Pianist Billy White's debut recording, First Things First, is a glimpse into a musically omnivorous world reminiscent of a young Herbie Hancock. The San Francisco-born and New York-based 27-year old has already packed a panoply of experience into his young career: a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA, a stint with French jazz/hip-hoppers Heezbus while living in Paris, scoring films, and studying Gnawa trance music in Morocco, to name a few. But First Things First is his crowning achievement so far. Featuring Dayna Stephens on saxophone, Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Yunior Terry on bass and Steve Belvilus on drums, the record ripples with influences that reflect White's wide-ranging sensibilities: from modern pianists like Brad Mehldau, and Omar Sosa to rhythms inspired by the sounds of subway trains passing overhead.
