Walter Smith III - three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not - Blue Note Classic LP

Saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown of Houston, Texas on his sophomore Blue Note album, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, the follow-up to 2023’s return to casual. The album’s wry title signifies the lineup, which includes fellow Houston natives – pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland – while bassist Reuben Rogers, who hails from the Virgin Islands, rounds out the quartet. Together they enliven 10 compelling Smith originals and an imaginative rendering of the Sam Rivers composition “Point of Many Returns” – all of which speaks to Smith’s ascending status as one of modern jazz’s most engaging talents of his generation.

Tracklisting 

SIDE A:

1. seesaw
2. Gangsterism on Moranish
3. 24
4. Misanthrope’s Hymn
5. Cézanne

SIDE B:

6. 610 Loop
7. Point of Many Returns
8. Montrose Nocturne
9. Office Party Music
10. A Brief Madness
11. Lone Star