Saxophonist Sam Gendel and bassist Sam Wilkes are both very busy musicians on LA’s jazz scene, and they’ve worked together a bunch of times over the years. The two Sams have already teamed up for two collaborative albums, 2018’s Music For Saxofone And Bass Guitar and 2021’s logically titled follow-up Music For Saxofone And Bass Guitar More Songs. Now, Gendel and Wilkes have announced a third LP. Naturally, this one is called The Doober.

The Doober is out next week, and it arrives during a busy period for Sam Gendel, who recently released a self-titled album with the new supergroup Earth Flower and who also backed up Mk.gee when he gave his great Kimmel performance a couple of weeks ago. On The Doober, the two of them play original compositions and new arrangements of older tracks, and first single “Sweet Fire” fits into the second category.

“Sweet Fire” is a cover of a track from the late jazz giant Rahsaan Roland Kirk, who included it on his 1970 live album Rahsaan Rahsaan. Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes’ version is short and spare, with both musicians attacking the groove and melody while what sounds like a rickety drum machine keeps time. Below, check out their version, Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s lush original, and the tracklist for The Doober.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Circle”
02 “GBTC”
03 “Rugged Road”
04 “Ben Hur”
05 “Tombo”
06 “The Circle Game”
07 “The Edge”
08 “Boa 2”
09 “Tomorrow Never Dies”
10 “Sweet Fire”
11 “Milton Suite”

The Doober is out 5/1 on Leaving Records.