Larry Fuller: Larry Fuller

Capri Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Larry Fuller

You can determine a musician’s talent by the quality of the artists who’ve performed with him during his career. Bearing that in mind, all you need to know about pianist Larry Fuller is revealed by his discography. He spent six years as accompanist for the legendary blues and jazz vocalist Ernestine Anderson; he was part of drummer Jeff Hamilton’s trio, and then bassist Ray Brown’s trio, until he died in 2002. Fuller then joined guitarist John Pizzarelli’s quartet for eight years, and now freelances with other artists and his own groups.

This album is just the second under Fuller’s own name; after all, who has time for that, when he has been part of dozens released by the aforementioned leaders? 

Fuller loves all jazz genres, and he performs them flawlessly. The dozen tunes here include compositions by artists as varied as Cole Porter, Ray Brown, Joni Mitchell, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mandel and others.

Fuller is supported by bassist Hassan Shakur (son of J.J. Wiggins) and drummer Greg Hutchinson. Both have equally busy and name-checkable résumés.

It’s particularly refreshing to hear Fuller’s trio perform tunes that are “classics” usually associated with other artists: John Lewis’ “Django,” Oscar Peterson’s “Hymn to Freedom” and Bud Powell’s “Celia.”

Needless to say, everything swings: a very refreshing album by an excellent trio.

Nir Naaman: Independence

Nir Naaman Music
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Independence

Nir Naaman was born and raised in Israel, where every able-bodied citizen is required  to serve time in the military; he wound up playing lead alto saxophone in the Israeli Air Force Band. He moved to the States in 2004, graduated from the Berklee College of Music, and then earned a master’s degree in jazz studies from Purchase College. Next up was a stint at the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program, at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C., where he was mentored by George Cables, Billy Taylor, Curtis Fuller and others. 

Still striving to further his education, Naaman currently is enrolled in the doctor of musical arts program at Boston’s New England Conservatory. He splits his time between Boston and New York City, where he leads a quartet. 

Independence is Naaman’s debut album. He plays both alto and soprano sax, and composed all but three of the tunes: Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought of You,” Jimmy Van-Heusen/Johnny Burke’s “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and the traditional “Eshal Elohai.” Naaman is supported by Marcus Printup (trumpet), George Cables and Roy Assaf (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass) and Gregory Hutchinson and Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums).

The varied album menu includes up-tempo, bop-tinged swingers; soft, danceable ballads; and the aforementioned Yemenite Jewish dance.

Naaman is a promising artist, and his combo is excellent. I look forward to hearing more from him.