Al Williams Revisited, and Horning In on Ageless Georgie LEH!

When last we dropped in on super sexy smooth saxophonist AL WILLIAMS III, seemingly the universe of music was smaller, squarer and with less possibility for permutation. Aha! Kind of similar, don’t you think to the political scene of the moment! Timeout, a deep breath, a caring sigh. Our Swing-oriented issue for April is broadened all the more with the inclusion of the ultra-mellow horn man’s latest tone poetry.

Over the past year or so, Al Williams mastery of the winds has been in full swing with the writing and recording of his latest CD “Heart Song”, a heartfelt masterpiece of melodic intensity – full of color and vision for the most musical of ears to perceive! For jazz lovers at every level, this CD should be placed on the shelf along with you’re a-list collection. Probably most thought of as a saxophonist (tenor, soprano and alto), Al also plays at the virtuoso level on flutes (he plays both soprano and alto flutes on Heart Song). In evidence throughout is the genius of his particularly smooth phrasing and breath control, and a deep understanding of the truly beautiful – the best attributes music has to offer. Bravo Al!!

But much of the credit for the success of Heart Song must go to Al’s longtime friend and associate composer/keyboardist John Stoddart, whose compositions gave birth to the project. Most of the tunes on the CD were created by John in collaboration with Al Williams, Mary Davis, and bassist Scott Ambush.

On a recent wind chilly night, I was fortunate to attend an inspiring performance of Al Williams III and friends at our very own Blues Alley, in the heart of Georgetown, DC. It was a packed house – not much elbow room – but just enough to get our hands to clap along with the groove. Much of the material performed was from Heart Song, and was performed by an outstanding group of stellar musicians, many of whom were on the CD.

The Lineup –

John Stoddart – piano/keyboard/vocalist/songwriter. John has played with and been involved in producing with such artists as Diana Ross, Patti Austin, and Michael McDonald. In 2003 he released his first major label CD Wings to Walk this Road on Reprise.

Aaron Broadus – trumpet/vocalist. Aaron, in addition to being a professor of music at Georgetown University, has performed with such jazz notables as Thelonious Monk Jr., the Temptations, the Four Tops, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin and the late great Ray Charles. Aaron has his own CD Feels Like the First Time featuring a bit of R&B and smooth jazz.

Scott Ambush – bass. Scott has been the bassist for the incredible Spyro Gyra since the late ‘90s, and it was an amazing treat to see his fingers flying up and down the neck in support of Al Williams III.

Mark Prince – drummer. Mark has his own CD Fraction of Infinity, and has recorded with Terence Blanchard, Dapp Theory, Jennifer Holliday and a host of other important jazz, latin, and fusion artists.

Eli Staples – keyboard. Eli’s virtuosity has been on display at the Birchmere, Kennedy Center, and Strathmore, and has been a featured soloist with the National Chamber Singers several times. His own group received a WAMA award in 2001 for Best Contemporary Jazz Group.

Needless to say, with a lineup like that, how could you go wrong? It was truly a night of brilliance and inspiration for all.

For more info on the schedule of Al Williams III, go to www.alwilliams3.com

GEORGIE LEH is so classy, so Jazzed in his blues, that it’s only right to reprise a few more “hits” from his January 31st State Theatre turn. George revived another strong cut from the 1975 Powerhouse disk “Shut Your Mouth,” a classic BB King rabble-rouser, pulled no punches – with the vocalist asking the time-honored question, “Do I have to shut your mouth, Just to get along with you?” So, imagine George Leh, seizing his own throat to achieve just the right quiver, the right glissando, at the coda. Leh is truly the human resonator, so good that it’s scary.

In the second set, the State faithful were treated to a vocal from Tom Principato, “Safronia B,” by an obscure but talented 1940's R’n’B shouter named Calvin Boze. Interestingly, Tom has reissued the work from his and Leh’s old band, not to mention his own work, and a sizeable chunk of Danny Gatton’s catalog on to his own eponymous Powerhouse label, based in Falls Church. George reappeared, after telling one-time Unicorn Times scribe Sky (then known as JB Earnshaw) that “I have some business to attend to in Boston, but then I want to maybe hook up with some folks like Dave Maxwell (piano) and Ronnie Earl (guitar) and really take a new act on the road.” We asked him about the support band known as the Thrillers, but they’ve been broken up for a while now. Leh was clearly pleased, meanwhile, at the warm response and sizable turnout for the Powerhouse Band tribute on this particular evening.

Back at center stage, he poured it on with one of this column’s personal faves, “HARD TIMES”originally by Ray Charles. A mighty slow blues of the 16-bar variety, George milked the lyric, “..about that Old Use To Be,” as well as any human voice possibly could, and as he cruised through this second set, a tear came to this and probably many other eyes in the great State. Time has passed us by, but with those of us like Principato and Leh and bassist Steve Jacobs and guest artist, seasoned vocalist/keyboardist Tommy Lepson – we are thankfully still in the hunt. Some may prefer golf, but for these old bones, playing and listening to great jazz and blues is definitely the ‘A-Number One’ way to stay vibrant and young!

We cannot close out until we pay our propers to the outstanding drumming of Joe Wells (currently working with Principato’s regular group) and the hefty support of the Souled Out Horns. Those are Danny on trumpet and Mario on the tenor sax. They hail from College Park, Md., where they work a band of the same name. This support was quite evident on Wynonie Harris’ ribald romp, “Quiet Whiskey,” which opened with George delivering his ‘poetic’ recitation (from the original) about “Whiskey, whiskey on the shelf, You were so quiet there by yourself.” Also unforgettable was “Nosey Joe,” “Sky High”(with George’s spot-on impression of the late bass growler Jimmy Ricks of the local doo-wop group The Ravens), and we all closed out with George’s love note to Big Joe Turner, “Flip, Flop and Fly.” Just as in 1975 at Desperadoe’s, the crowd stomped for more.

Now what would be truly boss would be a fantasy pairing of Mr. Leh with the incredible artistry of Al Williams III, in a once-in-a-lifetime melding of the infinite possibilities of the Jazz and Swing spectra!

For more info go to www.powerhouserecords.com.

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