The nerve--performing a set of mostly standards with no regard to so called pacing. You know, start with an uptempo number followed by something delicate followed by a catchy little Latin tune followed by .... Singer Wilson and keyboardist Terrasson will have none of that sort of thing, thank you very much. Instead, Rendezvous simmers with a slow boil throughout, the two musicians revisiting familiar songs only to do them in. As Terrasson puts it, "There's really no point in covering standards if you're not going to make them sound fresh or new, and [this part is telling for both Terrasson and Wilson] I get a kick out of disguising them."

Terrasson arranged all the music, and shows his knack for organizing these songs as an extension of his keyboard work. Reminiscent of Keith Jarrett's early work especially, Terrasson plays with tempo, keys and emotion like a musical jester with the utmost seriousness. A great example of their "disguising" occurs on "Tea For Two." Hear how he takes a slow, lightly grinding funk feel--featuring nice rim work from drummer/percussionist Mino Cinelu--and combines it with Wilson's natural drawl. Tea time was never this suggestive (or misleading!). Like "Tea For Two" (perhaps, an even better tide to this collection), Terrasson and Wilson turn another standard on its ear, "If Ever I Would Leave You." Here, the melody and chord changes hang in the air while the two seemingly make up their own song en route to restating the theme.

Rendezvous is not an album of novelty takes designed to showcase how clever two musicians can be. There is, rather, a genuine and consistent vibe from song to song. (Rendezvous can be heard as adjunct material to each artist's catalogues.) The arrangements are relatively simple, the effect on most numbers being a feeling of songs played within songs. By and large, the basic forms remain, those lovely melodies are here, you can sing along with Wilson if you know the words. Rather, it's those inversions, the sly substitutions, alterations, reharmonizations and the emphatic gentleness throughout that tell you real art is at work here. Maybe the most "disguised" take is on "It Might As Well Be Spring," which follows on the heels of a short, rubato "Autumn Leaves" by Terrasson. There's enough room to this "Spring" for you to get lost, forget what song is at hand, make you wonder if these two are even playing the same tune. This "Spring" is cool, it cooks and it's fun.

Like another singer the pianist has worked with, namely, Betty Carter, Wilson's penchant for taking a song apart (and putting it back together) works so well with Terrasson's sneaky inventiveness. Producer Bob Belden's close, dry sound keeps things intimate without suffocating the music. And, on the heels of recent work by other pianists like Kenny Barron, a welcome bonus to Rendezvous is Terrasson's tasty electric pianism. His scampering behind Wilson on "Tennessee Waltz" shows he's not afraid to plug in, and that he's done his homework on the instrument, echoing Herbie Hancock, Jarrett and a host of soul-driven '60s plectrists.

As my colleague Jim Macnie says of Horace Tapscott in an accompanying review, likewise with Wilson and Terrasson. These kindred spirits have the "vigor that belies any genuflection to formula." With all due respect to the material at hand, they do not genuflect.

Rendezvous--Old Devil Moon; Chan's Song; Tennessee Waltz, Lime Boy Lost, Autumn Leaves; It Might As Well Be Spring; My Ship; I Remember You; Tea For Two; If Ever I Would Leave You; Chicago 1987.
Personnel--Wilson, weals (except cut 11); Terrasson, piano, electric piano, Wurlitzer electric piano; Lonnie Plaxico (1, 3, 6-10), Kenny Davis (2), bass; Mino Cinelu, percussion (1-3, 6-10)

Author: Steve Futterman
Source: Entertainment Weekly, Oct 3, 1997 n399 p85(1).