Pianist Sullivan Fortner, who was a regular member of Jazz Gallery co-founder and late trumpeter Roy Hargrove’s band, and has collaborated with artists including Paul Simon and Samara Joy, performed a series of piano duo sets at the Jazz Gallery in Midtown Manhattan Oct. 3-4. The New Orleans native musician showcased his talents alongside jazz giants and young prolific voices in the genre, kicking off the limited run of shows alongside legendary pianist and composer George Cables, who has collaborated with Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, and Freddie Hubbard, and has fronted acclaimed group, “The Cookers,” since 2010.
Forner was also joined over the weekend by Jason Moran, David Virelles, and Kris Davis. These performances were a part of a series of special 30th anniversary concerts. The Jazz Gallery has provided space for musical exploration from genre mainstays and emerging talent since Roy Hargrove co-founded the venue with WBGO correspondent Lezlie Harrison and Dale Fitzgerald in 1995. The venue champions access to artistic resources through affordable membership programs and live streams.
Fortner, a prolific and unique voice in jazz for over two decades, was all smiles as he sat at one of two pianos staged in the 5th-floor venue. “Thank you all for coming to my hanging – my execution,” he joked at the microphone, acknowledging the gravitas of Cables, who was seated at the piano opposite him. “It’s good to have witnesses,” he laughed. “It really is an honor.”
Fortner briefly reminisced about his first time meeting Cables before the elder pianist launched into a rendition of “Alone Together,” a 1932 composition by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. The tune set the precedent for the night, as the duo largely explored classic compositions — standards, as they are known in jazz. The players’ voices at times blended seamlessly — as one singular unit, it was difficult to sever the connection between, not just the players themselves, but the audience as they expanded on the well-known tune Miles Davis’ “All Blues.”
Both members of the duo enacted different roles in the performance traditionally taken on by bass players, drummers, and, of course, soloists, showcasing the diverse range and percussive nature of playing the piano. Cables at one point took the microphone in between tunes, referring to Fortner as “the future of this music,” expressing his excitement to be there. Nonetheless, it was “a little nerve wracking,” Cables professed to the audience, laughing. The Jazz Gallery offers several discounts for student members, and most performances are live-streamed.
You can learn more about memberships and upcoming shows at the Jazz Gallery at jazzgallery.org and stay up to date with Sullivan Fortner at sullivanfortnermusic.com.