Continuance＜Translucent Blue Vinyl＞

With 2023s Continuance, Joey Alexander furthers the sonic experimentation he embraced with 2022s Origin. A prodigy discovered at age ten, the Indonesian-born pianist has only grown more impressive as he has matured. Just 20 years old at the time of this albums recording, Alexander has developed into a nuanced soloist and composer whose style evokes the blend of his influences, from Bill Evans to Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. However, rather than simply coming off like a precocious young lion, on Continuance Alexander reveals himself to be an assured stylist in his own right. These are harmonically sophisticated recordings, peppered with swinging funk and soul vibes that nicely balance his own improvisatory explorations with empathetic, groove-oriented band interplay. They also find him moving beyond just the piano and weaving Fender Rhodes and even Mellotron into the mix. Hes also able to hold his own against slightly older players. Whereas Origin found him joined by saxophonist Chris Potter, here he communes with trumpeter Theo Croker whose Woody Shaw-esque, funk-jazz-informed style is a perfect foil for Alexander. Joining them are equally adept rhythm section associates in bassist Kris Funn (a longtime member of trumpeter Chief Xian aTunde Adjuahs band) and drummer John Davis (who has played with everyone from Ben Williams and Marcus Strickland to Leslie Odom, Jr.). Together, they settle into the opening "Blue," a kinetic number driven by Davis and Funns propulsive rat-a-tat rhythm over which Alexander and Croker take spiraling, bluesy solos. Equally engaging is "Hear Me Now," in which Alexander contrasts a classical-influenced piano introduction with spacey Mellotron accents before Croker adds his own moody textures. We also get "Zealousy," with its sun-dappled Fender Rhodes atmosphere bringing to mind Head Hunters-era Herbie Hancock. Theres a stylistically open-minded quality to much of the album, and Alexanders songs have a nice balance of acoustic modal jazz, 70s fusion, and the more hip-hop-informed aspects you find with many of his contemporaries like Croker. Its a genre-open aesthetic that he seems to underline with his choice of covers, including a soulful trio reading of Bonnie Raitts "I Cant Make You Love Me" and a gospel-inflected rendition of the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." ~ Matt Collar