Space Squid

“Happy Walk” shows that drummer Bill Stewart can drive traditional swing with the best of them. But he’s just as interested in exploring the coloristic capabilities of his instrument: Check out the variety of textures he draws from his kit during the introduction of “End of Earth.” Working with sidemen who understand his approach, including the lyrical sax player Seamus Blake and the melodic bass wonder Ben Street, Stewart fills his program with originals that bear traces of his experience in the post-fusion scene—though the unique propulsion behind this set is his own.