Alto saxophonist
Charles McPherson
celebrates the ebullient spirit of his mentor, the late pianist
Barry Harris
, on 2024's
Reverence
. Roughly a decade younger than
Harris
(who died in 2021 at age 91),
McPherson
performed and studied with the legendary pianist, teacher, and notoriously comprehensive intellectual during his formative teen years growing up in Detroit. The relationship not only gave him a solid foundation in the fundamentals of melody, harmony, and rhythm, but reinforced his passion for the bebop jazz building blocks set forth by
Charlie Parker
, his main stylistic influence. While there are no specific
compositions featured, the album certainly embodies the kind of intellectual, yet still passionate style the pianist championed. Recorded live at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in New York, the album finds
leading the same group featured on 2020's
Jazz Dance Suites
, including trumpeter
Terell Stafford
, pianist
Jeb Patton
, bassist
David Wong
, and drummer
Billy Drummond
. Together, they dive into a handful of the saxophonist's originals, including the minor-blues opener "Surge" (which features a fiery solo from
Stafford
) and the swinging waltz "Blues for Lonnie in Three," whose spritely trumpet and sax melody evokes the classic
Clifford Brown
and
Max Roach
albums of the '50s. We also get two standards, including a tender reading of "Old Folks" and a soulful take on "Come Rain or Come Shine" that showcases
's throaty, play-from-the-heart style. All of this leads to the album-closing "Ode to Barry," a sparkling Latin jazz homage to the pianist. Over 60 years into his career,
ascended the ranks of jazz master long ago, and finds his own creative voice alongside the work of his idols
Parker
.
honors that journey, and
plays with the kind of hard-swinging, cogent improvisational style that echoes their spirit. ~ Matt Collar