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It’s easy to hear why Jeff Fuller decided to name the first composition “Round & Round” on his latest album of the same name. Darren Litzie’s piano unfurls a melody that does curlicues around a similarly circular set of harmonic changes, while Jeff Fuller on bass and Ben Bilello on drums settle into a sharp but easy swing. Litzie’s piano gets more angular during his solo, and Fuller’s own ride around the changes is luscious and free. Bilello’s break makes great melodic use of his drums. And then the band settles back into that gliding circle of a melody to take things out.
The New Haven-based Jeff Fuller and Friends are celebrating the release of Round & Round this Saturday, Dec. 21, at Best Video.
There is much to celebrate. “Happy New Year,” “New Bossa,” and “Sambeleza” sway forward on a tropical lilt, with piano lines so melodic that someone might be tempted to write lyrics to them. “Around in Circles” revisits some of the feel of the album’s opening track, but in a different setting; its stately 3/4 meter lends the music a more contemplative air. “If You Insist” — written by Litzie — sounds like its name, as the piano chords jab the driving rhythm forward, a setting that lends itself to some musical firecrackers.
Fuller picks up the bow to take the melody on “Never So Long” his long lines and Litzie’s lush accompaniment make the number lean toward the symphonic. Meanwhile, the title to “Rest, Dear” comes off as a sly joke, as the knotty, sneaky melody and quick-stepping swing are much more likely to make people dance than take a breather. “Come Forth” finds the band at its funkiest, thanks particularly to Bilello’s textured drumwork. “Minor Giant,” meanwhile, returns the band to a softer, more thoughtful mode, albeit with weaving lines that trip their way through the laid-back rhythm. “Kernel Of Truth” is perhaps Fuller’s most clearly stated melody on the album, and feels almost already like a jazz standard in the best sense. The album’s closer, “All Before Coffee,” feels like a sunlit morning.
Credit goes to producer Norman Johnson, whose transparent, rich, and full recording brings out the most in Fuller’s compositions and the trio’s performance of them. The most cause for celebration, however, is the obvious musical chemistry between Fuller, Litzie, and Bilello. Round & Round is the trio’s fourth album and marks at least a half a decade of playing together, and the time they’ve spent together shows. They’ve reached that place where the music feels loose and free, and at the same time, the rhythms are tight and together, making them excel as a group at whatever they set their hands to. And on Saturday, New Haven gets to hear exactly what that sounds like.
Jeff Fuller and Friends celebrate the release of Round & Round at Best Video, 1842 Whitney Ave., on Dec. 21. Visit Best Video’s website for more information. Round & Round is available through Jeff Fuller’s website and through iTunes, Amazon, and CDBaby.