Body and Soul

When one considers how much Coleman Hawkins is buried underneath the Albert Ayler-isms in David Murray’s saxophone style, it’s astonishing that he didn’t record the older man’s signature piece, “Body and Soul,” until 1984’s Morning Song. He returns to the standard on this 1993 quartet date with pianist Sonelius Smith, bassist Wilber Morris and drummer Rashied Ali. He’s in a supporting role on the title track, backing singer Taana Running and delivering a mellow solo that never tries to outdo Hawkins’ immortal 1939 recording. The album’s other highlights include the opening “Slave Song,” the pounding “Remembering The Chief Of St. Mary’s,” the bluesy “Odin,” and the closing “Cuttin’ Corners,” a duo with Ali that’s an obvious tribute to the drummer’s work on John Coltrane’s Interstellar Space.