Jazz Saxophone at it's best, Walter Smith III "TWIO"

Walter Smith III TWIO Whirlwind Records 

Houston born Walter Smith III is now a West Coast based, no nonsense tenor saxophonist who is amongst the leading voices on his instrument. I have been following his work since I first heard him on his Live in Paris from 2009 and later on Ambrose Akinmusire’s When the Heart Emerges Glistening from 2011. At the time he was a strong ensemble player who worked particularly well with trumpet players like Terrence Blanchard, Christian Scott, Sean Jones and Ambrose Akinmusire on a front line.

On his latest effort Twio (think of Elmer Fudd saying trio), soon to be released on February 9, 2018, his playing as a leader has matured and become more confident. He is joined on six of the nine songs on the album, by the plucky bass of Harish Raghavan and the percolating drums of Eric Harland. For the other four songs Harland remains on traps while the bass chair is taken over by the ubiquitous jazz ambassador and uber-bassist Christian McBride. On two of the songs Smith is joined by the second tenor saxophone of Joshua Redman. As the saxophonist has said in his promo materials, the songs were chosen to be more accessible and are about community and having fun. It seems with Twio he has accomplished what he set out to do.

The set starts off with a loping version of Monk’s “Ask Me Now.”  Smith’s bold tenor sound starts off with Raghavan’s brash bass out front and deliberate in its steadfast march as Harland playfully, dances around the rhythm. It’s Smith’s smooth, lustrous tone that is front and center here, as he works the melody with a marvelous sense of confident mastery. His explorations, especially when he solos alone, naked with his horn with no background rhythm section for support, are marvelously free and inventive.

On the Jerome Kern standard “Nobody Else But Me” we hear some intuitive interplay between Raghavan and Smith as the freewheeling Harland mixes it up. Smith’s sax has a loose limber feel to it both within the melody line and when he delves into some quicker paced harmonic explorations, yet he always seems to maintain the core melodic line of the song when he is playing. He has a knack of keeping the listener always engaged even when he improvises.

The cowboy inspired “On the Trail” finds bassist McBride, his big round bass and his signature stutter step, double-time lines leading the drive.  Harland is more in the pocket on this song and we are treated to the dual tenor saxophone line of Smith and Joshua Redman. The song brings back memories of Sonny Rollins venture into cowboy songs with his Way Out West album. While neither saxophonist has quite the same big, biting sound of Rollins, they each have their own identifiable sound and play off the other with great dexterity and purpose. After alternating the melody between them, the two saxophonists offer their own take on the melody before trading licks in a friendly exchange of ideas;  a fine addition to the tradition of tenor saxophone sparring matches by the two young titans.

The C. Fischer ballad “We’ll Be Together Again” is played as a saxophone and drum duo. We hear an unusual metronomic drum entrance by Harland that has the cadence of a slow strip. Smith’s round Dexter Gordon-like tenor rings through the melody with a mellifluous warmth that is quite sensuous as Harland adds percussive accents around the slow tempo beat.

McBride and Harland return for the Sammy Fain classic “I’ll Be Seeing You.”  Smith’s languorous saxophone states the melody solo before McBride’s buoyant bass and Harland’s traps enter. At about the two minutes mark the group picks up the pace and turns it into a medium tempo swinger with McBride’s bass leading the charge. A fleet fingered bass solo gets you snapping your fingers before Smith returns and restates the melody with a nuanced sensitivity that is compelling.

On Wayne Shorter’s “Adam’s Apple” bassist Raghavan returns providing a throbbing backdrop. The trio takes on a more modern feel, with Smith winding his sinewy way through the composition and finding some common ground with Harland who is given an extended solo that crackles with energy.

Perhaps the most moving performance on this album is Smith’s poignant portrayal on Jimmy Rowles “The Peacocks.”  Smith correctly chooses a slow, languorous approach to this brooding song. His saxophone is beautifully nuanced and emotive as Raghavan’s bass down holds the bottom and Harland’s active traps swirl and shimmer beneath. The song has been in the repertoire of many a jazz great because of its haunting melody and it’s potential as a vehicle for expression. Here the thirty-seven-year old Smith makes it his own with a quiet confidence that is mature beyond his age.

Another perennial favorite is Gigi Gryce’s “Social Call” which starts off with Smith simply stating the melody line and playing a jaunty duet with a walking bass of McBride. Smith’s unadorned saxophone is a joy of fluidity and clarity and with McBride’s musical bass the two make wonderful music on this amusing Gryce classic.

The finale reunites the two saxophone voices of Redman and Smith in a unison chorus of Smith’s original composition “Contrafact,” a song based on "Like Someone in Love" in five meter. The two weave each other’s voices into an aural tapestry that is both willowy and colorful. McBride and Harland create a rumbling underbody over which the two saxophonists take turns finding common harmonic ground. It offers the listener a chance to compare the two saxophonists’ approach to improvising, which except for tone and attack have more similarities than differences. McBride offers a dazzling display of dexterity on his short but potent solo before the two saxophonists return to unison playing that is quite impressive in its precision.

Review of Ambrose Akinmusire “When the Heart Emerges Glistening”

 

At the tender age of twenty-nine, trumpet player Ambrose Akinmusire, has garnered a plethora of accolades and acknowledgements this year for his recent work. He captured both trumpet of the year and best "up and coming new artist" of the year at the Jazz Journalist Association 2011 awards and has been lauded in articles in Downbeat and the New York Times to mention just a few. His latest release is titled 
“ When the Heart Emerges Glistening” , his first for the venerable Blue Note label. You would be hard pressed to find a record that was so aptly titled, for Mr. Akinmusire’s musical heart has surely emerged radiant and glistening on this one. This is a daring, challenging and musically provocative collection of songs, all compositions but one were written by Mr. Akinmusire.  The single exception is the 1939 Johnny Burke and Bob Haggert song “What’s New”, which Mr. Akinmusire plays as a duet with his pianist Mr. Clayton. A tribute of sorts to an idol, the late trumpet player Clifford Brown. Even here, Clayton and Akinmusire seem to include the standard as a testament to their thorough knowledge of the tradition. In doing so they inject new life into the well worn composition. It's like they're saying " we can play this but here is what we think about how it should be played today."  

Part of Mr. Akinmusire’s success stems from his notion of the primacy of the band over the individual performer as the ultimate entity capable of producing his musical message.To that end he has assembled an complimentary group of talented musicians, most part of his working band, for this album. The pianist Gerald Clayton, the bassist Harish Raghavan and the drummer Justin Brown add immeasurably to the total package. Perhaps the most symbiotic relationship is with the talented saxophonist Walter Smith III with whom he shares the front line. To paraphrase Mr. Akinmsuire, the two men often finish each other’s phrases and intuitively know precisely where each other is heading.This special interplay is apparent and on full display on tunes like 

“Confessions to My Unborn Daughter” or “ Jaya” where they intertwine beautifully, conversing in high register squeals and slurs, always melding their sounds seamlessly when they return to playing in unison.

Harish Raghavan’s facile bass is featured on the short intro to the hypnotic “Henya”. This composition is destined to become a jazz classic as it has already hauntingly appeared on Walter Smith” III’s “III” 

 and Gretchen Parlatto’s 

“The Lost and Found”, 

 

both fine outings, each artist offering their own special interpretation. On his own version, Mr. Akinmusire plays the celesta with its chime like “heavenly” sound. He overdubs himself on trumpet, creating emotionally charged phrasing interspersed with some of the most unusual and creative use of slurs that I have heard on the instrument in some time. Mr. Akinmusire has a unique vision of what he wants his music to sound like and is certainly stretching the boundaries of his instrument to achieve that vision.

On “With Love” Mr. Brown’s drums are used to create the weaving percussive patterns that move the song along so beautifully. Mr. Smith’s tenor solo is particularly lyrical as is Mr. Cleaver’s probing piano musings.

On “Regret (No More)” , a high point of the album, Mr. Clayton plays a heart wrenching duet with Mr. Akinmusire, whose delicately played solo jumps with an impressive intervallic slur that is perfectly controlled and has the emotional impact of a desperate human cry.

“Ayneh (Cora)” is one of two interludes, the other being the finale 

"Ayneh ( Campbell) " that are dedicated to Mr. Akinmusire’s mother. They are musical plays on the song “Henya” with the name cleverly spelled backwards to indicate their musical affinity.

“My Name Is Oscar” is a spoken poem of sorts, with Akinmusire’s voice recorded over the rhythmic drumming of Brown. The song commemorates the life of Oscar Grant a young man who was shot to death in Oakland by a transit official. Not a protest, more of an affirmation of the man’s existence and a realization that this could have happened to any of us.

“The Walls of Lechuguilla” is the result of Akinmusire’s watching a show on television about the New Mexcian caves of Lechuguilla and their hidden beauty. It is a free piece with the trumpeter playing what sounds like what one might hear as echoes in the caves, eventually leading into a free form jaunt by the band.

The Caves of Lechuguilla

On “Tear Stained Suicide Manifesto” we find the pianist and fellow Manhattan School of Music alumni Jason Moran, playing piano. His solo is brooding and reverential with flourishes of classical undertones. Moran is credited as co-producer of this album with Akinmusire. Despite Moran’s influence, this album is clearly Akinmusire’s vision.

As Akinmusire relates, at the age of nineteen he was challenged by the saxophonist Steve Coleman as to how he wanted his music to be perceived.  For the last ten years Mr. Akinmusire has made a concerted effort to extricate himself from all influences and conventions that might compromise his musical vision. If his efforts on " When the Heart Emerges Glistening"   is any indication he is well on his way to acheiving that quest.

Musicians:

Ambrose Akinmusire , trumpet and compositions; Walter Smith III, saxophones; Gerald Clayton, piano; Harish Raghavan, bass; Justin Brown, drums; Jason Moran, producer and piano on “Tear Stained Suicide Manifeto”.

Tracks: Confessions to My Unborn Daughter; Jaya;  Henya Bass Intro; Henya; Far But Few Between; With Love; Regret ( No More); Ayneh ( Cora);
My Name is Oscar; The Walls of Lechugilla; What’s New; Tear Stained Suicide Manifesto; Ayneh (Campbell).