Judith and Dave O’Higgins: His ‘n’ Hers

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Jeremy Brown
Graham Harvey
Judith O’Higgins (ts)
Josh Morrison
Dave O’Higgins

Label:

Ubuntu

November/2020

Media Format:

CD, LP, DL

Catalogue Number:

UBU0066UBU

RecordDate:

21 March 2020

Recorded just two days before lockdown, His ‘n’ Hers finds Mr and Mrs O’Higgins cutting this set in inspired response to the re-issue of Dexter Gordon's Clubhouse. Indeed ‘Hank Panky’ from that pressing pops up here as a sprung-rhythmed closing bonus track.

Given the provenance, it's no surprise that most of the cuts have a boppish tension, swinging hard thanks to Morrison's propulsive drums. However, this is not a tough tenor outing as epitomised by the likes of O’Higgins (D) and his trade-offs with the muscular toned Eric Alexander. Here the vibe is collaborative with each tenor in a give and take dialogue, generous, warm hearted and just plain fun, as illustrated on the twinned lines of the self-penned, ‘Fourth Dimension’.

The sound is rich and intimate: don't be fooled by the ‘home studio’ tag. Rudy Van Gelder created his classic sound in his parents' front room don't forget, and (with planning permission from Lambeth Council!) the O’Higgins's have striven for a decade to achieve a similar clarity and closeness of sound.

Judith may not have Dave's profile, but she has her own fresh, confident stride which never cow-tows to the husband. If she didn't spend so much time cutting up bodies as a forensic pathologist (or indeed being a splendid graphic artist as she has designed this and most of Dave's releases) we may have heard more of her sax talents. Only gripe is the outsized bowler Mr O touts on the Steed/Emma Peel cover imagery. Sorry sir, that titfer just don't cut it.

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