Steve Nelson - New Beginnings (TCB, 1997)

 

Steve Nelson, vibes
Mulgrew Miller, piano
Peter Washington, bass
Kenny Washington, drums

Recorded December 1 & 2, 1997

Van Gelder Studio

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

I love the sound of vibes. That row of metallic bars imparts a warm, shimmering glow to jazz performances. No longer marginalized as a novelty, vibes and vibists have become mainstream and are important entries in my Favorites blogs. 

Steve Nelson is among the best vibists in jazz today. His recording career began relatively late due to his discovery of the vibes only after leaving high school. Following several appearances as a side man on albums by Ray Drummond, James Spaulding, Kenny Barron and others, his first significant recordings appeared in 1990, the year he turned 36. I have reviewed Nelson's debut album, Communications, earlier in this blog.

New Beginnings also features pianist Mulgrew Miller, who enjoyed a close, sympathetic connection with Nelson. After Miller's death from a stroke in 2013 at age 57, Nelson dedicated his album, Brothers Under the Sun (HighNote, 2017) to Miller's memory. Meetings between musical "brothers" usually yield good results, and New Beginnings is a shining example of the fruits of that brotherhood. 

Three original compositions by Nelson open the album: the title track, "Danielle's Waltz," and "Shape Shifting." Listening to "Shape Shifting" reminded me of Bobby Hutcherson's "Starting Over" from his Farewell Keystone LP (Theresa, 1982). I wondered if this might be the same tune under a different name. Further investigation revealed that "Shape Shifting" is familiar to me only because it appears on two other albums that I own: Curtis Lundy's Purpose (Justin Time, 2002) and Louis Hayes' Return of the Jazz Communicators (Smoke Sessions, 2012). Nelson plays on both of these. No wonder it sounded familiar. Great music does tend to resurface.

The last 6 tracks are mostly familiar songs to me, some dating way back in time. The oldest is "The Song Is Ended," composed by Irving Berlin in 1927. "It's the Talk of the Town" is from 1933, "How Little We Know" from 1944, "Someone to Light Up My Life" from 1956, and "Wild Is the Wind" from 1957. Songs like these have enjoyed many decades of popularity, and Nelson treats each "oldie" with respect and admiration. 

The best of the group is "It's the Talk of the Town." Miller's tempo-free solo intro precedes the ensemble, after which Nelson takes the melody at a deliberate pace that evokes the lyrics' theme of heartbreak. Nelson dwells on the melody at the end of his solo. Miller's solo is less somber, ornate in parts, but he also returns to the melody before handing it back to Nelson, who further embellishes it. It feels like none of the band want the song to end, but it does eventually with a solo coda from Nelson.

"It's the Talk of the Town" is literally timeless: the highlight of New Beginnings 64 years after its writing.

Amidst the older material lies a gem from vibist Lem Winchester - "Down Fuzz," from his album Winchester Special (New Jazz, 1959). It's a simple funky blues that keeps all of the players in the groove except for Miller, who plays an exploratory solo. This kind of music would populate jazz setlists a few years later when Lee Morgan's Sidewinder (Blue Note, 1964) broke through to wider audiences. Winchester should be given more credit as a pioneer of the '60s funk revolution.