BILL HELLER, "Coastal Blue"

During his whirlwind 20+ year tenure as touring and recording keyboardist for contemporary jazz supergroup The Rippingtons, Bill Heller counts two enduring blessings above all others – the opportunity to vibe with some of the genre’s most creative and esteemed saxophonists (Eric Marienthal, Jeff Kashiwa, Paul Taylor) and learning from group founder and sonic architect Russ Freeman the value and excitement of creating instrumental albums around a specific theme that drives an exciting narrative in the listener’s mind.

When Heller joined the Ripps in the late 90s, the first album he worked on was Topaz, which had a Southwestern theme. The discography from there rolled like a travelogue/lifestyle peek into Freeman’s far-reaching passions and interests – including Life in the Tropics, Let it Ripp (about golf), Wild Card (a deep exploration of Cuban-American salsa and Latin Jazz), Modern Art and Cote D’Azur (which featured French, Latin, Gypsy and Euro rhythms).

Tapping into this aesthetic but bringing his own life story into the mix, Heller’s upcoming album Coastal Blue shares the Long Island native’s love for the sea, with titles, melodies, rhythms and soundscaping that emotionally captures the feeling of being by the sea. Growing up, he spent a lot of time on the water, fishing with his uncle off the south shore of Long Island, and also digging for clams along the shore with friends. On various jazz cruises, when Heller looks out at the water, he feels that same kinship with the sea, the comfort of its calm and the energy of the waves.

The collection’s lead single, the title track “Coastal Blue” offers some nifty, edgy electronic percussion elements in the intro before evolving into a magnificently breezy light funk manifestation of the seafaring theme. It starts out with the emotional thrust of Marienthal’s inimitable funky-cool sax and lush synth atmospheres before Heller’s joyous, lighthearted and deeply infectious piano melody pops in, giving vibes like sunlight dancing on the water.

There’s an incredible duality from the get-go, as the two musicians engage in a colorful conversation, with Marienthal playing off the main keyboard flow. At times, they’re also in pertfect synch and harmony, creating dual excitement over the seductive mid-tempo flow. As the tunes continues to drift on the water, so to speak, Heller and Marienthal take their artistry to ever more freewheeling heights with dynamic improvisations and conversational dynamics.

Although the 12-track album ventures into Latin jazz and classic styled jazz fusion jamming, its core is a large handful of picture-perfect radio cuts with soulful, funk-jazz flair. “Coastal Access” follows Heller’s 2024 single “Ripp Tide” (also included) as a fresh, exciting adventure promising so much more to come.