David Kikoski: Weekend at Smalls

CELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 26, 2025)

Pianist David Kikoski could have easily assembled a group of Smalls’ regulars and run through a set of standards for his two-night booking at that New York City club. Thankfully, for Weekend at Smalls, he opted for something a bit more challenging played by a group making their first appearance together — trumpeter Randy Brecker, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Billy Hart. All members of the group demonstrate why they are celebrated as venerable members of the jazz community— Brecker’s bold tone and fiery improvisations, Kikoski’s bluesy and shimmering style, Martin’s resonant and rock-solid support and Hart’s balance between swing and rhythmic exploration. Whether they are exploring the harmonic structure of “Winney’s Garden,” a contrafact based on “Sweet Georgia Brown;” plowing through modal pieces such as Kikoski’s “Shadow,” which he first recorded in 1994; embracing ballads such as Kikoski’s “Presage,” from his 1989 debut record or Brecker’s “Moontide;” having fun with Brecker’s “There’s a Mingus a Monk Us;” swinging through Kikoski’s upbeat “Ceclia;” or breathing new life into Thelonious Monk’s “Straight No Chaser,” the group achieves a level of cohesion and energy unmatched by many other “one-off” groups. As Kikoski explains,
“We’re all old friends — musically and personally — so it felt completely natural, like putting on a comfortable pair of sneakers.” But don’t let the comfort level fool you. This group of musicians, some of whom have been playing jazz for more than sixty years, could have easily phoned in this live session, but instead they telegraphed a listening experience packed with inspired energy, compelling tunes and outstanding solos. At times Weekend at Smalls reminds me of some of the finest sessions from the original Music Inc. with Stanley Cowell, Charles Tolliver, Cecil McBee and Jimmy Hopps. In my book, that’s as good as it gets for a small group session!

BOTTOM LINE: The most amazing thing about Weekend at Smalls is not the age of the players (55-84), but the youthful energy they bring to a set of original tunes and one Monk classic. They could have played it safe with standards, but pianist David Kikoski, trumpeter Randy Brecker, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Billy Hart opted to do what they do best — swing hard, play strong and do it with unexcelled passion.