Alexis Valet – Following The Sun

In the autumn of 2022, vibraphonist Alexis Valet flies to New York in search of new adventures. He would stay for three months, scouring the jam sessions at Fat Cat and Smalls, performing in the city’s clubs and soaking up the musical atmosphere of this jazz mecca where reputations are made and broken.

In the course of his peregrinations, Alexis Valet meets saxophonist Dayna Stephens (Brad Mehldau, Kenny Barron, Billy Hart), pianist Aaron Parks (Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joshua Redman), bassist Joe Martin (Mark Turner, Jérôme Sabbagh) and young drummer Kush Abad (Wallace Roney, Ethan Iverson, Géraud Portal), who accompany him impeccably in this collection with its emblematic title, a true culmination of his stay in the Big Apple.

It features Alexis Valet‘s expertly written compositions, evocative of his New York experience. All enhanced by the virtuoso discourse of a quintet capable of producing a contemporary music, also borrowing from the be bop tradition and nourished by a groove animated by the dynamic drumming of Kush Abadey and the pulsation generated by Joe Martin (Cypher).

All this is appears in Dayna Stephens‘ tenor solos (Ups and Downs), Aaron Parks‘ brilliant improvisations (June) and the leader’s ever-inspiring interventions (Following the Sun).

An album that distills the true virtues of jazz.