Charlie Porter: Cipher

Trumpeter Charlie Porter's Cipher (PHP, 2025) carries with it a concept that provides clues to a treasure hunt and cash money—an interesting and different idea not broached here. Instead, the focus becomes the music contained within this, his eighth release as a leader. Porter, having spent time in both Portland and New York, has enjoyed fine musical friendships that manifest in this session. The trumpeter / composer has long been acclaimed for his large and lyrical sound that interfaces with his probing imagination that draws from an immense palette of ideas. His thought processes as an improviser are notably melody-oriented, whether in sharp, angular passages or melody lines that skip through harmony like a swinging stroll down a colorful autumnal pathway. His compositions follow closely his inclinations as an improviser, from sharp, attacking forays to melancholic slices of romanticism. All of these qualities are present and accounted for on Cipher, and then some.

Artists have their own ideas about what should be the opener of a particular project, yet the third track "En Route" here seems to speak best as to what we can expect on this collection of tunes. First off, it is swinging, has a taproot into the blues and highlights the cast of characters assembled for the session. The rhythm session jumps off the page almost immediately, a trio that represents the best of Porter's time in Portland. Pianist George Colligan is a generational talent that is currently on sabbatical from his work at Portland State, while drummer Alan Jones is an iconic figure in the history of jazz in the Rose City. Bassist Garrett Baxter is a new generation Portlander who has been turning heads around the Pacific Northwest for some time now. It would seem the bassist has found himself in the middle of something special here, firmly holding down the groove with remarkable strength and flexibility between two titans in the rhythm section.

The following track, "Namesake," provides a different rhythmic and melodic view, and like the previous tunes, allows wide open space for solos from Porter, Colligan and—perhaps the main Porter cohort on the record—saxophonist Nick Biello. Alan Jones shows his value here as a drummer who knows how to explore and play freely within form. He is not inventing the wheel; he is just adjusting the ride through the terrain of immediacy. Porter as a soloist on this track and throughout the entirety of the album plays with more patience, scanning the horizon before bounding forward insightfully. The tunes are wonderful, yet not anything beyond what he has already accomplished as a composer. His mates are marvelous, with Biello notably acting as a foil on alto and soprano. The two are very different, personality-wise, yet seem to occupy a similar space in terms of spontaneous adventurism.

"13 Miles" sounds like the track that would attract radio play, and hopefully does. The melody line is highly visual and strides gracefully along, again swinging. Biello offers his best effort here on alto, working his way through the sparse yet ever—present comping of Colligan. There is an ease of familiarity, as if this quintet has taken its time together seriously, playfully and focused on the collective sound of the band. Again, Porter shows his refinement and maturity as a player who has undergone a fluid evolution over the years.

Of course, any jazz album is only as good as the record's ballad, making "Eden" the pivotal track of the session. The piece, like many of Porter's compositions, is highly visual. Porter's playing displays purity of tone, presenting full strength despite the ballad's tender moorings. Baxter adds a dynamic brief in a solo that leads back to the soaring melody line.

"Are You Sure" takes things out in such a way as to collect the sparks of the previous tracks and deposit them into one convenient place. Jones' nimble cymbal work flashes between Porter's trailblazing solo. It's as if the two are clearing the way for Biello and Colligan to utilize the space on their own terms. This sort of chemistry, this sort of musical camaraderie is what makes Cipher special, and worthy of your time to listen. It is a prime example of the recognition of jazz as a revolutionary and constantly evolving art form that doesn't need to be razed to move forward. There's no hiding from the truth across these eight tunes.