Walter Smith III
Three Of Us Are From Houston And Reuben Is Not
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Sealed 2024 original. Includes a signed art card. "On his second Blue Note album, 2024's three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III leads his quartet on smartly composed originals that showcase his slippery, harmonically adept style. The record title is a droll reference to the fact that Smith and two of his bandmates, pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland, are all Texas natives, while bassist Reuben Rogers hails from the Virgin Islands. The title also underscores the playful, exploratory nature of the group. A daring tenor improviser in the Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson mold, Smith plays with a big, dusky tone and spiraling motivic lines that push the edges of straight-ahead jazz. Additionally, he's well-grounded in the acoustic jazz tradition, and his playing evinces the kinetic, throaty power of Texas tenor icons like David "Fathead" Newman and Buddy Tate. It's a beautifully balanced approach that's mirrored by his quartet, a different lineup than on 2023's Return to Casual. Smith is particularly well-matched by longtime associate Moran, who often frames him with painterly, impressionistic chords, as on the aptly titled "Gangsterism on Moranish," where the pianist contrasts Smith's woozy, off-kilter melody with gauzy accents that recall a jazz take on composer Claude Debussy. Cuts like the opening "seesaw," "24," and "Cézanne" showcase Smith's knack for combining warm, sun-dappled melodies with woody, swinging grooves. Elsewhere, tracks like "Point of Many Returns" and "A Brief Madness" ably split the difference between classic '60s hard bop and the burning, take-no-prisoners approach of late-'70s/early-'80s players like Woody Shaw and Michael Brecker. There's also a subtle funk undercurrent running through the album, as on the clipped "610 Loop" and the wryly titled "Office Party Music," the latter of which evokes a kind of cool noir detachment, like sun hitting the windows of office buildings at the end of a long day. The record ends with "Lone Star," a bluesy homage to Houston that perfectly encapsulates the warmth and good vibes Smith and his band seem to feel for each other. On three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, Smith might playfully single out Rogers as the odd one out among his Texas brethren, but by the end of the album, it's clear that they are all musical brothers in arms." All Music Guide - Matt Collar