John Esposito Sextet | Laura
(Sunjump Records)
John Esposito Trio Blues for Outlaw Hearts
(Sunjump Records)
Columbia County composer/pianist John Esposito has worked with a ridiculous list of major jazz talents. He has two new offerings out, both anchored by the dynamic rhythm section of bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Peter O’Brien. Blues for Outlaw Hearts, a trio disc, showcases Esposito’s own fluid playing. Laura, recorded back to back, expands to a sextet, with the addition of Phil Allen, Chris Pasin, and Eric Person on horns and woodwinds. The latter, not surprisingly, offers a fuller sound, but still keeps the focus on Esposito as leader. The width of his voicings leaves plenty of room for both air and for his fellow players. When he does dig in, it’s with a big, open sound, redolent of hard bop pioneer Horace Silver (though with a leaner left hand) or an up-tempo, spirited version of contemporary master Kenny Barron. The epic “Sunlight” unleashes an Ahmad Jamal-like exuberance, beams of notes arcing through a late afternoon. The ersatz title track, “Outlaw Hearts,” slows things down, decorously, with O’Brien’s cymbals offering a shining counterpoint.
Laura, as noted, is a richer ride, with the frontline crackling from the first late-’50s beat of “Clarity.” “Blues for Bugalu” lopingly lives up to its name, with a fine valve trombone solo from Allen leading into a nice takeoff by Pasin. “La Leque,” led by Person’s flute, again emphasizes a welcome space in Esposito’s compositional sense. The closing “A Sailor’s Farewell” is the clincher, with challenging, fraught harmonies that have been begging to be brought forward.
This article appears in May 2024.
