Don Wilkerson was a saxophonist in the mold of Gene Ammons and Willis Jackson, a big-toned, booting Texas tenor player who mixed blues, swing, and bop into a joyous, soulful brew. A mainstay of Ray Charles's band, he contributed tenor solos to hits such as "I Got a Woman" but never achieved the enduring fame of band-mate David Newman. He recorded three sessions for Blue Note in 1962 and 1963, all collected on this two-CD set. It's classic soul jazz, riff-based and driving, with Wilkerson touching on a variety of bases, from bar-walking roadhouse shuffles to the rolling gospel of "Camp Meeting" and some gorgeous sweet-toned balladry on "Poor Butterfly" and "Easy Living." Guitarist Grant Green is present on all three sessions, playing with a grittier edge than usual, and there are strong contributions from other Blue Note regulars as well. Hard-bop pianist Sonny Clark and drummer Billy Higgins take some real delight in getting back to basics on the first session, while organist John Patton lays down a carpet of sounds both sanctified and funky on the third. The second session, with drummer Willie Bobo, has Wilkerson touching on the Latin and western sides of his Texas background, even mixing them together on Bob Wills's "San Antonio Rose." --Stuart Broomer
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