Joe Alterman

Plays Les McCann: BIG MO & Little Joe

Self-released

Two friends for more than decade, Atlanta based pianist Joe Alterman, more than half a century Les McCann’s junior, delivers his heartfelt tribute to his bluesy piano mentor with Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann: BIG MO & Little Joe. Alterman covers all phases of McCann’s career from the Les McCann Ltd. Trio to his partnership with the great tenorist Eddie Harris, to his electric period, which, though arguably not as popular as the middle stage with Harris, presaged the jam band movement and was admired by Frank Zappa and A Tribe Called Quest. Alterman leads his Atlanta-based trio with bassist Kevin Smith and drummer Justin Chesarek. While Alterman caught McCann’s attention when they met at an Alterman gig in New York in 2012, their bond has been strong since. His trio mates are also intimately familiar with McCann’s compositions and the trio rarely performs without McCann having a presence via Alterman’s smartphone. By the way, McCann, as you probably know, no longer plays as he’s confined to a rehab facility in Los Angeles and is mobile only via a wheelchair.

This writer can’t recall any album being played more often while in college in the early ‘70s than McCann’s and Harris’ iconic Swiss Movement, but unfortunately none of those familiar tunes Like “Compared to What” and “Cold Duck Time” are represented here. McCann composed neither which may explain that as Alterman sticks strictly to McCann compositions. Now with that out of the way, let this serve as an introduction for many to McCann’s storied catalog which likely remains relatively undiscovered compared to the aforementioned album, especially since McCann’s trio recordings mostly spanned the full decade of the sixties when then college age kids like this writer, were not yet jazz fans.

Alterman kicks off with “Gone On and Get That Church,” a clear example of how McCann infused blues, gospel, and soul into his jazz piano playing. It’s from 1960’s Les McCann Ltd. In San Francisco. The lusty, muscular “Big Jim,” an ode to McCann’s dad, near of the end of the disc, also stems from the same album. “Could Be” is a swaying blues that was first recorded with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra in 1964 as was “The Stragler” before McCann began to explore the Fender Rhodes.  In his notes, Alterman references how McCann’s bluesy playing reminds a bit of Oscar Peterson except that it’s “dirtier.” On the tune “Big Jim” think of pianists in the blues idiom such as Kenny “Blues Boy” Wayne, Ben Levin, or Victor Wainwright. We could cite many in the jazz realms as well; Emmet Cohen, Mike LeDonne and Bill Charlap come to mind right away, and the late Ahmad Jamal and Ramsey Lewis are echoing too.

You may detect a funky element in “Someday We’ll Meet Again,” sourced from 1974’s Another Beginning while the soulful “Beaux J. Pooboo” traces to two McCann periods, the trio years and his overlooked 1971 fusion gem, Invitation to Openness, which featured Yusef Lateef, guitarist David Spinoza, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. (Highly recommended by the way). Alterman clearly plays off the Ltd. version, as bluesy a tune as any here. “Samia” is the one tune that traces to the McCann-Harris partnership, first appearing on 1971’s studio Second Movement. Here it begins as a gentle ballad before the trio builds momentum to the point of sheer exuberance not unlike the stomping “Ruby Jubilation,” which features nifty kit work from Chesarek, sourced from McCann’s 1977’s Music Lets Me Be.

“It’s You” with its blissful vibe traces to McCann’s little-known 2003 Vibrations, and album where he once again had some vocals. The ballad “Dorene Don’t Cry” just drips with chilling soul, another reference to McCann’s formative trio years. “Don’t Forget to Love Yourself” is a phrase Alterman heard on McCann’s voice messages. It’s actually a co-write between both pianists, originally intended to fill McCann’s lifelong dream of composing an alternative anthem for his native Kentucky but instead realized the two had composed a sublime ballad. “My Old Kentucky Home” continues to prevail in its stead.

Few tributes if any are more heartfelt than this one, and reciprocally so. McCann says this in the liners, “{Joe’s} music is from the soul. It’s real and it makes you feel joyous and happy…Knowing him is one of the great moments in my life and I’m so thankful. He makes me smile every day.” So many tributes are done at arm’s length. This has the feel of not just a trio but a foursome, as if McCann was in the same room.

• Jim Hynes

Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!

Join the movement in supporting Making a Scene, the premier independent resource for both emerging musicians and the dedicated fans who champion them.

We showcase this vibrant community that celebrates the raw talent and creative spirit driving the music industry forward. From insightful articles and in-depth interviews to exclusive content and insider tips, Making a Scene empowers artists to thrive and fans to discover their next favorite sound.

Together, let’s amplify the voices of independent musicians and forge unforgettable connections through the power of music

You can donate directly through Paypal!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter