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New Stories: Speakin' Out

By Jack Bowers
March 6, 2020
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New Stories is a seasoned piano trio (and a very good one) rendered even more persuasive on Speakin' Out by the singular presence (on five of nine tracks) of renowned saxophone maestro

Ernie Watts

saxophone, tenor
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernie Watts. The trio itself consists of pianist

Marc Seales

piano
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Seales, bassist

Doug Miller

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Doug Miller and drummer (and Origin Records founder)

" data-original-title="" title="">John Bishop. The wide-selling album, a centerpiece of Origin's catalog since its initial release in 2000, when New Stories was only two years old, has been re-released this year to mark its twentieth anniversary.

Besides investing their considerable talents to help ensure the trio's good fortune, Seales wrote "Blue" and "Highway Blues," Miller "The Jordy Strut," "Apparitions" and "Speakin' Out." The trio opens with

Tony Crombie

drums
b.1925

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Crombie /

Benny Green

piano
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Green's melodious "So Near, So Far," brightens

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's decorous "I Have a Dream," reins in

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny's vigorous "In Her Family" (enchanting coda by Seales) and closes with the album's lone standard, "My One and Only Love." Watts plays tenor saxophone on "Blue," "Highway Blues" and "Speakin' Out," alto on "The Jordy Strut" and "Apparitions."

Seales, who has been one of the Northwest's keyboard luminaries for more than two decades and serves as professor of piano at the University of Washington, is superb throughout, as are Miller and Bishop, and the trio would be more than respectable even without Watts. He does, however, add vivacity and color to the proceedings, his wide-reaching concepts and prodigious technique on full display. He is, to use the vernacular, every inch a monster, whether on tenor or alto, and the trio benefits enormously from his unerring command of the music on offer. Having said that, it should be added that one of the album's more rewarding numbers is "My One and Only Love," on which Seales channels his inner

Ahmad Jamal

piano
1930 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Ahmad Jamal /

Eddie Heywood

piano
1915 - 1989

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Heywood to chaperon one of the more enticing versions of that oft-played theme in recent memory. A wonderful way to ring down the curtain.

Fans of trio jazz in general and Ernie Watts in particular should have no misgivings when it comes to Speakin' Out in praise of this remodeled album, which leaves no room for any assessment that is less than complimentary.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

So Near, So Far; Blue; Highway Blues; I Have A Dream; The Jordy Strut; Apparitions; In Her Family; Speakin' Out; My One And Only Love.

Personnel

New Stories

band / ensemble / orchestra

Marc Seales

piano

Doug Miller

bass

John Bishop

drums

Ernie Watts

saxophone, tenor

Album information

Title: Speakin' Out | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Origin Records

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