Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Steve Bryant: New Town

Steve Bryant: New Town

By Kyle Simpler
July 24, 2025
View read count

Near the end of James Baldwin's short story, "Sonny's Blues," the narrator watches Sonny perform in a jazz club, where he describes the crowd as gathering around the piano while Sonny's fingers filled the air with life, his life. But that life contained so many others. In many ways, this description captures the essence of musicianship. Players bring their creations to life, but each of these carries its own history and influences. This is certainly evident in Red 123's album New Town.

Born of basement sessions during the pandemic and forged through years of lived experience, New Townis a deeply personal and quietly powerful statement from guitarist-composer

Steve Bryant

guitar
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Bryant. Under the moniker Red 123, Bryant crafts an emotionally resonant sonic tapestry, forged in a world of jazz, rock and ambient textures. There is an undeniable spirit at work here, and Bryant writes with a player's ear and a storyteller's heart. The result is an excellent blend of groove, melody and introspection.

Bryant's background adds another layer of depth to the music. A former Navy Band guitarist, he blends structure and freedom in a way that feels effortless. His years as an educator and sideman show in his attention to ensemble interplay: every solo feels earned, and no part overstays its welcome. Yet beneath the technique, his playing comes across with plenty of soul.

This adds an unmistakable honesty to the music. It is a refreshing blend of styles, aimed more at expression than flash. These players refrain from shredding to show a deeper level of musical understanding that invites the listener into a space that feels both intimate and expansive.

This is evidenced from the title track, "New Town," which was featured on All About Jazz's "Song of the Day." Serving as a kind of mission statement, it is forward-looking but rooted in history and influences. Its clean, melodic lines, built alongside subtle grooves and luminous textures, are reminiscent of

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny's work on ECM. Elsewhere, tracks like "Tom's Blues" or "Shuffle 96" add hints of

Wes Montgomery

guitar
1923 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Wes Montgomery and

John Scofield

guitar
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">John Scofield to the mix, bringing in a strong groove component to the music.

One of the standout tracks on the album is the closing tune, Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Bryant's take on this song brings together the different elements of the album very effectively, and

Rob Paparozzi

harmonica

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Paparozzi 's harmonica playing alongside Bryant's guitar creates a haunting effect to this classic track.

New Town is filled with the kind of soul that only comes from experience. As Bryant mentions, "The music has been influenced by too many artists and enduring friendships to mention. Most of all, it has been healing for me." This sense of healing is embedded throughout the music: in the spacious arrangements, the warm tones and the sense of clarity that permeates the record.

This is more than simply an album for guitarists or jazz aficionados. New Town offers a refreshing musical approach that invites multiple listenings.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

New Town; There Will Be A Day; Tom��s Blues; 7 Wonders; Blue Gray: Shuffle 96; A Change for Cody Wichita Lineman.

Personnel

Steve Bryant

guitar

Digba Ogunbiyi

piano

Tom Cottone

drums

Cody McCorry

bass

Rob Paparozzi

harmonica

David Anthony

drums

Jeff Levine

organ, Hammond B3

Chris Paredes

drums

Album information

Title: New Town | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: red123music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Take Five with Bassist Phil Ravita
< Previous

I Thought About You
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.