Stephen Riley
Tenor Sax Solo on
The Very Thought of You

About

The sole improvisation on this track, this tenor sax improvisation spans one chorus of the 32-bar ABAB' form at a ballad tempo of 59 BPM. The ballad tempo demands a particular kind of emotional honesty from the improviser, and Riley rises to the occasion with a performance that is both tender and assured. Riley's tenor saxophone delivers a lyrical, unhurried improvisation that takes advantage of the ballad tempo to explore melodic space with sensitivity and nuance. At this slow tempo, the space between notes becomes as important as the notes themselves, demanding patience and a singing quality to sustain musical interest.

Stephen Riley was 31 to 32 years old at the time.