Benny Carter & Phil Woods: My Man Benny/My Man Phil

Jazz lore is filled with tales of "cutting contests," legendary battles between rivals in some after-hours spot. Accounts of such duels, even if apocryphal, are always entertaining. Ultimately, however, the most rewarding encounters are those born of mutual respect -- where the participants are secure enough to want to create great music, not score points. This attitude seems to prevail, especially in the studio, when the true giants come together. Recorded meetings between Count Basie and Duke Ellington, Basie and Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, and Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, for example, produced their share of fireworks, but always within a constructive framework. Deep mutual respect and affection clearly govern this collaboration between the two greatest living alto saxophonists. The only previous meeting on record between Carter and Woods is Carter's epic 1961 Further Definitions saxophone ensemble album, a "desert island" item among jazz fans. Their desire to record together is rekindled each year at Dick Gibson's annual jazz party in Denver, where the Carter-Woods set is always a highlight in a weekend of highlights. The Gibson extravaganza is marked by provocative pairings on stage and camaraderie between artists and audience off­stage. Amidst the casual comings and goings, astute fans will observe one constant: when Phil Woods is performing, Benny Carter is in the audience, and vice­versa. No matter what the hour or the circumstances, they simply do not miss each other's sets.