Charlie Rouse ... ??

[HutchFan]

I remember reading Gary Giddins sometime ago. He said something like "people didn't appreciate Paul Gonsalves because he wasn't Ben Webster just like people didn't appreciate Charlie Rouse because he wasn't Coltrane."

I think there's a lot of truth in that. Both Gonsalves and Rouse were guys that came in "later."

I'm just as happy listening to Monk with Rouse (or Johnny Griffin) as I am with Coltrane. And if push-comes-to-shove, I prefer Gonsalves to Webster. (But I love Ben too.)

I guess us "Rouse appreciators" -- love that turn-of-phrase, Ecaroh! -- are exceptions to the rule.