Mundell Lowe - Sweet 'n Lovely, Vol. 2 (2020)

An outstanding veteran pianist from Barcelona (Spain), Tete Montoliu was born blind. By the mid-50s he was regularly sitting in with visiting American artists, including Lionel Hampton. By the end of the decade he had ventured north to play at a number of important European jazz festivals and had also played in Scandinavia. Montoliu's own recording career began in 1958, and he was to prove a prolific recording artist.

"The second volume of duets by guitarist Mundell Lowe and the late pianist Tete Montoliu for the European label Fresh Sound is a delight from start to finish. The marvelous support that each musician provides for the other on the sprightly opener "Tangerine" is just a preview of what's to come. Montoliu's quick runs within "Everything Happens to Me" are reminiscent of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, while Lowe plays fairly straight-ahead throughout the piece. Montoliu tones it down a bit during Thad Jones' masterful ballad "A Child Is Born." The duo is at its most playful with a gently waltzing take of "The Way You Look Tonight." While this may not be the best work by either man, it is rewarding music and worth exploring."