I just heard Joshua Redman’s current version of the piano-less sax trio—coincidentally with Rogers and Harland, and as much as I like Redman in general, I actually prefer what young Walter Smith III has recorded here. A horn can get mired in its own melodic efforts without another melodic avenue for improvisation. Unless another voice takes over now and then (usually the bass), the results can be tedious regardless of the virtuosity of the musicians. Here, Smith manages to create movement and energy within the confines of the sax trio format. He selected the seldom heard “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love” as “a tune that I first heard the Mingus Big Band play in New York, and I instantly was drawn to the melody. I then discovered the original Mingus recording as well as a version by Joe Lovano, and I knew that it was a song that I wanted to record.” And no wonder. “Sound of Love” is presented as a mournful tenor ballad. Vicente Archer makes an essential contribution of a counter melody; Kendrick Scott gradually increases his tingly presence over the track but always remains laid back, providing shimmers and only occasional pops and ripples in support of Smith’s beautiful lines. With the other rhythm section on “Peace,” Eric Harland is at his quirky best with percussive sequences ranging from humorous to melodic to agile and aggressive. Akinmusire (impressive throughout) and Smith forge a strong partnership, and the young trumpeter provides a strong solo interlude. Smith (on tenor) on his own with bass and drums climbs all over the sonic playground, rejoining Akinmusire as the two horns reprise the head. The closing track, Smith’s “Blues,” is marked by a frenetic charge by Rogers and Harland, with Smith snaking up and down the horn, weaving legato threads into the blues fabric.

Although proving he can maintain interest and energy without a keyboard, Smith makes the keyboard prominent on the remaining tracks, and his keyboard choices are stellar. Mostly on acoustic piano, Aaron Parks puts a Midas glove on whatever he touches, from a sparkling angular solo on the opening “Cyclic Episode” and polyrhythmic vamp on “Benny’s” to his buzzy Rhodes on “Tail of Benin,” lilting introduction to “Wooden Box” and curving solo on “P.O.S.” that embellishes Smith’s earlier explorations while maintaining their luster. As these are all Smith compositions, it is clear that Parks is more than a compatible foil. Parks also proves to be an adept collaborator with Robert Glasper, whose Fender Rhodes appearance on Smith’s “Kate Song” gives the track a celestial wash; on piano, Parks provides a slithery contrast to Glasper’s bubbling phrases.

The partnership between Akinmusire and Smith is consistently empathetic and one only wishes that there might have been another track or two featuring their collaboration. In addition to their strong interaction on “Peace,” the two co-execute a spiraling theme in the best spirit of hard bop on the aptly titled “Cyclic Episode” and provide a Caribbean-flavored interplay on Loueke’s “Benny’s.” With his crisp yet elegant lines and clean tone, Akinmusire easily demonstrates why the likes of Roy Hargrove, Vijay Iyer and Steve Coleman have sought him as a sideman, and why “sideman” is not likely to be his role much longer.

Three tracks feature guitar. Smith’s “Kate Song” seems to invite the most experimentation, with Benin native Lionel Loueke not only adding some bubbly lines but, more dramatically, a humming vocalization in tandem with his frequent collaborator, Gretchen Parlato, that sounds like a second horn behind Smith. Loueke contributes melodic legato lines with a tropical groove in setting up his own engaging composition, “Benny’s.” Winner of the 2005 Thelonious Monk Jazz Guitar Competition, Lage Lund adds some interesting electronics on “Tail of Benin,” using what Smith describes as a “reverse effect.” Whatever the effect, the result is a melodic, twisty theme enhanced by Lund and the composer’s use of an auto harmonizer with the soprano sax. (Smith describes the auto harmonizer as like a guitar pedal that you just basically play through and it automatically and sometimes randomly harmonizes what you play.”) While generally creating an E.S.T quality, here the play between sax and guitar give it more interest and movement than is typically heard from the noveau bop trio from Sweden.

As noted earlier, the pulse masters (Rogers and Harland, Archer and Scott) contribute critically to the success of the piano-less configurations, but are also keys to the other tracks as well. Eric Harland would appear to be at the top of his artistry were it not for the fact that he surely will be around for another four or more decades, and one can’t really imagine where time will take him. He always plays with energy and invention that have no bounds, particularly in evidence on “Benny’s” where he provides a wide variety of percussive strategies. Kendrick Scott will be releasing his own debut on Fresh Sound/New Talent (Oracle) this fall, and my anticipation is furthered by what I have heard on Casually Introducing…, particularly his assertive support on “Sound of Love” and “P.O.S.” Reuben Rogers (particularly effective in supporting the Caribbean feel of “Benny’s” and the bluesy drive of “Blues”) and Vicente Archer (a stand-out on “Sounds of Love”) are still relatively young artists who have long lists of credits with the best in the business. To their resumés add Walter Smith, who met both while gigging in Boston.

Casually Introducing… is thus hardly a one-man show, yet Walter Smith III is a man on a mission, “to make records that touch people and that they will enjoy listening to over and over again.” While he will undoubtedly meet this goal many times over in coming years, Smith is well on his way with his first recording. In addition to the diversity of music already noted, Smith’s compositions give him space to explore, varying tone, line and harmony from a throaty vibrato on “Cyclic Episode” to steep climbs on “Kate Song” to the sonic swirls of “Wooden Box.” My favorite is “P.O.S.,” evoking an airy Asian watercolor over which Smith’s soprano lays bold strokes of heavy paint. Smith’s debut is indeed a rich aural gallery, buoyed by a circle of simpatico artists who bring along their own tones and colors, all serving a leader whose talent and imagination reveal his primary influences, sustain his early accolades, and signal a vibrant future for modern jazz saxophone.

For more information about Walter Smith III, see his website at www.waltersmith3.com. This review first posted on JazzINK (www.jazzink.com)

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