Two recent releases update a longstanding combo and an often overlooked composition, respectively: Speakers in the House from The Headhunters and Zodiac Suite: Reassured from Jeong Lim Yang. Then, a swinging lagniappe: a holiday offering from Emmet Cohen and friends.

The Headhunters
Speakers in the House (Ropeadope Records)
A review
Carrying on a tradition that originated 50 years ago with keyboardist Herbie Hancock and percussionist Bill Summers, the latest (non-Hancock) version of this remarkable shape-shifting aggregation brings a fresh trove of groove-inflected jazz, spiced with world and rock music. Led by Summers and drummer Mike Clark, the core also includes Donald Harrison (alto sax), Stephen Gordon (piano, keyboards, clavinet, Fender Rhodes), Reggie Washington (bass). The opening track, “Kongo Square,” begins in West Africa, with an intro on kora from guest artist Fode Sissoko, and ends on Rampart Street, touching explicitly on the African diaspora and the ascendant African culture of New Orleans. That city’s funk is threaded throughout the album’s eight tracks, largely thanks to Clark and Harrison. There’s the second line parade of “Rocking at the Mole House;” the funky groove of the trancey, serpentine “HH75;” the marriage of James Brown and Steely Dan in “Over the Bar;” the slice-and-dice syncopation of “Vaspurakan;” the street-wise “Stoop,” with an especially tasty solo from Harrison. “Actual Proof,” first released on the group’s 1974 album Thrust, delivers a hard-bop poke in the chest, with a nice turn from Gordon. They don’t neglect the Spanish tinge, which colors the opening minutes of “Stop Watch” and eventually evolves into a full-on Cuban dance party, with Summers’ percussion leading the way. Clark defines this spirited and spirit-lifting project as “an act of passion, of love for humanity, and for our planet.” Summers takes it a step further: “We’re not musicians, we are physicians. We heal people.” It’s definitely good medicine.

Jeong Lim Yang
Zodiac Suite: Reassured (Fresh Sound Records)
A review
I first encountered Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite just last year via pianist Chris Pattishall’s reimagining of that astonishing work. That led me to the original recording by the composer, released 77 years ago, and a healthy regard for her compositional and pianistic skills. Now, we have another, equally imaginative reinterpretation of the piece, this time from bassist Jeong Lim Yang’s trio, with Santiago Leibson (piano) and Gerald Cleaver (drums). The trio takes liberties with the form, tempo, and meter of the suite’s 12 pieces—one for each sign of the zodiac, and each an homage to one or more of the composer’s acquaintances—but preserves Williams’ multicolored compositional voice. Comprising a multitude of influences, from early 20th-century European classical music to American blues and jazz, the music offers a wide palette for adventurous improvisation, and the trio answers the call. There’s the energetic “Pisces,” with a dancehall piano; the Monkish “Aries;” the boogie of “Taurus,” with Tatumesque flourishes; the bluesy “Gemini,” with Leibson’s cascading lines; the humor and irreverence of “Leo,” with its drum fanfare; cinematic “Capricorn,” with Yang’s arco bass and Liebman’s shimmering piano. The album closes with Yang’s fluid homage to Williams, “Madam, Thank You, Madam.” With improvisational work as surprising and coherent as the composition itself, the recording showcases the remarkable correspondence of the trio and also marks my happy introduction to the inventive playing of both Liebman and Yang. Special recognition is awarded to the sound engineer and mixer, Juanma Trujillo, particularly for capturing, with clarity and depth, the big, fat tone of Yang’s bass and the expressive nuances of her performance.

Emmet Cohen
The pianist is swinging “Sleigh Ride” with the exceptional assistance of Warren Wolf (vibraphone), Russell Hall (bass), and Kyle Poole (drums). Happy holidays all y’all.

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© 2022 Mel Minter