WALTER SMITH III - three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not - CD [SEP 27]

CD 

Saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown of Houston, Texas on his sophomore Blue Note album, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, the follow-up to 2023’s return to casual. The album’s wry title signifies the lineup, which includes fellow Houston natives – pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland – while bassist Reuben Rogers, who hails from the Virgin Islands, rounds out the quartet. Together they enliven 10 compelling Smith originals and an imaginative rendering of a Sam Rivers composition – all of which speaks to Smith’s ascending status as one of modern jazz’s most engaging talents of his generation.

Tracklist: 

1.    seesaw
2.    Gangsterism on Moranish
3.    24
4.    Misanthrope’s Hymn
5.    Cézanne
6.    610 Loop
7.    Point of Many Returns
8.    Montrose Nocturne
9.   Office Party Music
10.    A Brief Madness
11.   Lone Star