Sullivan Fortner: Leave That In There

Pianist Sullivan Fortner is on a roll. Already one of the most respected contemporary jazz pianists, Fortner leveled up in 2025 with the Grammy-winning Southern Nights (Artwork Records, 2025), a tribute to his New Orleans heritage that was a critical and commercial smash. Along with the collaboration albums Wildflowers Vol. 1 (Edition Records, 2024) (with vocalist Kurt Elling) and Play (ACT Music, 2025) (with trumpeter Theo Croker) and playing to packed houses both as a leader and accompanist, the year was an unqualified success.

Fortner's follow-up to Southern Nights, Leave That In There, further explores New Orleans, the city, and the culture, "leave that in there" being a preferred expression of Fortner's family as well as a representation of the city's diverse population and rich history. Fortner takes a different musical approach here than on Southern Nights, eschewing the predecessor album's general straight-ahead ambiance in favor of a modern mix of electronic music, studio effects, and his trademark acoustic piano in the mix. The result is a resounding triumph, sonically diverse, always a fascinating listen, and evidence of the continued artistic evolution of a remarkable musician.

Leave That In There features Tyrone Allen II on bass, and Kayvon Gordon on drums, both of whom would eventually comprise Fortner's longstanding trio but at the time of the album's recording (late 2023) the three musicians were still new to each other. Nevertheless, their chemistry is palpable at the get-go, and it is easy to see why the three musicians would ultimately form an enduring partnership. The album was produced by Derrick Hodge, a vital figure at the intersection of jazz, hip-hop and R&B, and Hodge's varied experience also informs the output on the record. With none of the thirteen tracks exceeding six minutes, Leave That In There is a fast-paced, exhilarating listen that teems with immediacy.

"Sugarcane" opens the album, and it is a banger. Gordon's Bàtá-inspired rhythms provide a pulsating, driving base layer behind Fortner's electronic keyboards. The track's intensity increases until a sudden stop and a segue into "Que Diablos," Leave That In There's lead single. "Que Diablos" is a more straight-ahead track, consistent with the trio's live output. Fortner takes control of the acoustic piano, his (and the trio's) mastery of the piano trio form proving just as exhilarating as any studio wizardry.

The two-part "Aerobatics" demonstrates the full extent of Fortner's studio tinkering, with moody, proggy effects eventually transitioning into an overdubbed electric piano solo, a slender, yet demonstrably funky, beat ultimately kicking in, winding up as a modern, electronic blues exercise. "Number 3" showcases Allen's bass, the track beginning somewhat shadowy, with a noirish solo by Fortner and a staccato rhythm by Gordon. The track is another acoustic exercise, and the album's transitions between acoustic and electronic sounds are natural, rather than forced or jarring, the listener being treated to the trio's musical diversity.

"Hymn for Linda," featuring haunting, soulful vocals by Fortner, is positively gorgeous, the overdubbing of Fortner's voice simulating a church choir. The overdubbing effect, combined with Fortner's combined organ/electric piano, works beautifully. "Another Poignant Time," a callback to the earlier track "A Poignant Time" combines both acoustic and electric sounds, offering a neat summary of Leave That In There's sonic themes.