PAPATAMUS REDUX

SELF PRODUCED (JUNE 1, 2026)

A group of young souls take on old school tunes on Introducing Ilhan. The young souls are Ilhan Saferali on trumpet, Brandon Saurez on tenor, Tyler Henderson on piano, Caleb Tobocman on bass and Willie Bowman on drums. The old school tunes, of which there are several that are totally new to me, include Matt Dennis’ “Compared To You,” a lyrical ballad that bares a striking similarity to Dennis’ “Everything Happens To Me;” and “Love is a Night Time Thing,” a tune Carmen McRae recorded on her 1964 “Haven’t We Met” release. The quartet brings new life to tunes I remember playing in dance combos back in the day (they do them much hipper than we ever played them) such as Bert Kaempfert’s “Danke Schoen” and Jule Styne’s “Everything Coming Up Roses.” They also tip their hat to Mr. Rogers with a bop-flavored version of “It’s You I Like.”  The approach the quintet takes on these tunes is right out of the hardbop playbook, including Saferali and Suarez often splitting the heads of the tunes. Saferali’s bright and melodic style is the perfect complement to Suarez’s breathy understated tone. Individual solos are also reminiscent of the hardbop era. On “Danke Schoen,” for example, Saferali interjects multiple quotes from other familiar tunes. He displays his more lyrical side on the tender ballad “Compared To You.” Henderson displays his bop chops on “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the chordal charm of Red Garland’s on “Compared To You” and soulful blues on the catchy melody of “Love Is a Night Time Thing.” Other than a drum solo on “It’s You I Like” and a bass solo on “Danke Schoen,” Tobocman and Bowman are content nd more than capable to add the needed energy and punch to these reworkings of familiar and unfamiliar material. Although here is nothing radically new with Introducing Ilhan, it is refreshing to hear these young souls appreciating and exploring old school tunes and even bringing new ones to light! The addition of the alternate takes may be interesting to some listeners, bu I would heve preferred that Saferali and the band included more overlooked and underplayed tunes from the 1950s – 1960s. Maybe on there next outing!

BOTTOM LINE: Originally from Vancouver, Canada. Trumpeter Ilhan Saferali is making a name for himself in New York City. On Introducing Ilhan, Saferali is joined with a group of other up and coming voices on a set of hardbop infused tunes that are over overlooked and underplayed. It may not be a groundbreaking session, but it does break the ground for a rising trumpeter on the scene.