Bill Stewart - Space Squid (2015) [Hi-Res]

On Space Squid, drummer Bill Stewart reaches for the sky and plumbs the depths with a group of like-minded musical explorers, saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist Bill Carrothers and bassist Ben Street. Ten Stewart originals and one standard run the gamut from irreverence to revelation.

As he nears the mid-century mark of his life, Bill Stewart finds himself at the height of his powers as a player and composer. His musical resume reads like a section from the “who’s who” of the last 25 years of jazz, from jazz-funk legend Maceo Parker to alto sax icon Lee Konitz. Bill has been a long-standing member of guitar great John Scofield’s group, and has had much to do over the years with saxophonist Joe Lovano and bassist Dave Holland.

His musical relationship with two masterful pianists, Marc Copland and Bill Carrothers is of particular note: Stewart is on two of Copland’s ten and three of Carrothers’ eight PIROUET offerings. And Carrothers is on the present album.

Stewart had some new compositions of his that he wanted to record, and Bill enjoys assembling groups that he envisions will fit the music at hand. This gathering is a case in point: they did one gig, then stepped into the New York studio to record. Stewart’s playing history with Carrothers and Blake goes back some 20 years. They have both previously worked and recorded with Stewart, and Bill is on five of Carrother’s and three of Blake’s albums. Described as a “mixture of dreamer, desperado, and Monty Python humor- ist,” Carrothers has the distinction of being the only internationally renowned jazz musician living in the environs of the village of Mass City in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His playing credits include Lee Konitz, Bennie Wallace, Dave Douglas, Drew Gress, and Gary Peacock, as well as a couple of handfuls of CDs under his own name. Stewart commented that, “Bill has his own sound and style; he has a spontaneous way with his harmonies and voicings, and is able to get his own sounds and textures out of the piano. It’s original, and immediately identifiable. I like it that he brings all this to the music.” Besides leading his own acclaimed group, saxophonist Seamus Blake has won the prestigious Thelonious Monk competition, and recorded with such heavies as John Scofield, Dave Douglas, Kenny Barron, and Christian McBride. “Seamus has great ears and can quickly get to the core of original music. There is also a lyrical side to his playing that I really like.” Bassist Ben Street has come into Stewart’s musical view more recently, when Ben became a member of Scofield’s band; Blake and Stewart also worked together with Lage Lund’s group. Street is no newcomer to the scene, having played with Sam Rivers, Billy Hart, Mark Turner, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. “I like his energy—he has such a good feeling and flexibility, and always plays for the music”, Stewart enthuses. An indication of the rightness of Stewart’s choices: End of Earth, Septemberism, Space Squid, and Dancing in the Dark were all first takes.

Bill Stewart, drums
Seamus Blake, tenor and soprano saxophone
Bill Carrothers, piano
Ben Street, bass

Tracklist:
01. Bill Stewart - Paris Lope (5:36)
02. Bill Stewart - End of Earth (5:21)
03. Bill Stewart - Tincture (6:04)
04. Bill Stewart - Septemberism (4:01)
05. Bill Stewart - Happy Walk (5:38)
06. Bill Stewart - Drop of Dusk (6:28)
07. Bill Stewart - Dead Ringer (5:46)
08. Bill Stewart - Blue Sway (6:29)
09. Bill Stewart - If Anyone Asks You (7:43)
10. Bill Stewart - Space Squid (3:35)
11. Bill Stewart - Dancing in the Dark (5:42)