On his third date for
Highnote, pianist
Larry Willis makes only one personnel change, replacing
Joe Ford's alto with
Eric Alexander's tenor, leaving the rhythm section of
Eddie Gomez and
Billy Drummond intact. As is his wont,
Willis explores a program of unusual tunes, both covers and originals that offer a wonderfully idiosyncratic view of both jazz and pop music. For starters, there's the title cut by bassist
Santi Debriano (who recorded it on his own
Obeah album on
Free Lance in 1987). The knotty Afro-Cuban pulse and melodic line are opened up toward the modal from the inside by
Willis with his wonderful two-chord attack, and the pianist's solo is followed directly by a tight drum solo from
Drummond. This is followed by
Willis' own
"TD's Tune," with a slightly angular dissonance that becomes a romantic ballad tinged with Spanish flamenco modalities before transforming itself into a killer midtempo noir-ish groover.
Willis' fills and trills around
Alexander's head before
Gomez solos in the first minute and a half are remarkable. His
"Ethiopia" is sparse and haunting, with its spacious, hovering lyric line played arco by
Gomez as he paints the frame with dark and somber colors. It is immediately followed by the knotty post-bop of
"The Rock," another original that showcases
Alexander coming right out of the head into a taut yet loping solo.
Willis' own playing behind
Alexander is equal parts harmonic counterpart and rhythmic counterpoint, as he moves against the rest of the rhythm section. It's a breathtakingly complex and hard swinging tune. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the finger-popping version of
"Theme from Star Trek," with
Willis adding all sorts of harmonic extensions onto the familiar lines as
Alexander plays it somewhat straight before they turn the thing inside out without losing any of its swing. Once more
Willis proves that he is not only a truly gifted pianist of complexity and depth, but one with a startling array of tools at his disposal as an arranger and bandleader. While jazz fans may know his work well, he should be recognized as one of the consistently great soloists of our time. Among musicians,
Willis is considered a true master, and it's time the general jazz populace discovered that as well.
The Offering is another high-class, musically arresting date by an innovator. ~ Thom Jurek
![Pharoah [Expanded Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0680899800822_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Pharoah [Expanded Edition]")
