Air Mobile

Bill Heid is well known as a great jazz organist on recordings, but for the majority of his numerous club dates, he plays the acoustic piano. So for his staunchest fans the issue of Air Mobile might be a surprise in that he plays the 88's exclusively. What remains a constant is that he has written all of the material on the date, and keeps the quality of the music very high by employing such first-rate accompanists as bassist Dwayne Dolphin, the great veteran kit drummer Roger Humphries, and hand drummer George Jones. Brother George Heid is the engineer, making the session sound as sweet and clean as possible. Perhaps Bill Heid does not play as nasty and dirty as he might on the B-3 organ, but his immense talent is no less diminished or evident. In fact, you might hear more of his influences, including the block chords and fleet lines à la McCoy Tyner, the rivaled virtuosity of Oscar Peterson, and the subtle harmonic dynamics of Red Garland or Bill Evans. For sheer hard bop, the title cut and "Moorefield Mojo" offer clutchless speed in sixth gear and ability to split on a moment's notice, while the loping slightly Latinized "Blues in the Airport" and "Boomph!" reflect the smart, classic Peterson touch. "Spring Tones" and "Blue Ice Cubes" reveal the elegance Heid is able to generate in hushed tones, while these compositions parallel those of Wayne Shorter or Herbie Hancock. Deeper into the Tyner/Hancock harmonic mold is the waltz "Saying Goodbye," while "You Don't Even Know" is a lithe jog reminiscent of another of Heid's fellow Pittsburghians, Ahmad Jamal. Never far from the blues, Heid sings, and quite well, on "Same Old Blues" with the adage "the more things change, the more things stay the same," while "Wondering Blues" reflects the self-doubt of whether she is or isn't. Dolphin is a major player as demonstrated during his solo on "Moorefield Mojo" or the intro to "Same Old Blues," while Humphries is the steady and masterful rhythm pilot he always has been. Those who prefer Heid's organ nuttiness and wild virtuosic excursions on that dual duty instrument should also be pleased with this worthwhile addition to his thankfully growing discography. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi