I've watched enough concert films and listened to enough live albums to know that jazz is one of those things that either translates beautifully in person or falls completely flat depending on who's holding the horn. Charlie Porter is a name I've been hearing pop up in jazz circles for a while now, and the guy has the credentials: Grammy-recognized, New York-based, a trumpeter with a sound that feels both classic and current.

He's got a new album called Sci Fi Standards Vol 1: The Future We Knew, and the concept is right in my wheelhouse. Porter took themes from iconic sci-fi films, Star Wars, Dune, Blade Runner, Alien, The Terminator, and reimagined them through a jazz lens. That's the kind of premise that could go sideways in the wrong hands, but from what I've heard so far he pulls it off with genuine reverence for the source material rather than treating it as a gimmick. You can read the full details over at Eugene Weekly's piece on Porter, which gets into his background, the album, and what to expect from the set.

What I find interesting about Porter, at least from what I've been listening to, is that his stuff has this layered quality where the rhythm section doesn't feel like it's just backing him up. They sound like they're in conversation with him. That's the mark of someone who's spent real time listening, not just performing. Too many instrumental albums feel like a solo project with sidelines, and Porter's work doesn't. At least from what I've heard so far.

I haven't reviewed the full album yet, partly because I'm still sorting out what's widely available versus what's still forthcoming, but there's a warmth to the production that makes me think it'll sound fantastic live. From a pure listening standpoint it's the kind of jazz that doesn't require a degree in music theory to enjoy. You just feel it.

If you're in the Eugene area, this feels like one of those shows you'll regret missing when someone brings it up six months from now. Serious player, new material, a concept album that treats sci-fi scores with actual musical respect. Good combination.