Benny Golson’s “Stablemates” (up-tempo), Strayhorn’s “Lush Life,” and “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.” Robert’s gorgeous, full-bodied alto sound, akin to Phil Woods’s (as is his style in general), is a genuine pleasure stimulus.

Originally Published April 1, 1997