Now In Time

Now In Time captures a powerful performance from veteran bassist Nat Reeves. Recorded with an all-star ensemble personally selected by Reeves, the album stands as both a celebration of his 70^th birthday and a reflection on a distinguished career spanning more than four decades. Joined by Eddie Henderson, Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, Orrin Evans, and Jeff “Tain” Watts, Reeves leads a group whose collective experience and chemistry bring depth, energy and nuance to every performance.

Over the course of his career, Reeves has collaborated with an extraordinary roster of jazz legends including Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, Kenny Garrett, Mulgrew Miller and Pharoah Sanders, while also shaping generations of musicians through his four decades as a professor at the Hartt School. Now In Time draws on that legacy, with a repertoire that reflects key artistic relationships and influences. The selections include compositions associated with many of these collaborators, alongside contributions chosen by the ensemble and original works by Reeves himself, creating a program that bridges tradition and contemporary expression.

Rooted in live performance, the recording emphasizes immediacy, interplay, and the enduring vitality of jazz as a living art form. Reeves’ bass work anchors the ensemble with authority and sensitivity, while the band’s dynamic range allows each piece to unfold with clarity and purpose. Now In Time is both a retrospective and a forward-looking statement, capturing a moment of reflection within the ongoing flow of a remarkable musical journey. 

Press

“Everyone gets a chance to show why each one is at the top of his field, but Reeves keeps all the stallions together, even showing his lyrical chops on trio pieces like the fun ‘For RJ’, a Bill Evansy teaming with Evans on ‘Waltz For Ellis’ and some rich intros before Davis slides in on ‘Alice In Wonderland’ and Henderson pops in for ‘On Green Dolphin Street’. Alexander is a monster throughout, warm as all get out on ‘Appointment in Ghana’ and flexing his chops on ‘Katea’s Dance’ with all of the horns riding over Watts’ tower on ‘Blue Ridge’. Now’s the time!” George W Harris, Jazz Weekly, July 2026

“The album’s most touching moments arrive when Reeves turns inward…to reveal a deeply personal side, while his occasional use of cello adds a fresh timbral dimension.” Veronica Johnson, DownBeat, July 2026 4 Stars

“While the term ‘all-star’ is no doubt overused, every member of Reeves’ stellar sextet deserves mention whenever the imposing stature of contemporary jazz musicians is being debated. All-stars? That’s a matter of taste and opinion. Suffice to say they are exemplary, as is Reeves’ latest recording, Now in Time. Nothing more need be said.” Jack Bowers, All About Jazz, May 2026

“The well-traveled bassist, Nat Reeves, was given a welcome gift at his 70th birthday party from The Side Door Jazz Club owner Ken Kitchings—the chance to record an album with whomever he wanted. So he picked an all-star band—Steve Davis (trombone), Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Eric Alexander (tenor), Orrin Evans (piano) and Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums). The result celebrates Reeves’ saxophone mentors, and it is—as you might expect from a man who has recorded with Jackie McLean, Pharoah Sanders and Sonny Stitt— straight-ahead with a touch of ‘new thing’.” Jim Motavalli, The New York City Jazz Record, August 2026

“Jazz is where you find it, and not all of it is in urban clubs. The Side Door Jazz Club is attached to the historic Old Lyme Inn, which Ken and Chris Kitchings bought in 2011…featuring top talent from New York and elsewhere.

Ken Kitchings is all in with Hartford-based bassist Nat Reeves, not only booking his all-star band for a sold-out two-night engagement but putting out his album with much the same personnel, Now in Time. On the album, he has Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Steve Davis on trombone, Eric Alexander on fiery saxophones, Orrin Evans on piano, and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums.

The show was lovely, featuring (as does the album) compositions from Reeves himself augmented by those of his mentors and sometime-employers (including Sonny Stitt, Kenny Garrett and Mulgrew Miller). Reeves is a 20-year veteran of bass pedagogy at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, where the illustrious saxophonist Jackie McLean was a sponsor, bringing Reeves up from his native Virginia. Reeves appears on six albums by the late McLean, as well as nine with Steve Davis and another five with Eric Alexander. Yes, these folks have played together before.

Still, there aren’t many clubs like the Side Door. Or shows featuring the likes of the Nat Reeves Quintet. Listen to my WPKN interview with Nat Reeves here.” Jim Motavalli, Music Without Borders, August 2026