What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella

Kevin Fort – Everything I Love (Jeru Jazz)

Chicago based pianist Kevin Fort can be seen all over town, backing up any number of singers or instrumentalists. As we hear on his latest album, Everything I Love, he should be out and about leading his own trio more often. Joined by bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Jon Deitemyer, Kevin is swinging, melodic and thoughtful throughout the disc. The album is split evenly between standards (five of ‘em) and Fort’s originals (five of those, too), and his original material is quite compelling. The influence of Bobby Timmons and Sonny Clark loom large over Kevin’s playing and writing (at least to these ears), meaning that you get a pianist who is funky and bluesy and still seeking out the pretty notes. Fort’s “Mako” and “Deceptive” really convinced me that this is where Fort’s musical soul is at, just in time for me to hear the Ahmad Jamal influence all over “Elemental,” another one of Fort’s originals. Getting back to those standards that I mentioned. “Spring is Here” gets an arrangement full of longing and hope that is, well, perfect for February listening. Cole Porter’s “Everything I Love” gets a spritely arrangement that will likely put a bit of pep in anyone’s step, and the rendition of Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now” is a clever update of a beautiful ballad. Fort, Policastro and Deitemyer really knocked it out of the park on Everything I Love, from first track to last. The album is a jam.

Willie Morris – Unbound Inner (Posi-Tone)

Saxophonist Willie Morris recently released his latest album for Posi-Tone Records, Unbound Inner. Boasting a fantastic lineup, with Behn Gillece on vibes, Jon Davis on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass and Rudy Royston on drums, these are all familiar faces on Posi-Tone albums, but this doesn’t feel or sound like a familiar Posi-Tone album. On Unbound Inner, we get a band that owes an awful lot to Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter in the mid-60’s. “Into Somewhere” sounds like it was written for Miles’ E.S.P. album and never recorded. “How to Get Away with Murder” is a frantic two minute espresso shot of a song with round robin soloing that really challenges these musicians and shows off just how great their communication skills really are. “Flyover Country” is a beautiful and sparse saxophone/piano duet for Morris and Davis, and I think you’ll be hearing that one often.

Joe Alterman Trio featuring Houston Person – Brisket for Breakfast (self-produced)

First off, wherever they’re serving brisket for breakfast, I want to be there. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about the new album from The Joe Alterman Trio (Alterman is the pianist, Kevin Smith plays bass, and Justin Chesarek is behind the drums) and their special guest, Houston Person. The four of them recorded seven well-known standards from the Great American Songbook, and kept things both swinging and funky throughout the nearly hour long runtime. There are few surprises on Brisket for Breakfast – this is a big soulful tenor saxophonist playing with a rock solid Soul-Jazz piano trio led by an acolyte of Les McCann. But I did grunt in appreciation during “Only Trust Your Heart,” and my head was definitely bobbing through the nine minutes of “Namely You.” “You Are My Sunshine” is a proper way to end this session. A positive affirmation, southern fried for maximum deliciousness, and absolutely groovy.