Houston-based saxophonist/educator Woody Witt already has a glowing resume of recordings, and his new Pots and Kettles further underscores his golden touch as performer, composer and ensemble leader. And he has, once again, assembled a stellar cast in support of his eclectic agenda—pianist Gary Norian (who contributes 5 compositions), bassist Anthony Sapp, drummer Mark Simmons, and guitarist Chris Cortez, who appears on three tracks. Witt himself supplies three original tunes, with 2 from the great Eddie Harris adding some bluesy soul to the mix. 

Witt, who plays both soprano and tenor here, offers the assertive bop of “The Loop,” a soundtrack of urban rush hour. His elegant “Just Because,” missing only lyrics in suggesting a great songbook standard, brings out the melodic finesse of the quartet, Norian as lush and sweet as Nat King Cole, while “Loose Change” brings a touch of darkness and mystery, with some haunting lines from guitarist Cortez and slipknots from Witt’s tenor sax.  

The pair from the Eddie Harris songbook include his funky hit, “Listen Here,” giving Witt a chance to prove his serious soul chops while Sapp and Cortez add swampy detours. Sapp in particular conjures a few night creatures that hoot and holler throughout, with Norian adding some dazzling flourishes. "Listen Here,” indeed-- there’s a lot going on, and it’s all fun and nasty. Harris’s “Crying Blues” opens with a tenor and drum duet before the full band (with Cortez) joins in, providing a soulful, percussive backdrop. 

Pianist Norian penned the remaining tracks, starting with the opening title tune, a melodic sojourn that shows layers of Witt, from simple blowing to building improvisation into spirals of fiery lyricism. “Slink” has a Monkish framework suggesting “Epistrophy,”  swinging with a quirky, bluesy step while Witt conjures an old “slinky” toy that ascends and descends, twisting all the way. Norian’s interlude is filled with energetic musings, and Sapp keeps the pulse strong and deep.  Witt offers an a cappella introduction on soprano to launch “Heart First.” The ensemble enters gently, as if tiptoeing into church mid-hymn, gaining more solid footing as hymn becomes incantation. Bass and drums are particularly effective in feeding the congregation some energy and soul. “The Deprivator” starts off in angular mode with some subtle rhythmic hestitations before settling into a more full-throttle blues, Witt’s tenor leading the playful charge. The set closes with “Never Very Far,” another prayerful ballad highlighting the affinity of piano and soprano sax, and the caressing brushwork of Mark Simmons. 

Witt has consistently shown his versatility through his previous recordings. Pots and Kettles adds to that reputation, revealing an artist who can evoke a wide range of styles and moods while speaking in his own voice, and then assemble his eclectic jigsaw into a whole that is both elegant and high-spirited.