Sultan Stevenson - Faithful One (2023)

Sultan Stevenson is just twenty-two years old. And yet this debut album, Faithful One, shows vividly the scope of what he can do, together with the promise of much more to come: this fascinating pianist is also the composer of a compelling range of music for trio and quintet. He is reserved in his manner, and yet quite clearly a highly effective bandleader. Perhaps most importantly, he is a persuasive thinker about music… how it works… how it flows.

Sultan is Londoner with roots in the Caribbean (his parents are of Barbadian and Vincentian descent). He is a product of both Tomorrow’s Warriors and the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy (JJJA). Sultan is the first to admit that he has absorbed the work of many of the greats of the jazz piano – there has clearly been time well spent living with the music of McCoy Tyner, Geri Allen, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Kirkland – but that is only a part of his story. His faith as a young Christian is ever-present, as is his deep appreciation of Black gospel music, bebop, swing, reggae, funk and hip-hop as well as the history of Africa and the African diaspora which are part of his identity….

-Sebastian Scotney for London Jazz News