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Luther Allison: I Owe It All To You

By Dan Bilawsky
June 29, 2024
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If you're hip to

Luther Allison

piano
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Luther Allison from his previous and continuing work—ivory tickling for breakout vocal star/Grammy winner

Samara Joy

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Samara Joy, sideman recordings on the 88s and drums for notables like trombonist

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Dease, clinics and teaching engagements aplenty, performances at upper tier venues in New York and across the country and abroad—then you already know the man is adept at delivering real musical messages. Exuding joy in every effort, and presenting with depth and myriad dimensions, Allison is a rare artist with the facilities to do what few can and the good taste to know what to hold in reserve.

On this, Allison's leader debut. the rising-star pianist showcases his own compositional and interpretive talents while paying tribute to some of his key influences—members of the Memphis Mafia, like

Donald Brown

piano
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Donald Brown,

Mulgrew Miller

piano
1955 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Mulgrew Miller,

James Williams

piano
1951 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">James Williams and

Harold Mabern

piano
1936 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Harold Mabern. Working with a trio featuring bassist

Boris Kozlov

bass, acoustic
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Boris Kozlov and drummer

Zach Adleman

drums
b.1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Zach Adleman, this University of Tennessee alum delivers a wholly accessible program that consistently impresses and artfully ties him to some towering figures from within his alma mater's state.

Opening with the original title track, Allison immediately gets to the heart of the matter. A paean to the Good Shepherd and to the glories of those who've contributed to his upbringing and development, it's a compelling composition bookended by soulful reflection and centered with exuberant swing. The first and broadest tribute on the record, it serves as a perfect launch pad. The leader's "Until I See You Again," a tale of longing penned after he first met and was then geographically separated from the woman who would become his fianc��, glides as it pines.

Moving in a different direction after that opening coupling, Allison delivers a stretch of well-chosen covers to further embrace and accent the album theme. "Say Dr. J."—Williams' nod to basketball icon Julius Irving—swings hard, with serious pocket play. Steve Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet" brings smiling sounds and pure passion to the surface. Allison's expansion on Brown's solo arrangement of Richard Rodgers' " I Didn't What Time It Was" delights with firm funk and solidly swinging sounds while acknowledging his mentor's influence. And Mabern's "There But for The Grace Of..."—a recommendation from Brown that came out of a conversation surrounding a larger group of mighty Memphis pianists—blends high art, street level sound craft and profound partings into a seamless whole .

Bringing his own pen back into play, Allison girds sophisticated harmony with blues-drenched fastening on "Things We Used to Say." Then it's back to Brown's orbit for the septuagenarian's positively frenetic "New York" cityscape, over to Miller's waltzing and luxuriant "From Day to Day" and on to the leader's vigorous "Lu's Blues" finale. A strong outing and a signal for an even brighter future, I Owe It All To You is most worthy of attention.

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Track Listing

I Owe It All To You; Until I See You Again; Say Dr. J; Knocks Me Off My Feet; I Didn��t Know What Time It Was; There But For The Grace Of��; The Things We Used To Say; New York; From Day To Day; Lu's Blues.

Personnel

Luther Allison

piano

Boris Kozlov

bass, acoustic

Zach Adleman

drums

Album information

Title: I Owe It All To You | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Posi-Tone Records

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Luther Allison Concerts

Nov 1 Sat

Luther Allison Quartet

Birdland
New York, NY

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