An underrated classic that had fallen through the cracks in Blue Note’s vast catalogue, True Blue is the finest work by a saxophonist who had little opportunity to show the world just how much he had to offer. Recorded just a week after Freddie Hubbard’s classic Open Sesame (to which Brooks contributed two compositions) True Blue again features Hubbard’s trumpet and Brooks’ tenor in friendly competition. While Duke Jordan, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor provide typically stellar hard bop support, there is a restless, searching tone to Brooks’ horn in pieces like “Tight’s Creek” and “Miss Hazel” that suggests the saxophone was itching to take his playing to more experimental planes. The years Brooks spent gigging with blues and latin bands in New York City are well reflected on “Theme For Doris” and “True Blue,” two standout pieces with shifting rhythms and soulful melodies that separate Brooks from the pack.