Podcast 861: A Conversation with Alex Norris

Of said this of musicians before, but in so many ways, trumpeter Alex Norris is the personification of a working jazz musician. As a sideman, especially in big bands like the Mingus Big Band and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, he is a fixture. He's called upon to contribute to recordings by legends like George Colligan and Pat Martino. He teaches and gives lessons online. And, when he's not too busy and wants to relax, he records albums as a leader with his quintet of long-time colleagues. His latest release, Fleet from the Heat, on the SteepleChase label, showcases Alex and his band (tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose, pianist Jeremy Manasia, bassist Paul Gill and drummer Brian Floody) playing the kind of straight-ahead jazz that lovers of mid-Sixties Blue Note recordings will really dig. The band is tight, the compositions (all by Alex) are swinging, and the result is a highly satisfying listen. Podcast 861 is my conversation with Alex, whose wry sense of humor permeates our talk. We talk about why his work schedule has been booked solid, working on Fleet from the Heat during the pandemic, how he writes and structures his tunes, and he recalls his work with the late Pat Martino on the 2017 release Formidable (Note - this conversation took place just prior to Pat's passing). Musical selections from Fleet from the Heat include "Quarandemic " and the boogaloo "Dude, Where's My Deli?," both parts of what Alex calls "The Famous Original Pandemic Suite." We also hear "On the Stairs" from Martino's Formidable album, featuring Norris with organist Pat Bianchi, drummer Carmen Intorre Jr. and tenor saxophonist Adam Niewood.