It seems almost as if the jazz gods were conspiring against Eli Howell. On the eve of the opening session for his debut album, lightning struck Troubadour Recording Studios at Michigan State University, where the trombonist earned both undergrad and master’s degrees. And, previously, he had developed focal dystonia, painful contractions of the facial muscles that can afflict horn players. However, these setbacks actually provided opportunities for him to test his mettle; he reconvened the musicians for the recording date at a makeshift studio, the stirring results of which can be heard on the new Steps Taken, and had battled back from his ailment with renewed purpose. “Coming back from that,” he says, “really made me find a lot of joy in playing again.” That joy — as well as several compositions he penned during his recovery — can be heard throughout Steps Taken, which launches with a cool and breezy modern arrangement of the Fiddler on the Roof classic “Matchmaker.” Part of the exuberance may also be attributed to Howell’s allstar bandmates, a lineup of heroes and mentors comprising alto saxophonist Sharel Cassity, trumpeter Brian Lynch, pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Steven Bowman and drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., who were likely rooting for him to succeed. Generating a little big band sound, the ensemble soars, with standout solos from Howell, Lynch and Cassity, and locked-in brilliance from the rhythm team. Los Angeles native Howell excelled outside the MSU campus, as well, working all over the world with artists such as Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Lewis Nash, Renee Rosnes and Bob James.
