Reverence

Alto saxophonist Charles McPherson celebrates the ebullient spirit of his mentor, the late pianist Barry Harris, on 2024s Reverence. Roughly a decade younger than Harris (who died in 2021 at age 91), McPherson performed and studied with the legendary pianist, teacher, and notoriously comprehensive intellectual during his formative teen years growing up in Detroit. The relationship not only gave him a solid foundation in the fundamentals of melody, harmony, and rhythm, but reinforced his passion for the bebop jazz building blocks set forth by Charlie Parker, his main stylistic influence. While there are no specific Harris compositions featured, the album certainly embodies the kind of intellectual, yet still passionate style the pianist championed. Recorded live at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in New York, the album finds McPherson leading the same group featured on 2020s Jazz Dance Suites, including trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong, and drummer Billy Drummond. Together, they dive into a handful of the saxophonists originals, including the minor-blues opener "Surge" (which features a fiery solo from Stafford) and the swinging waltz "Blues for Lonnie in Three," whose spritely trumpet and sax melody evokes the classic Clifford Brown and Max Roach albums of the 50s. We also get two standards, including a tender reading of "Old Folks" and a soulful take on "Come Rain or Come Shine" that showcases McPhersons throaty, play-from-the-heart style. All of this leads to the album-closing "Ode to Barry," a sparkling Latin jazz homage to the pianist. Over 60 years into his career, McPherson ascended the ranks of jazz master long ago, and finds his own creative voice alongside the work of his idols Harris and Parker. Reverence honors that journey, and McPherson plays with the kind of hard-swinging, cogent improvisational style that echoes their spirit. ~ Matt Collar