PIANIST SULLIVAN FORTNER & TRUMPETER AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE SORT OF RECREATE THE LANDMARK WEATHER BIRD AT THE UMS CONCERT SERIES

Pianist Sullivan Fortner & Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire

Sitting in Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Friday evening, listening to pianist Sullivan Fortner and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire perform their "Weather Bird" project, I could not help wishing the musicians discuss the making of the landmark record released in 1928 by Louis Armstrong and Earl "Fatha" Hines. If you wanted to know about the historical collaboration, there were a few remarks about the collaboration by Seton Hawkins in the program notes. The University Musical Society billed the concert as a re-creation of "Weather Bird." However, the 90-minute concert came off as two contemporary A-league swingers showing off their considerable chops, and the audience was ecstatic. Both musicians are accomplished. Fortner won the Cole Porter Fellowship from the American Pianists Association in 2015 and is currently the pianist for Grammy-winning vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant. In 2007, Akinmusire won the coveted Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and has well-received albums on Blue Note Records. They never discussed why Armstrong and Hines collaborated and its historical relevance. Chances are they did not know what inspired the collaboration. There were four songs in their set before they addressed the audience, sharing that they had just performed music by Fats Waller, Hines, and three originals. Then Fortner talked about the breadth of Akinmusire's musicianship and poked fun at him before they resumed playing. Aside from the musicians not letting on about why they decided to do this project or putting the original "Weather Bird" into any historical context, the music that Fortner and Akinmusire performed was exceptionally pleasing. The audience witnessed two of jazz's leading players showing what complete virtuosos they are, particularly Akinmusire, who dazzled with every note he played. Fortner came off as Akinmusire's accompanist, which Fortner seemed comfortable with. He had a goosebump-inducing moment near the concert's end when Akinmusire stepped aside, and Fortner stretched out on Hines's "Rosetta," Fortner's fingers danced and dashed along the piano keys as if possessed. Overall, the concert was packed with good music and memorable soloing. However, it is still worth noting that it could have been more pleasing had Fortner and Akinmusire put the landmark offering "Weather Bird" into some tangible context or what pushed them to try to recreate it.