The Wild Man from Texas (Paris & Toulouse, France 1976) (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions)

This Black & Blue session, made available domestically on a Classic Jazz LP in the late ’70s, has some typically rambunctious playing by tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb. The tough tenor is featured in a larger group than usual (a nonet also including trumpeter Wallace Davenport, trombonist Buster Cooper, fellow tenor Eddie Chamblee and organist Milt Buckner) with side one consisting of three romps (including “Smooth Sailing” and “Flying Home”) and the second half made up of three ballads (highlighted by “The Nearness of You”). Cobb, who had emerged a couple years earlier after a decade spent sticking close to Texas, was still in prime form, making this hard-to-find set worth the search. – Scott Yanow