Matt Zebley
Alto Sax Solo on
Stablemates

About

Matt Zebley leads off with three choruses of alto saxophone on Benny Golson's "Stablemates," the opening track of his 1998 concert recording Live at Moondog. At approximately 224 BPM, the challenging 36-bar ABA form in D-flat presents demanding chord changes that have made the tune a rite of passage for jazz musicians, and Zebley navigates them with confident fluency. As the first of three horn soloists ahead of Ron Stout and Alan Ferber, his three-chorus statement establishes the performance's energy and sets the improvisational standard for the evening. The live setting at Moondog, a Kansas City venue, lends the recording a natural energy and spontaneity.

Matt Zebley was 26 to 27 years old at the time.