After sideman appearances with pianist Horace Parlan in the early 1960s, Booker Ervin recorded two outstanding Blue Note records as a leader in 1968, including Tex Book Tenor, whose first independent release was almost 40 years in the making until it appeared in 2005. With an elegant post-bop quintet consisting of trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Jan Arnet and drummer Billy Higgins, the Texas-born saxophonist plays through a series of compelling originals by the band members, including Barron's sinuous tune "Gichi" and Shaw's lilting waltz "In a Capricornian Way", as well as Ervin's lovely ballad "Lynn's Tune" and the hard swinging "Den Tex", named after his hometown of Denison.