Wardell Gray
Tenor Sax Solo on
Milt's Tune

About

Wardell Gray's one-chorus tenor saxophone solo is the third of five solos on this rhythm changes contrafact. At 237 BPM over the 32-bar AABA form in B-flat, Gray's robust, full-bodied tone and rhythmic assertiveness add weight to the proceedings. His darker tenor sound provides a welcome textural contrast following the brighter alto and trumpet statements. The tune is a contrafact based on the chord changes of "I Got Rhythm," and Gray navigates this foundational bebop territory with the confidence of a seasoned improviser.

Wardell Gray was 33 to 34 years old at the time.