William Menefield - Big WIll Leaps In (1999)

Young pianist Menefield (17 at the time of this recording) plays patiently, content to build his solos measure by measure, and does not rush faster tempos. He's clearly mature beyond his years, especially his chord comping behind solos. Not yet a two-fisted pianist, his right hand dances while the left stays on one chord, but it's a pleasing, jazz-rooted sound. Three cuts feature a quintet with older trumpeter Mike Wade (from the Standard Time Quintet) and younger tenor saxophonist Kevin Engel. They vary from the post-bop title track with its singing horn lines to John Coltrane's pensive, brooding "Equinox" with Wade laying out, then back for the lovely ballad "For Patriece" and the rousing closer "Night in Tunisia." Trio tracks like the bouncy, rambling "Mismatch," the uppity "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" and "Straight No Chaser" (with a deft convergence to Coltrane's "Bessie's Blues") show off the young man's melodic, dancing right hand. "Owenthology" is an original, a nice, bluesy swinger; he also performs the obligatory solo version of "Misty." Nine of ten cuts feature the veteran drummer Art Gore, with his experienced rhythm making. Where groundbreaking is expected, Menefield chooses the straight and narrow path, and it suits him well. Cincinnati should be very proud of this homeboy, yet another exponent of the Queen City, known for many skilled jazz interpreters. © Michael G. Nastos