By Marilyn Lester***One hundred years ago, on August 15, 1925, Canadian jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson entered this world; his formidable legacy has been an influence on pianist-singer Quintin Harris, so it’s no surprise that Harris opened 
his Birdland set with a centenary tribute of one of the master’s staples, “Autumn in New York” (Vernon Duke), moving from balladic on-melody playing to an improvisational mid-section before simmering down to a book-ended ballad tempo. But he demonstrated he’s no Peterson clone, with a creative and individual piano style of his own. Yet audience admiration would have to wait: Harris plunged immediately into a spirited “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)” (Brooks Bowman), vocalizing in a warm baritone, with mirrored creative vocal and piano phrasing. The two back-to-back numbers firmly announced a tight band poised for a set of plentiful jazz goodies .
By a swinging “Tangerine” (Victor L. Schertzinger), there was no question that the trio was playing in the pocket, possessed of the magical sympatico that can happen in jazz, and when it does, underscores music’s ability to invoke and raise happiness vibes. Harris is also a generous leader, giving space to his men to shine and stretch out, and more particularly, in a trio, to go beyond the basic functions of their instruments: time-keeping for 
the bass and beat/rhythm maintenance for drums. Bassist Griffin Fink’s solo shone in the spotlight in this number, with a vibrant amalgam of chordal and melodic improvisations. (The excellent arrangement for this tune was by Harris and Fink.)
Drummer Aaron Seeber was not left out. In a tribute to the late and great drummer Roy Haynes (who died in November 2024 at age 99), the trio played a boppish and swinging “Sugar Ray,” composed by Haynes trio pianist Phineas Newborn Jr. It was here that Seeber cut loose, blending various rhythmic figures in the “snap-crackle” style that Haynes was noted for, integrated with his own sensitive, nuanced chops. Ending the set, 1918’s “After You’ve Gone” (Turner Layton) was an absolute barn burner, underscoring both the inherent durability of masterful standards and the power of arranging to keep them current and relevant.
Vocally, Harris offered a swinging Cole Porter: “I Love You” and an original ballad 
that could easily be taken for a standard of the Great American Songbook. Special guest, Anaïs Reno came to the bandstand for one tune, a charming arrangement of a lesser-known Duke Ellington number, “I Didn’t Know About You” (lyric by Bob Russell), sung in a trade-off duet with Harris. Perhaps there’s a future double-act in store?
With such a talented group, the Quintin Harris Trio is full of possibilities; there’s Harris the vocalist, Harris the solo jazz pianist and Harris the leader of a band with two other virtuosoc musicians. The potential combinations and permutations of presenting material are therefore thrilling. Harris found a workable balance in this set, but it wouldn’t hurt to add more solo piano. The cherry on the sundae: no music stands to be seen; this trio played without charts, the way it should be in a genre that’s all about the freedom of musical creativity and the infinite possibility of music notes. Bravo to them.
