Saturday Morning

by Scott YanowJust a week after recording the classic Criss Craft for Muse, altoist Sonny Criss made the nearly equal Saturday Morning for Xanadu. Assisted by the great bop pianist Barry Harris, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Lenny McBrowne, Criss performs four superior if often-overlooked standards ("Angel Eyes," "Tin Tin Deo," "My Heart Stood Still" and "Until Tthe Real Thing Comes Along"), his blues "Jeannie's Knees" and one of his better originals, "Saturday Morning." Criss, an underrated altoist who was instantly recognizable within three notes, was neglected during long portions of his career but he did leave behind several memorable recordings, such as this one. Recommended.