I was really curious to hear Walter Smith III play trio after hearing a little about his vision for a new trio project when I had the opportunity to interview him. The trio featuring Tom Botting on bass and Tim Firth on drums began with a delicate but purposeful take on the standard I’ll be seeing you. They ended the tune by fading out together and finishing at the exact same time, all three musicians kept eye contact during the fade and were grinning as they finished. It was a joyous beginning to wonderful evening.
Next up was July off Smith’s latest album Still Casual. This was one of the highlights of the night for me, the familiar melody took on a different meaning without the additional harmonic instruments. I could see so clearly what the shape of the melody was, and Botting’s bass part weaved itself like a counter-melodic dance. The spareness highlighted a desolation and a loneliness in the melody that I hadn’t noticed before. I am left hoping that July gets an opportunity to be re-recorded in trio format, this particular performance certainly warranted it.
After the first two tunes, Smith announced, “this is our first time playing together, we only got together a few minutes before the show and ran through a few things.” I knew it was common for improvising musicians to get together shortly before gigs but rarely have I seen a group get together last minute and sound this tight. The group navigated it’s way through a set with lots of variety (set list below) and every tune had a lot of energy.
There was a beautiful take on Darn that dream with a solo saxophone finish that had lots of rewarding detours before finishing tenderly. I was already a fan of Smith’s tune Apollo after hearing on Kendrick Scott’s Conviction and on Still Casual but it worked particularly well in trio format. Smith harmonized the bass line while Firth took a powerful drum solo, demonstrating his immense vocabulary. At other times, Mr Firth manages to demonstrate his virtuosity in an unobtrusive way, he is everywhere but never dominates the conversation. I particularly admired his ability to drum creatively whilst still reading the chart, he creativity never seemed in neutral.
Another highlight was Capital Wasteland, a wonderful tune off III which took on a distinctly groovier persona – highlighting one of the advantages of hearing a familiar tune being interpreted by a rhythm section for the first time. Although I had never heard Botting before, I really enjoyed both his accompaniment and his solos. Botting often began solos by articulating a beautiful melody, like he had been holding it – waiting to share it. His accompaniment was equal parks backbone and flair, as he teased out ideas without interrupting in the process.
Smith never got boring throughout the evening, he kept on pursuing new melodic ideas and new rhythms, sometimes linking long phrases together and sometimes editing small phrases over and over till he was content before moving on. He has the ability to make the saxophone sound like it is crying out at times, proclaiming emotion as much as sound. One of Smith’s defining characteristics is his ability to work a solo into a turbulent whirlwind – where everything turns into a chaotic frenzy, it is so powerful and it was sublime to experience it in person.
Although Smith’s vision and exploration of playing trio is still in it’s infancy, this gig affirmed that he on a rewarding path. I am intrigued to hear how Smith’s trio conception evolves over the years till it is (hopefully) recorded.
Walter Smith III – Tenor Saxophone
Tom Botting – Bass
Tim Firth – Drums
Set List
First set:
I’ll be seeing you
July [off Still Casual]
General George Washington [off The Lafayette Suite]
Darn that dream
Contrafact [off Reminiscent]
Second set:
317 East 32nd street
Apollo [off Still Casual]
Capital wasteland [off III]
Blues [off Casually Introducing]
A New Frame 