Prior to his first set with bassist Ben Tervort and drummer Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House on Sunday, April 3, saxophonist and bandleader Drew Williams told the audience of about 30 that the show marked the first time his child was in attendance at one of his public performances.
As the toddler contentedly played with doting adults, at least one member of the audience was overwhelmed with a correspondingly childlike sense of wonder. The trio’s invigorating 45-minute volley of improvised music simultaneously honored and augmented Kansas City’s jazz legacy.
Williams characterized an original composition consisting of six pages of notated music a “behemoth.” The ambitious undertaking- along with a trace of electronics on the opening selection- makes Williams susceptible to accusations of trafficking in an academic form of jazz.
A muscular version of Charlie Parker’s “Cheryl” refuted any potential priggish denunciations from conservative devotees of mainstream sounds. Williams’ return to a Kansas City stage following an extended residency in New York was a triumph. The big city’s loss is Kansas City’s gain.