Willie Morris: Conversation Starter

The story is old, predictable and often exasperating. A virtually unknown jazz musician distinguishes himself or herself as part of the supporting cast on a handful of recordings. And then begins the wait to see if any label will offer the young, deserving player a shot in the driver's seat.

Early this year, two releases on Posi-Tone Records stimulated an appetite for more music by Willie Morris. The tenor saxophonist acquitted himself well as an ensemble player, soloist, and composer on Something Blue's Personal Preference and Josh Lawrence's And That Too. His work on these stellar releases raised hopes that Posi-Tone would continue its longstanding practice of documenting the work of promising musicians. Sure enough, Marc Free and Nick O'Toole recently issued Conversation Starter, Morris' inaugural recording as a leader.

Throughout the record's ten tracks, Morris explores the post-bop landscape with a vision and maturity well beyond his years. The eight tunes he composed for the date are varied and stimulating. Most feature strong, often hummable melodies, a decidedly spiritual bent, and remain accessible even when the meter is not easy to identify.

Perhaps most importantly, Morris encourages a hungry, rambunctious band, including his frontline partner, alto saxophonist and alto flutist Patrick Cornelius, to converse freely during the ensemble passages and amidst the solos. Sometimes, they gleefully threaten to go off the rails only to slip back into a semblance of order.

A rhythm section of bassist Adi Myerson, drummer EJ Strickland, and pianist Jon Davis grapple with one another and the soloists without making the music too dense or losing the thread of continuity. Myerson is a compelling foundational player, keeping the music grounded while encouraging exploration. A good example is how her bass supports Davis's "Cries" solo. To paraphrase Amiri Baraka's classic line about the strength of Jimmy Garrison, you can imagine Myerson is able to tear safes open with her fingers.

Strickland's nail gun snare accents thrust in exciting, unpredictable ways. A combination of these hits and terse fills permeates the band's chock- a-block take on Joe Henderson's "Isotope." Davis has a knack for inserting himself briefly inside and enhancing a soloist's narrative, particularly during Morris's "St. Upton Hin" improv.

The disc's opening track, "Tina's Dream," is a gateway to Morris's improvisational prowess. He eases into the solo, leaving ample space between phrases and keeping things on a relatively even emotional keel; nonetheless, this restraint hints at more exciting things to come. "Be patient. Enjoy the ride. We'll get there," Morris seems to say. The lines gradually get longer, edgier, and more intense, peppered with sculpted cries and brusque, repeated figures. Even at his most passionate, the emotional component of Morris's artistry does not dominate; by the solo's end, it is easy to bask in the heat and fervor and appreciate just how well it is constructed.

From beginning to end, Conversation Starter is engrossing on all counts, difficult to dislodge from a CD player, and, most of all, makes one keen on exploring Morris' work in the future.