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Sullivan Fortner: Aria

By Dan Bilawsky
November 11, 2015
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New Orleans has produced a bumper crop of notable pianists over its long and storied history—

Jelly Roll Morton

piano
1890 - 1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair,

Allen Toussaint

piano and vocals
1938 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Allen Toussaint,

James Booker

piano
1939 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">James Booker, Dr. John,

Ellis Marsalis

piano
1934 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Ellis Marsalis,

Henry Butler

piano
1949 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Butler,

Harry Connick, Jr.

piano
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry Connick, Jr.,

Jon Batiste

piano
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Batiste—and it's not done yet.

" data-original-title="" title="">Sullivan Fortner, a twenty-eight year old piano phenom who's been a hot topic since receiving the American Pianists Association's 2015 Cole Porter Fellow award, is the latest notable NOLA piano export to register on a national level. He's done his homework, having studied with piano masters like Marsalis,

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch,

Peter Martin

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Martin,

Jason Moran

piano
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Moran, and

Phil Markowitz

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil Markowitz; he's made some considerable contributions as a sideman, having worked with vibraphonist

Stefon Harris

vibraphone
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Stefon Harris, rising star clarinetist

Oran Etkin

clarinet

" data-original-title="" title="">Oran Etkin, and trumpeter

Theo Croker

trumpet
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Theo Croker; and now, Fortner is poised to make his mark as a leader with his debut on the revived-and-thriving Impulse! imprint.

Aria, featuring a spry quartet consisting of Fortner, bassist

Aidan Carroll

bass
b.1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Aidan Carroll, drummer

Joe Dyson

drums
b.1989

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Dyson, and saxophonist

Tivon Pennicott

saxophone, tenor
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Tivon Pennicott, opens on a trio of originals that highlight the leader's sophisticated yet earthy way(s) with the pen and the piano. The title track is six-and-a-half minutes of forward motion, with Fortner's piano leading the charge, Caroll's bass bouncing about, Penticott's squirrelly soprano circling around, and Dyson's dynamic drumming weaving in, out, in front of, and behind it all. "Ballade," in contrast, moves in soulful fashion, while "Parade" presents as a harmonic triptych detailing the different emotions connected to Crescent City funeral processions. Each of those numbers points to different facets of Fortner's artistry, and when taken together, they help to show how expansive his skill set really is.

As the album continues, Fortner finds his way onto more familiar ground, bringing creative flair tempered by judiciousness to standards and songbook favorites.

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You" becomes a study on walking a hip line between accord and discord, Fred Rogers' "You Are Special" is a waltz-time world of possibility that's ripe for the taking, "All The Things You Are" is stripped of its old hat swing feel and given a natty groove update, and "You Know I Care" is trio synchronicity and reverie rolled into one. And then, sitting between two more originals and holding the penultimate position in the running order, there's Fortner's solo piano performance of "For All We Know"—a fragile and slow-moving emotional catharsis that's pure perfection. Debuts don't get any better than this.

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Track Listing

Aria; Ballade; Parade; I Mean You; You Are Special; All The Things You Are; You Know I Care; Passepied; For All We Know; Finale.

Personnel

Sullivan Fortner

piano

Sullivan Fortner: piano; Tivon Penticott: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Aidan Carroll: bass; Joe Dyson: drums.

Album information

Title: Aria | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Impulse!

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