Watch Your Step – Doug Webb

Watch Your Step is the new album from tenor saxophonist Doug Webb with Brian Charette on organ, Dave Sikula on guitar & John Lee on drums

This session captures a group of first-rate musicians coming together in the studio and simply playing. Leading the date is tenor saxophonist Doug Webb, a musician admired for his big sound, sense of swing, and no-nonsense approach to improvisation. Doug has the kind of presence that immediately centers the music. He draws from the tradition but never sounds tied to it. His playing is confident, soulful, and full of personality. Joining him is an outstanding rhythm section: Brian Charette on organ, Dave Sikula on guitar, and John Lee on drums.

Brian Charette has long been one of the most respected organists on the scene, and it is easy to hear why. He is constantly shaping the music. He can do it all on the organ: play greasy, gutbucket blues in the tradition of Jack McDuff, play bebop, or move into more modern territory and stretch out. What makes Watch Your Step special is the looseness of the session. Nothing feels forced. Nothing feels overworked. In jazz, too much preparation can sometimes take away the very thing that makes the music exciting. When every detail is settled beforehand, there is less room for surprise, risk, and real interaction.