Nicholas Payton has made quite a name for himself as one of the new breed of New Orleans jazz musicians who revere the historical signifigance of playing jazz in its birthplace even as they struggle with its status as a "historic" music that is suitable only for enshrining in documentaries and museums. Payton, Wynton Marsalis and his brother Branford, and pianist Marcus Roberts all acknowledge their roots, but they want to be relevant to a jazz audience today. Sometimes this dichotomy leads to an approach that is more academic than swinging, and does little to bring new listeners into the fold. Wynton Marsalis, in particular, has been criticized for his revisionist views of jazz history, in which influences other than pure blues are belittled or even ignored. Marsalis came in for criticism for his heavy influence (along with Stanley Crouch) on Ken Burns' Jazz, largely blamed (rightly or wrongly) for the things that Burns chose to leave out.

Nicholas Payton has chosen to be less influential as a jazz historian and consultant, but his influence as a musician, recording artist, and teacher are every bit as impressive as Marsalis'. His father, Walter, a well-known New Orleans bassist, turned Nicholas professional at age 8, taking him to march in a Mardis Gras Parade as part of the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. He portrayed Kansas City trumpeter Oran "Hot Lips" Page in Robert Altman's film Kansas City, and that appearance alone tells you all you need to know about what makes Payton special. It is the authority, the sheer statement that he makes simply by blowing a few notes your way. The way that Louis Armstrong and others spoke of Buddy Bolden's playing, the way that Wynton Marsalis and Payton himself speak of Artmstrong--that is the same way a future generation of trumpet players will speak of Nicholas Payton's playing. So what could be more appropriate than for Payton to record a selection of Armstrong's tunes that spans 40 years of the great Satchmo's career? I can hear the groans already--"Oh, no! Another traditionalist recording of music by New Orleans jazz greats!" Relax. Payton's newest recording for the Verve label, Dear Louis, doesn't slavishly repeat the work of one of jazz's greatest trumpet players. Instead, Payton uses the joy and vitality of Armstrong's work as a starting point for his own musical journey.

From the kickoff track, "Potato Head Blues" it is clear that what we're getting isn't a history lesson, but rather a demonstration of the best elements of jazz from any period. The fiery swing of the 11-piece unit is evident from the moment they follow Payton's intro, and never lets up. Clarinetist Bill Easley and pianist Anthony Wonsey provide nice solo turns before Payton steps in, playing Armstrong-strength solo breaks that erupt into another round of swinging ensemble work to take us home. "Hello Dolly" is a song certainly associated with Louis Armstrong, but it's hardly regarded as one of his great jazz works. Incredibly, Payton manages to totally reinvent this song with his imaginative, Gil Evans-inspired chart that features Kenyatta Simon's Latin percussion work on conga, djembe, agogo bells, and cuica. Tim Warfield takes a soothing soprano sax turn followed by a gorgeous flute trio statement of the melody before Payton solos on flugelhorn. Payton's flugelhorn work reminded me of Clark Terry as well as some of the more bop-inspired runs that informed Freddie Hubbard's earliest work. The number ends on a fluid jazz-bossa section that leaves you refreshed and ready for whatever else may come.

There are several vocal performances on this recording, and two of them are by Payton himself. He sings "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You" as well as "I'll Never Be The Same." There is nothing wrong with Payton's vocalising, but on the other hand there is no real convincing reason for him to have done them, except to have some fun. As Payton says: "I've been working on my voice in private for several years now. I'm just now starting to feel confident enough about my ability as a vocalist to record my singing. Plus, I think it's fun, and audiences seem to enjoy it. And as Pops said, 'It's good for the chops.'" That's fair enough, but I'm sure Payton realizes that there is nothing distinctive about his singing, as there was about Armstrong's raspy voice. The remainder of the vocals are left to professionals Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) and Dianne Reeves. Reeves does a relaxed "Sunny Side of the Street" while Dr. John gives the Satchmo treatment to the classic "Mack the Knife". The two collaborate on "Blues in the Night", the only vocal tune on the record that really stands up to the high standard of the instrumental numbers. Fortunately, the vocal numbers are every bit as imaginatively arranged by Mr. Payton as the instrumentals, so even if you don't care for the vocal work, your interest never really flags.

Payton has written all the arrangements and produced the recording himself, so the sound is thoroughly under his command, and it is simply beautiful throughout. It is another testament to his musicianship that he sounds equally at home in front of this quasi-Big Band as he does fronting his quartet or quintet. That he has a composer's ear is demonstrated not only by his arranging and compositional work here, but also by his choice of material. While some tracks were clearly chosen to include the lighter side of Armstrong's music, there is no denying the power of an arrangement like "Tight Like This", a number that was originally something of a novelty tune. It was only noteworthy because of Armstrong's trumpet solo work. Payton turns in a fine solo performance, including his paraphrase of Armstrong's intro to the number, but what really amazes here is an arrangement that stands with some of the really great big band charts.

Other standouts include the Latin arrangement of "The Peanut Vendor", which reminds me of some of Dizzy Gillespie's Latin jazz band arrangements, a "Tiger Rag" that evokes the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and a nice turn on one of Armstrong's most famous recordings, "West End Blues". Payton opens with the famous Armstrong trumpet cadenza, then shifts into a funky shuffle that could easily have gone wrong, but is bolstered by a number of hot solo turns, including Vincent Gardner on trombone and Melvin Rhyne at the organ.

Nicholas Payton has said that "Having technique and command of your instrument is fine, but I like musicians who make you feel something when you listen to them. Musicians who take the notes off the paper and make the music. Those who transmit the music into something emotional and makes you feel something. To me if music doesn't make you feel anything it serves no purpose." Payton has both technique and an emotional connection with the music that translates very clearly to his listeners. Fifty or sixty years from today, when jazz musicians and fans discuss the great jazz trumpet players--Bolden, Satchmo, Oliver, Miles, Clifford Brown, and others, the name of Nicholas Payton will be heard often.