Along The Way – Jon Gordon

Note from Don Sickler: I know Jon Gordon and Bill Charlap have been friends and have been playing together since their teenage years. I know this personally, since I was very fortunate to get to work with them (as well as Sean Smith) in a "Young Sounds" program that I headed for Local 802 of the Musicians Union when they were teenagers.

Obviously, I was blessed to have some marvelous young talent to work with in that program. Hearing Bill and Sean playing together on this recording brings back a lot of great memories. I don't know when Jon and Bill Stewart first met, but I know that Bill has also played an important role in many of Jon's own recordings. "Shape Up" is this their first release together on jazzleadsheets.com, but you'll see Bill playing with Jon on other Jon Gordon releases to come. My discographical research shows they first recorded together in 1992; this recording is Bill Stewart's first recording with either Bill Charlap or Sean Smith.

Jon Gordon writes, "This was written at my friend Bill Mays’ cabin in the woods in Pennsylvania during a ten-day stay I had by myself there. There was a great piano and unlimited time to practice and write. I was looking for a short piece with nontypical phrases and form and with interaction between the melody and bass line. I recorded this on a CD of the same name with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Joe Martin and Billy Drummond. Bill Charlap also recorded this with Sean Smith and Bill Stewart on a CD called "Distant Star" (click on the first album cover above for more information)."