Keith Williams - New Beginnings (2012)

Keith Williams is an artist that provides an expansive addition to jazz with each track on New Beginnings. The context in which each of these tracks exist is considerably more dense and detailed than much of the fare that is currently popular. I believe that the instrumental arrangements that are encountered during the opening of New Beginnings (in particular, the ending of Fever and the start of Cry Me a River) is one of the ways in which Williams ensnares his audience.

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning is utterly unique in its intersection of current and classic. One can envision sitting at the edge of a smoky bar just as they could be jogging with this on their iTunes. The compositions speak volumes to a wide swath of fans, and I believe it is this everyman aspect to New Beginnings that draws listeners in droves. The disc continues to spin strongly after the mid-way mark. Nature Boy continues the vocal jazz tradition and brings a little bit of Broadway into the mix. Little more is needed here besides vocals and a piano, but what listeners will experience is something much more detailed and voluminous than one would expect.

My Foolish Heart is the penultimate track on New Beginnings and it kicks things into a more frantic direction. With this new-found momentum, Williams is able to end the disc at least as strongly as he opened it. Make sure to check out his website for the latest information about the performer (new tracks premiered, media coverage) and see what live dates that he will make.

Top Tracks: In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, I’ve Got You Under My Skin