Eric Lamb

The legendary american Hard Rock band BLUE ÖYSTER CULT celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a very special set of 3 sold-out shows in a row in September 2022 at Sony Hall in NYC. For this historic career milestone, each show featured the band playing in its entirety one of their first three albums (BLUE OYSTER CULT, TYRANNY AND MUTATION, and SECRET TREATIES), followed by a set of deep cuts and classics from their other albums.

Payne's Window offers further testament to unsung hero Cecil Payne's prowess on the baritone saxophone. Fronting a delightfully swinging sextet that includes pianist Harold Mabern and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, Payne delivers a wonderful mixed bag of originals and standards. Window boasts a nonchalant attitude that allows the music to swing effortlessly. On Payne's humorous "James," Mabern improvises on what seems to be "Mary Had a Little Lamb" as Payne, Alexander, and trombonist Steve Davis punch in with swaggering riffs. Payne's impeccable rhythms are still intact, as on the Latin-tinged "Spiritus Parkus" and "Southside Samba," while tunes like "Lover Man" and "That's It Blues" are imbued with bluesy mellowness. Payne's Window is a no-frills record that rewards with each listening.