Sonny Criss was one of the most distinctive alto saxophonists in modern jazz, a genuine stylist who laced his Parker-influenced aesthetic with the blues, and preached the gospel with a full and fruity tone that was deliciously airy at the top. He spent several years with Buddy Rich, toured with ‘Jazz at the Phil’ and released a hatful of well-received albums. Yet he has never been more than a jazz footnote, perhaps because he spent most of his professional life based on the West Coast – moving to Paris for several years in 1961 probably didn’t help. This quartet date was recorded in 1975, and in a better climate, might have launched his comeback after a prolonged bout of depression. Rhythm team Vinegar and McBrowne are in the pocket, while perfect foil Harris delivers a rhapsodic intro for his feature ‘My Heart Stood Still’ and springy lines on the rhythm changes-based bonus track ‘Confusion’. Most importantly, Criss stamps his personality on every note he plays, infusing each theme with the blues. A haunting ‘Angel Eyes’ is followed by the bends and slurs of ‘Tin Tin Deo’, while ‘Until the Real Thing Comes Along’ is a sensuous and sinewy ballad. Highlight is the down- home title track, one of two Criss originals based on the blues. The saxophonist recorded four more albums before he shot himself in 1977, soon after being diagnosed with cancer, but none capture his unique blend of bop and the blues as well as this.