It is about time that one of the best bassists in town has released an album as a leader. Audiences and listeners have seen Peter Harris hold down the bottom with everyone from Preservation Hall to Nicholas Payton, Tim Laughlin to the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars. On his debut The Jackal, Harris assembles a fine band with the best of the local jazz cats to play a great mix of originals and standards. Overall, this record is modern in a classic jazz sense. Even Harris’ original tunes have a coherence and energy that make them sound like jazz standards. They have catchy melodies, great solos and direction—they go someplace with purpose instead of rehashing old ideas.

A tune like “Three” has a lilting, pretty line with great bass lines that lead into the short bass solo version of Sidney Bechet’s “La Petite Fleur.” To do this bass only is a daring move, but this great idea catches the spirit of Bechet with great execution. Other great originals here include the jaunty swing of “True” and the fun bounce of “Looky Here,” which switches between more conventional and wilder free-sounding sections. All Harris’ bandmates play with style and distinction, especially the reeds with Aaron Fletcher, Rex Gregory, and Derek Douget (can we get a solo record from him? He’s been tearing it up on record this past year) digging in and going for it on burners like Oscar Pettiford’s “Bohemia After Dark.” Records like this are not usually thought of as good party records, but the positive energy and classic hip (not the bushy mustache, plaid suspender and retro t-shirt that defines hip today) sound of this will definitely increase the buzz of any individual or groups where it is playing.