Steve Davis

Portrait in Sound

(Stretch Records)

Trombonist Steve Davis has played for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Jackie McLean, One for All and Chick Corea’s Origin ensemble. So it makes sense that Portrait in Sound — Davis’ first album on Corea’s Stretch label — exudes maturity, that by-product of experience. Davis has assembled an unimpeachable core ensemble — vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Nat Reeves and drummer Joe Farnsworth — that swings hard and gives his horn plenty of breathing room. They negotiate the mostly-original repertoire with practiced ease; Davis’ "Somber Song," for instance, conveys the perfect balance of urgency and reserve. As for Davis’ instrumental abilities, he isn’t so much an "original" as a thoughtful amalgam (Bob Brookmeyer’s clarity, J.J. Johnson’s fluidity, Curtis Fuller’s tone and imagination). All of which results in a strong and unwavering, if not always gripping, personal style. His album, too, borrows ideas: from his current boss (Corea lent his composition "Shadows" for this session); from Dave Holland (whose working band also spotlights a trombone-vibraphone frontline with Nelson); and from the Blue Note catalogue (the boldly frenetic "Runway" summons Bobby Hutcherson and Joe Henderson circa 1966). It would be churlish to fault Davis for such allusions when their appropriation, on this album, produces such a strong success.

—Nate Chinen

Steve Davis appears with the Bootsie Barnes/John Swana Quintet at Chris’ Jazz Café on Fri., Oct. 20 & Sat., Oct. 21, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.