Person, arguably the last of the big-toned tenors and now aged 84, has always been his own man. Self-managed and long established as HighNote's in-house producer, he knows exactly what he's setting out to do as both player and producer. He likes to let his silken sound and mastery of nuance carry much of the improvisatory weight, often unfolding a melody with only minimal ornamentation or variation, letting it breath in the Webster manner. Jones opens Willow Weep For Me’ in blues style and that's how it stays, Person's soulful theme accompanied by more down-home guitar, Jones soloing in BB King fashion before Allen, a frequent Person sideman, comes in, terse and to the point, Harris following. Person is his own best sub-editor or, as writer Willard Jenkins puts it, “he'll never be indicted for wasting a note”. Witness his version of ‘I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry’, the Cahn/Styne classic; like a masterclass in economy. Played straight, with Harris similarly thoughtful. ‘Next Time You See Me’, a 1957 hit for bluesman Junior Parker, is the album livener, Person fervent as he preaches the blues, the groove more positive, with Washington's crisp snare drum beat behind it all, Allen given space. He has something of the snap and crackle of the young Roy Eldridge, if not the great man's bravura certainty, but that's alright. ‘Who Can I Turn To’ is more voluptuous, Person's tonal warmth like a balm. Noble intentions, perfectly realised.