Blake is a very concise band leader, providing charts for his original tunes (and there were many of them), as well as an easy bantering with the crowd. His sax solos were smooth and soulful. “But Not For Me” and “Green Dolphin Street” were two of my favorites. One of his impressive originals was introduced as “Natalie’s Song”. She had dark hair, a red scarf, a shy smile…the melody moved between tenderness and passion, and had all the girls wishing someone would write a song like that about them.
Linda Daiber - Jazz Society of Oregon
(Mar 6, 2009)