Black Jazz Records #4 - RUDOLPH JOHNSON 'Spring Rain'

                                                                                                                                                                                              Perhaps one of the most straight-up jazz releases of the Black Jazz Records catalog, the little-known saxophonist's first of two LPs on the label finds him in a swinging hard-bop mood, although not above a killer breakbeat or two in the stone classic 'Diswa' or downtown jazz-funk dance moves in 'Devon Jean'. Tightly floating tenor sonorities ricochet off boundless open space in this great 1972 acoustic recording, basically presaging the German mid-70s ECM Records sound with a deep-focus soundstage, judicious use of reverbed room echo and a great 'out-front' horn tone. Late night mellow gold.