Over the past decade, US tenorist Hamilton, now based in Italy, has established a fruitful rapport with these experienced Copenhagen-based musicians, saying that they ‘are irreplaceable’ in their willingness to tackle unfamiliar material. Much like their three earlier collaborations, this one has a specific theme, each of these ten songs having been selected by the 70-year old Hamilton as a tribute to a past associate.

He opens with a breathtakingly slow version of ‘I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face’, for Ruby Braff, Hamilton’s deep, breathy sound heard sparingly as the song unfolds. Then comes ‘The Maids of Cadiz’ for Jimmie Rowles, again taken slow, almost languorously, every clipped phrase like a mini-concerto.

Things perk up a bit with ‘Big Tate’, played as reminder of the late tenorist Buddy Tate with whom Hamilton had a congenial working relationship. Oddly, the title "was the name of an instant potato brand back then" he says.

‘Tune Up’, Eddie Vinson’s tune later annexed by Miles Davis, is medium tempo and a fine illustration of Hamilton’s unflustered ability to invent consistently pleasing lines, Lundgren digging in boppishly, as he also does on ‘Hey There’ a standard Hamilton performed often during his 20-year stint as accompanist to Rosemary Clooney, ‘one of the best singers ever’, in his view. The closer is ‘On A Clear Day’ for Illinois Jacquet, Lundgren echoing Jacquet pianist Milt Buckner’s locked-hands chordal style, Backenroth soloing ably, as Hamilton eases his way through.

Scott Hamilton on songs he feels good about: unbeatable!