Tom Cottone

Steve Bryant: New Town

by Kyle Simpler
July 24, 2025

Near the end of James Baldwin's short story, “Sonny's Blues," the narrator watches Sonny perform in a jazz club, where he describes the crowd as gathering around the piano while Sonny's fingers filled the air with life, his life. But that life contained so many others. In many ways, this description captures the essence of musicianship. Players bring their creations to life, but each of these carries its own history and influences. This is certainly evident in Red 123's album ...