The reunion referred to in the title was between tenor saxophonist
Coleman Hawkins and clarinetist
Pee Wee Russell, two legendary players who had recorded a couple of classic sides back in 1929. Still in their musical primes, both
Hawkins and Russell were looking much more toward modern material to explore during this era and, although they revisit "If I Could Be with You," they also perform some
Duke Ellington tunes, two of
Russell's recent originals and the bop standard "Tin Tin Deo." The septet (which also includes trombonist
Bob Brookmeyer, trumpeter
Emmett Berry and pianist
Nat Pierce) is in excellent form with
Russell consistently taking solo honors.