Walter Smith IIII - Three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben is Not

September 26, 2024

Label: Blue Note Records, 2024

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Jason Moran: piano; Reuben Rogers: acoustic bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Saxophonist and composer Walter Smith III, who has been quietly pumping out excellent records as a leader, opted for writing less in his latest recording, Three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben is Not, a tribute to his hometown, Houston, Texas. The saxophonist, always clear in the ideas and strong in the emotions conveyed, gathered the protean rhythm section that supported saxophonist Charles Lloyd - pianist Jason Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Eric Harland - and humorously informs who is from Houston and who’s not. Rogers hails from the Virgin Islands.

The record opens with “Seesaw”, a medium-fast post-bop tune in 3/4 time, whose staccato melody oozes charisma. There’s a sense of urgency in the arrangement, with serpentine lines floating over a rich harmonic progression. “Gangsterism on Moranish” tips its hat to Moran’s Gangsterism composition series, beginning with a plaintive sax figure that is followed closely by the pianist. They develop it from there with creativity, delivering soulful solos that emphasize the middle range.

The driving intensity of “24” channels the spirit of Sonny Rollins, with sparse bass comping and continuously active drums laying the groundwork. Later, Moran matches the energy, responding adequately to the rhythmic stimuli by harmonizing freely. “Cézanne”, a post-bop piece named after the iconic Houston jazz club rather than the French painter, offers another elegant post-bop canvas for the group to swing hard with unbridled energy.

The album’s only cover, Sam Rivers’ “Point of Many Returns” delivers a vibrant dose of freebop, filled with joyful improvisations and suave interlocking passages. After an energetic outpouring like the one mentioned above, Smith isn’t afraid to step back and provide quiet moments of contemplation. “Montrose Nocturne” emerges as a reflective ballad but builds into moments of fervent interplay, with Moran demonstrating his mastery of inventive piano dynamics. The pace picks up again and the mercury rises with “A Brief Madness”, featuring breathtaking unison lines played at remarkable speed. The album closes with “Lone Star”, a soul-stirring country-tinged ballad written for Moran, which unfolds as a tender sax-piano duet.

Showcasing elevated levels of musicianship, the album is seasoned with high craft and warm radiance, solidifying Smith’s reputation as a formidable force in modern jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Seesaw ► 07 - Point of Many Returns ► 10 - A Brief Madness

Walter Smith III - Return to Casual

April 6, 2023

Label: Blue Note Records, 2023

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Taylor Eigsti: piano, Fender Rhodes; Harish Raghavan: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums // + guests - Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (#2,8); James Francies: Fender Rhodes (#9).

Walter Smith III, an ingenious saxophonist equally fluent in melody and rhythmic expression, debuts on the Blue Note imprint with Return to Casual, a formidable 10-track album comprising nine originals and one re-imagined art-pop song from the ’80s.

The enthusiasm, virtuosity and tightness of Smith’s core quintet is on full display during “Contra”, a breathtaking sonic rollercoaster made with speed and stamina. The head is melodically infused with sax-guitar parallelism while the rhythm team - Taylor Eigsti on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums - tactfully establishes a suitable backdrop. Both Smith and guitarist Matthew Stevens - his partner on the acclaimed In Common project - deliver searing improvisations.

“River Styx” is the tune that follows, featuring beautiful statements from Smith and guest trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. Both take the most advantage of the harmonic riches and balance that characterize the piece. The physical and emotional range of Akinmusire’s brass moves can also be heard on “Amelia Earhart Ghosted Me”, where he engages in a lyrical conversation with Smith. A different dialogue - more like a battle of keyboards - is proposed on “K8+BYU$”, a soaring horn-less piece in five that guests James Francies. He is bound to tremendous exchanges with Eigsti.

If “Shine” offers a characteristically splendorous theme expressed with a subtle strength that gains an invigorating triple feel, then “Quiet Song” misleads you with its title as it shapes as a driving mid tempo number with fierce piano and percussion activity. Less exuberant is the final track, “Revive”, a heartfelt ballad written for the recently departed artist/activist Meghan Stabile, as well as Kate Bush’s “Mother Stands For Comfort”, where sax melodies dance around and above stippled guitar imprints.

This album ranks as Smith’s finest efforts, channeling his compositional virtuosity and a mastery of the saxophone that transcends technique.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Contra ► 02 - River Styx ► 04 - Shine

Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens - In Common III

March 7, 2022

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2022

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Kris Davis: piano; Dave Holland: bass; Terri Lyne Carrington: drums.

The saxophonist Walter Smith III and the guitarist Matthew Stevens drew a flurry of attention with their co-led project In Common, launched in 2017. Enjoying ample possibilities of layering, the duo invites different musicians to join them for each recording, and this freshly cooked third installment arguably boasts the best lineup ever. The piano chair is entrusted to the inventive Kris Davis, who brings a freer side to the music, and the foundation couldn’t be in better hands, with the superb bassist Dave Holland and the dynamic drummer Terry Lyne Carrington sharing rhythmic duties.

It was with this rhythm duo in mind that Stevens composed “Loping”, one of the album’s highlights. Flowing beautifully with a triple time feel and a magnetic groove that draws you in, the piece features Smith’s elastic phrasing on tenor as he displays sequences of notes that jump in and out of the chordal patterns with tremendous flexibility. Stevens' guitar illuminates everything with mighty clarity.

This ensemble gives the nod to shorter themes and improvisation. This comes into view on “Shine”, where relaxed saxophone lines are affixed to articulated guitar pointillism in gratitude to important jazz musicians that recently passed away (McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and Jimmy Heath are among them); “Oliver”, which creates some more urgency around a specific riff, displaying a relentless piano ostinato and gorgeous guitar effects; “Prince July”, whose big-sound post-bop grooves high; “Orange Crush”, whose dancing ostinato gives it a lively impression; and “For Some Time”, where an Afro-Brazilian exoticism is achieved through melodious piano mixed with slinky rhythms and jazzy melodies.

The versatility is enormous, and the musicians shift easily from one music idiom to the next. The moods are quite distinct but the ultimate outcome spectacularly coheres, making us want to go back to the beginning and hear everything again. If “Reds”, a bluesy number in a rock outfit, features delightful bass and saxophone solos with an odd-metered vibe that recalls Holland’s 1999 album Extensions, then the playful “Hornets” is a balanced piece of fusion that summons up the rock-ish post-bop joyrides between John Scofield and Joe Lovano. In contrast with these two are the brooding “Shutout” - the darkest piece on the album - and the spacey “Dust”, an avant-garde abstraction brought to a simmer by prepared piano, acoustic guitar, and replicas of delay-effected tenor.

Another remarkable moment arrives with “After”, which, introduced and concluded as a ballad, thrives with a middle section in five that welcomes a sparkling touch of bolero in the rhythm. Here, the co-leaders create a soft-hued polyphony as they communicate. This is a classy and entrancing contemporary work with exceptional combinations of sounds.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Loping ► 06 - After ► 08 - For Some Time

Walter Smith III / Matthew Stevens - In Common 2

May 12, 2020

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Matthew Stevens: guitar; Micah Thomas: piano; Linda May Han Oh: double bass; Nate Smith: drums.

Saxophonist Walter Smith III reappears side by side with guitarist Matthew Stevens in the revived In Common group, two years after the release of its eponymous album. In Common 2 remains a quintet but features a reformed rhythm team with emerging pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Nate Smith on board. Yet, the concept behind the project remains intact: inelaborate forms, direct and concise melodies, short durations, and a straightforward approach.

The late trumpeter Roy Hargrove penned the opener “Roy Allan”, originally a funky modal song that here takes the shape of a miniature sax-guitar duet. The next track, “Lotto”, was the piece that buoyed me most. Harmonically special and rhythmically captivating, this collective improvisation based on a theme by Stevens has the melody bouncing into view with a laid-back feel. Things evolve into a colorful exploratory practice before ending up in a groovy vamp.

“Cowboy” exudes a beautiful folk charisma and the group delivers it with the help of Ms. Oh’s sly rhythmic drive. Stevens takes the lead during the first section and then it’s Thomas who shines with a highly engaging discourse that expresses his first-rate pianistic qualities.

Both Smith III’s “Clem” and Stevens’ “Provinces” share a taste for pastoral chords and sympathetic melody, and yet they feel modern.. The former, inspired by a character of the video game Walking Dead, is deftly brushed by Nate, whereas the latter, evoking memories of its author's childhood in Canada, nearly falls into a marching cadence as per nimble snare maneuvers.

Written in 5/4, “Van Der Linde” is another video game-inspired piece by Smith III, whose warm individual language can be largely enjoyed on the riff-based “General George Washington”. The exploration goes further with “Opera”, a polyrhythmic effort that creates contrasting tones by setting serene melodies against a brisk electronica-like pulsation, and “Type Rider”, whose dialoguing sax-guitar rendezvous finds extra groove in an expedient club/dance-like piano ostinato.

Smith III and Stevens culled inspiration from their own imagination as well as from the comprehensive musical universe that inspire their work. Hence, In Common 2 is replete with magnificent ideas.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Lotto ► 03 - Cowboy ► 09 - Opera