Eric Scott Reed: Out Late

Prioritizing energy and passion over musical precision, pianist Eric Scott Reed recorded every track on his album Out Late as a first take, with all musicians performing together in one room. Nothing was added later—this old-style approach gives the recording its vintage feel. As Reed explains, "We rehearsed a song for a few minutes, and once everybody got the melody under their fingers, we went ahead and made a track while it was fresh. The energy is there; the rawness is there."

That freshness comes from a collaborative effort from a stellar line-up; joining Reed are trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Out Late is an appropriate title referring both to his decision to walk in truth about his sexuality and also as a sound portrait of the pulse of New York City after dark, together with the collaboration and friendship of the musicians that make it happen.

Consisting of seven original Reed compositions, the album relies on the spirit and trust between the band to deliver straight-ahead jazz with its hard-bop edges rounded out with tunes in unusual keys and Reed's newly found self-confidence and invention to the fore. The mid-tempo opener "Glow" drifts in with a vintage vibe, affording Reed space to let Payton and Alexander freely improvise through intricate chord changes, while Farnsworth keeps things relaxed. "All'umfrs" is a tighter affair with smart trumpet and tenor saxophone solos leading to Reed's commanding solo.

The relaxed and memorable melody of "Shadoboxing" leaves plenty of space for Farnsworth to show crisp drive and invention amid some dazzling solos, even briefly moving to a marching beat at the close. The band shifts to a piano trio format for "They." This dynamic piece features some sublime runs from Reed as Washington provides propulsive drive. Trumpet and saxophone open the title track with the kind of melody you may think you've heard before. This is picked up in Washington's bass run before a series of laid-back solos evoke the late-in-the-evening feel of a jazz club. The nocturnal sound of the city after dark continues with the catchy head of "The Weirdos," followed by some classy but relaxed solos.

Reed seems reinvigorated; his trust in his fellow musicians has combined to create an unconstrained atmosphere. However, in an album recorded in this spontaneous manner, there will always be imperfections, as Reed readily acknowledges: "If you listen carefully to some of those heads, Eric (Alexander) and Nicholas (Payton) weren't playing exactly the same notes in some of those unison passages, but it didn't bother me because this isn't Beethoven. I just need the sound, the feeling, and at the very least, let's get close to the essence of what a piece is about. Ultimately, the essence of the piece isn't necessarily about the accuracy of notes as much as it is about the feeling." This emphasis on feeling and spirit has perfectly captured the atmosphere of late-night city life, resulting in Reed's finest album in years.