Joey Alexander was just 11 when he released his first piano-trio album in 2015, and has been busily touring ever since — gigs range from the Grand Ole Opry to Carnegie Hall, and he has performed for Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Rightly praised for his mature grasp of the standard jazz repertoire, he now releases Origin, his sixth album and first all-original set.
Conceived during lockdown, the pianist takes the seasons as a metaphor for human resilience and hope. “Winter Blues”, composed in summertime New York, was written to make gloomy winters upbeat and hopeful — the funky track, featuring guest saxophonist Chris Potter, does precisely that. And the Latin-inflected tailpiece of the thoughtful “Dear Autumn” is a reminder that this season is a time of harvest as well as falling leaves.
The core of the album consists of six well-worked trio tracks featuring the experienced rhythm team of bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Kendrick Scott. Here, strong original structures deliver pastel shades; catchy themes neatly tie in piano and bass. Potter and guitarist Gilad Hekselman feature on another four, although they never overshadow Alexander’s accessible fluency and mature sense of form.
The album begins with the inviting motif of “Remembering” and the piano slow-burning over funky figured bass; when Alexander pauses for thought, drummer Scott fills in the gaps with short rolls and cymbal splashes. The wistful “On the Horizon” comes next, with forceful Potter soprano sax, and then “Dear Autumn” with piano in charge.
Alexander’s early recordings show a strong Herbie Hancock root, but here, fleet, single-note impressionism takes a personal shape. And when he switches to Fender Rhodes and fusion jazz, the subtle sonics of Bob James are conjured.
Two pieces, written on the fly, feel pre-composed. “Angel Eyes” sustains its bittersweet mood before taking a Latin twist; “Rise Up” roars from unaccompanied twiddles of Hekselman’s guitar to triumphant piano supporting a long-sustained note from Potter’s tenor sax. An impressive next step.
★★★☆☆
‘Origin’ is released by Mack Avenue
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