Trio by Grant Stewart

This is Grant Stewart's first trio album, supported by just bass and drums. Having worked with some of the best pianists and guitarists around, why a trio album? “I’ve been gigging with this trio for a few years now. There are a lot of clubs where there is no piano. So Paul and Phil and I have been doing this on and off for quite some time.” Asked about the challenge of this context, Grant says, “I don’t see any downside to this format. I’ve always felt that a good musician is his own rhythm section anyway.”

The trio, Grant with Paul Sikvie on bass and his brother Phil on drums, rises to the occasion on a varied and balanced program of material. Grant, like so many of the better musicians of his generation, has a knack for resurrecting jazz compositions from the ‘50s and ‘60s that are overlooked gems. Freddie Redd’s typically sunny “A Time To Smile” from “The Connection” and Walter Davis, Jr.’s “Uranus,” first introduced by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers cover that territory here.

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s “Is That All There Is” is their 1969 ode to ennui in a bid to be seen as more than R & B songwriters. It was recorded in “grande dame” style by Peggy Lee and became a big hit. Here the trio mercifully leaves the drama on the theatre stage and fashions the great melody in an easy, cool swing much the way Sonny Rollins made cowboy songs sound hip on “Way Out West.”

Another unlikely selection here is “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the flag waver from the musical “Gypsy” that brought out everything that’s bad about Ethel Merman’s singing. Grant explains, “I always picture the hospital scene in the movie “Airplane” where she comes out of nowhere and sings that song. Then I heard Zaid Nasser, the alto player who is Jamil Nasser’s son, play a wild version of it live and heard it in a whole different way.” Grant deconstructs the theme in true Rollins fashion and the trio cooks.

Three ballads on this album (“I’ll Never Be The Same,” “The Thrill Is Gone” and “I Surrender Dear”) are all about heartbreak, emptiness and regret and Grant’s delivery is letter perfect. “The Thrill Is Gone” taken at an untypical, medium-up tempo is especially stark and ruminating.

By contrast, “Everything I Love” is also medium-up but joyous and swinging with a delightful danceable groove that Phil lays down on the ride cymbal. Thanks to its melody and changes, Kurt Weill’s “This Is New” has been favored over the years by many jazz artists. On this version, Grant turns out a fluid, brilliant solo that sails over the bass and drums with grace and panache.

Grant Stewart was born in Toronto, Canada, on June 4, 1971, and moved to New York City at the age of 19 studying with masters such as Donald Byrd and Barry Harris. He has released 16 recordings as a leader and has co-led two sessions with fellow tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. He has also appeared on many other recordings as a sideman.

https://www.grantstewartjazz.com