Kenny Banks Jr. returns as Kenny Phelps' special guest

 On Christmas Eve eve, which some social-media wag has dubbed "Christmas Adam," Kenny Banks Jr.

Kenny Banks at work, bringing lights to the keyboard

returned to the Jazz Kitchen, where he first attracted widespread attention here. That splash was in the Premiere Series of the American Pianists Association jazz competition in 2018-2019, when he was one of the finalists.

Hearing the second set Saturday night, I was pleased to take in his pixieish, magpie range of bits and pieces of music he was able to relate to whatever he announced before or after. He had the joy of sharing the bandstand with two musicians hired for that competition's series of trio appearances at the durable jazz club: bassist Nick Tucker and drummer Kenny Phelps. The bond held, clearly.  It was Phelps' gig officially, but in his gracious introduction, he made clear that Banks would be shaping the performance.

The seasonal thrust was evident in the first piece, with considerable tweaking of the first phrases of "Joy to the World." Quotes from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" later inflected a performance Banks identified with a title of his own. Everything came full circle when the trio ended the set with a clever mash-up of "Amazing Grace" and "Jingle Bells" folded into "Take Five," the Paul Desmond tune that Dave Brubeck rode into eternity. T'he blend was unexpected but worked marvelously.

The most surprising extended alliance had Miles Davis' "So What" consorting with "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," prompting the speculation that the combination amounted to an agnostic take on Advent. It was enchanting, in any case, and didn't require an explanation in terms of the third tune evoked: George Gershwin's "Summertime." There were significant turns in the spotlight for Tucker and Phelps.

A test of ensemble cohesion was a Banks original, "Loons," which he introduced by hinting that its focus is the craziness of intimate relationships and their juxtapositions of devotion and hostility.  The material thus put sweet and barbed episodes side by side. The music abruptly changed directions, but the trio dependably held everything together. 

Besides more than a full chorus on "Body and Soul," the bassist got an expansive outing in "Seven Steps to Heaven," in which a cameo appearance on the drum set came from the bandleader's son Dorian as his father took a break. Banks tried to make the meter challenging for Dorian Phelps, but the drummer hung in there creditably. Everything moved along brightly on the evergreem jazz standard by Victor Feldman for Miles Davis.

Banks' rapport with both Phelps drummers as well as Tucker was substantial, and remained inventive and joyful throughout the set. It's always good to connect again with APA jazz finalists after the time of their initial local eminence has passed. Christmastime is the ultimate season for good memories, and Banks plus the two Indianapolis musicians he bonded with a few years ago provided more of them on this "Christmas Adam."

[Photo by Mark Sheldon]