JUST IN TIME

Description

"Just in Time" finally shines a light on one of the most influential, yet understated, jazz pianists. Recorded in 1989 with Bob Cranshaw on bass and Kenny Washington on drums, this trio session reveals the full depth of Willis' lyrical playing, harmonic richness, and rhythmic sophistication.Willis' career began with a vocal solo in Aaron Copland's "The Second Hurricane," conducted by Leonard Bernstein, but jazz quickly took over. At 19, he played with Jackie McLean and Hugh Masekela, then with Stan Getz, Cannonball Adderley, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. His style, influenced by Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, and Herbie Hancock, fuses cerebral modernism with soul-inflected hard bop.The album features a mix of standards and original compositions, including the swinging title track, the introspective "Soul Search," and "T's Bag Blues," inspired by Monk. His Latin-tinged "Te Quiero Mi Hermano" and his tribute to Herbie Hancock on "One Finger Snap" reveal a pianist deeply imbued with rhythm and tradition.Critic Russ Musto writes: "Given the pianist's consistent progression over a forty-year career, I'd say this album is just in time. I'm buying it without hesitation. And I look forward to what's next." Willis himself praises Cranshaw's work on the ballads and calls Washington "perhaps the best young drummer to come along in a long time."