Person and company were in Paris for Festival Jazz a la Villette, their set recorded by France Musique and how good that it was. The veteran tenor-man, then a sprightly 84, arguably the last of the big-toned Hawk-inspired mainstreamers, sounds relaxed, firm in his intentions, never prolix, the phrasing often terse but always to the point. He clearly relished playing in tandem with Paterson, harking back to a time when he toured regularly with tenor- organ combos. In short, he sounds at home.

Johnny Griffin’s ‘Sweet Sucker’, a hard bop riff gets us underway, Person building nicely, with up-and-coming New Yorker Paterson supportive in the best way. Bernstein is another for whom less is often more, never over-crowding his lines, each solo pertinent. Benny Carter’s lovely ‘Only Trust Your Heart’ is the first of several ballads where Person turns down the heat and literally caresses the melody, letting its shape fill the air, Bernstein and Paterson similarly inclined.

Billy Taylor’s ‘Easy Walker’ is aptly titled, its groove timeless and warm-hearted. ‘Lester Leaps in’ is always a rouser while Buddy Johnson’s ‘Since I Fell For You’ is another wistful yet commanding performance, the tenor star nuzzling the melody with a series of repeated figures, gradually getting into his stride, Paterson’s superb B3 sound positively orchestral. Jones gets a full-on solo work-out on the highly congenial ‘Sunny’, a natural swinger, Paterson again excellent. How pleasing to observe a great tenor master at work and still in great shape, with a well-considered programme, compatible companions and an audience who clearly loved it all. As did this reviewer.