East Coast Jazz 

Like other long established area acts such as Harvey Reid or Truffle, the Jim Howe Trio has steadfastly been the standard bearer for their particular brand of music for close to 10 years. “Covering All My Basses” is Howe’s third recording and by far his best yet. This is no-nonsense, straight-ahead jazz with swing at its heart. Joining bassist Howe are long-time drummer Les Harris Jr. and pianist Ryan Parker, with special guest Harry Allen adding his robust tenor sax to the proceedings.

Like any long-running group, the trio plays with a relaxed assurance and rapport that develops only through continued work together. Howe, Parker and Harris have an intuitive level of interplay that gives the 12 tunes on this CD a vibrant energy. Before I go further, it’s worth mentioning the image of a scantily clad female figure on a rumpled bed on the cover. If it’s supposed to invoke humor, it fails—surprise is more like it. Fortunately, the music within is much classier, so don’t judge this one by its cover.

Make no mistake, “Covering All My Basses” is an old fashioned jazz blowing session, with the tried-and-true standard songbook as a source of inspiration for the musicians to do their thing. Songs by Gershwin, Jobim, Kern and Styne, along with tunes from composers Earl Hines, Benny Carter and Michel Legrand, are all rendered in the typical “head-solo-head” format that is a vital part of the jazz tradition. And all are performed in a spirited fashion.

Harry Allen is right out of the Zoot Sims, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis school of tenor sax, where mainstream swing meets early bebop and the blues, where lush ballad playing is as important as playing a fast tempo, and where swing is always present. When the saxophonist was in his teens, he used to come play the Sunday Jazz at the Press Room session with the Tom Gallant Trio, the precursor to the current group. Since those youthful days, Allen has become one of the leading voices for mainstream jazz tenor sax, touring the world and spreading the gospel of jazz. Allen’s playing on all of the tunes is both forceful and relaxed, especially on the opener “Rosetta,” the gently swinging “Just In Time” and the delightful version of Jerome Kern’s “I Won’t Dance,” one of the lesser known tunes from the composer’s body of work. Allen’s command of the ballad shines through on “Young and Foolish” and especially on “Detour Ahead” where he wraps his warm, full-bodied tenor sound around and caresses the lovely melodies of these songs.

The trio is in equally fine form. Parker has grown by leaps and bounds in the piano seat. His accompaniments are intelligent and devoid of clutter, and his solos are well paced and thought out. His intro to “Young and Foolish” is one of the highlights on the disc, a thoughtful and probing-to-the-point-of-introspection solo that sets the tone for the tune’s lush romantic feel.

Harris’s drum work cajoles and pushes the other musicians to inspired flights of fancy as he deftly controls the overall level of energy. And Howe is his usual unobtrusive self, laying down the cushioned foundation for the other three to explore their creative impulses. The result is a CD that reminds me of the timeless beauty of jazz in its purest, most fundamental state.