Gordon Beadle: You Knock Me Out

Cast in the mold of such great tenor sax honkers as Arnett Cobb, Big Jay McNeely, Wild Bill Moore, King Curtis and Junior Walker comes Gordon Beadle, alias Sax Gordon. On his second release, You Knock Me Out (Bullseye Blues & Jazz 9604; 52:26), Beadle overblows like mad on the title track, on a revved-up “Speed Rack,” and on a faithful cover of Noble “Thin Man” Watts’ “90 MPH (F.L.A.).” He gets smoky on Alvin Red Tyler’s “Lonely For You,” which carries the same noir-ish vibe as “Harlem Nocturne,” and he keeps the high spirits flowing on the humorous “Twenty Dollar Gig” and the jazzy instrumental “Lorenzo Leaps In,” which features some scintillating exchanges between Beadle and bari man Doug James. Backed by a band featuring guitarist Duke Robillard, this one is another solid, party time offering by the Sax man.

Originally Published May 1, 2000