Twio Vol. 2

Description

On March 6, Walter Smith III reprises his acclaimed Twio concept with the long-awaited release of Twio, Vol. 2, a 10-track set of classic jazz songs that exudes a playful sense of joyful freedom.

Smith ranks among the most impressive tenor saxophonists of our time, equally powerful and articulate. As an improviser, he suggests how jazz can continue to evolve in the most organic, authentic way possible; he’s thoroughly of this moment but steeped in the wisdom he’s gained through working with giants. Over the past two decades, he’s come of age with a generation of masterful players who double as visionary composers, writing modern, ambitious original music. But sometimes Smith and his colleagues just want to play. No fuss, no multi-page scores, no intensive rehearsals. Sometimes, they’d rather grab a bunch of smart, durable tunes they grew up loving and go to work.

That’s the spirit behind Twio, Vol. 2, Smith’s third album for Blue Note Records. It features a core trio of Smith, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer Kendrick Scott, along with a pair of bucket-list guests: the bassist Ron Carter, who plays on half of the album’s 10 tracks, and the saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who appears on two.