New Orleans delivers a new pianist onto the scene in the name of Sullivan Portner. He’s studied under the likes of Fred Hersch and Jason Moran, and has been a sideman for Stefon Harris, Roy Hargrove and Christian Scott, so he knows his way around. This disc has him with the team of Joe Dyson, Jr/b, Aidan Carrol and Tivon Pennicott/ts-ss, and the band sounds bouncy and kinetic with Pennicott on soprano on “Aria” and while in a trio format Fortner skips along merrily as he takes you to Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood on a cheerful “You Are Special.” Fortner reveals his debt to Monk on his own kinetic and quirky “Passepied” and delivers with Pennicott on tenor a richly bopping read of the master’s own “I Mean You.” He shows a warm sense of original lyricism on “All The Things You Are” and when he goes solo on “For All We Know” he shows the patient touch of a vet. Get this guy over to the Best Coast!
Impulse! Records