JAZZ REVIEW: Bobby Lewis "Feels Like Spring" by Jeff Cebulski

Bobby Lewis. Feels Like Spring, Cool Horn Records, 2026.

By Jeff Cebulski ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bobby Lewis, trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, piccolo trumpet

Pat Mallinger, alto and tenor saxophone

Russ Phillips, trombone

Andy Brown, guitar

Pete Benson, piano

Jim Ryan, piano

Joe Policastro, bass

Stewart Miller, bass

Bob Rummage, drums

Including a 16-piece orchestra and a string quartet

The credits on trumpet hero Bobby Lewis’ recent Cool Horn Records release, Feels Like Spring, shows the estimable drummer Bob Rummage on three cuts…with no other drummer mentioned. So, what kind of an album is this? Feels Like Spring feels like an overview of Lewis’ career, but with fresh arrangement and production touches that reestablish the jazz veteran’s excellence in more than one genre.

The three Rummage-included selections are classic jazz swingers, including a pastiche of themes based on the locale of “Broadway.” “Nue Blue Hue” pops, with longtime mates Rummage, saxophonist Pat Mallinger, trombonist Russ Phillips, pianist Pete Benson, and bassist Joe Policastro comfortably moving the pace while Lewis demonstrates again his pristine tone, exquisite timing, and continued creativity. On Ernie Wilkins’ “Kansas City Shout,” guitarist Andy Brown joins in a sounds-like-successful attempt to replicate the Basie group featured on Count’s “Kansas City 7” album. The final piece, “Up and Down Broadway,” is Bobby’s creation that mashes “Broadway,” a ‘free’ insertion called “Off Broadway,” and a groovy “On Broadway,” sprinkled with city sounds.

The swing jazz is layered among more sedate fare, all touched by Lewis’ terrific tonality. “Largo” is a remastering of a 1996 recording, the ambiance of which didn’t quite satisfy Lewis. Now with a mix “capturing the resonance of a concert hall,” Lewis, Mallinger, and pianist Jim Ryan are part of a 16-piece orchestra presenting a portion of Dvorak’s New World Symphony, with Lewis playing exquisite solos on flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet. The title song dwindles that lineup down to three, with Brown and Benson supporting Bobby’s lovely solo. The classical bent occurs once more on Tchaikovsky’s “None But the Lonely Heart,” involving more Lewis flugelhorn, Ryan’s piano, and a string quartet. The last of a classical music-based trio, another mashup called “Old Fashioned Bach,” combines J.S. Bach’s Chorale Prelude #1 and Jerome Kern’s “I’m Old Fashioned,” with Brown and Miller in a delicate pairing that rides Lewis’ changes flawlessly, including a nice solo from Brown.

One other pared-down arrangement is “For All We Know,” a Lewis tribute to the late singer Karin Carpenter, with Bobby sounding a lot like the great Art Farmer while Brown provides background.

The sound of this album is also pristine, making it a treat to listen to beyond the high quality of performance. With Feels Like Spring, Chicago’s seemingly age-less Bobby Lewis continues to represent the album title and, as usual, rise above the pack.

For more info, go to bobbylewis.com.

About Jeff Cebulski

Jeff Cebulski, who lives in Chicago, is a retired English educator (both secondary and collegiate) and longtime jazz aficionado. His career in jazz includes radio programs at two stations in southeast Wisconsin, an online show on Kennesaw State’s (GA) Owl Radio from 2007 until 2015, and review/feature writing for Chicago Jazz Magazine since 2016, including his column "Jazz With Mr. C". He has interviewed many jazz artists, including Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, John Beasley, and Chris Brubeck, as well as several Chicago-based players. Jeff is a member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Contact Jeff at jeff@chicagojazz.com