Album Review: This Is Now from Pete Mills

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Album: This Is Now
Artist:  Pete Mills
Label:  Mighty Ernie Records 1003
Release Date: April 3, 2026
Artist Website:  www.petemills.com

Tenor saxophonist and Toronto-born Pete Mills fires up a swinging compilation of original material and one cover tune on his 2026 release This Is Now.   Joining him are drummer Matt Wilson, bassist Martin Wind, guitarist and co-producer Pete McCann, and pianist Kenny Banks Jr.   Moving in time with each other, Mills's band demonstrates a synchronicity that reels audiences in, spawning adventurous twists and honing smooth curves.

The band blazes on the title track with a fun and swinging romp that slinks into a balmy samba through "Sunset STX" with STX referring to the airport code for St. Croix.  The bluesy swagger of "Daddies" has an easy-going fluidity, shifting to a succession of improvised excursions along "Up To Go Down," as Mills's sax carves out peculiar angles interlacing with McCann's guitar strings bouncing around like billiard balls, colliding into the rampant splashing of Wilson's agile drumming.

The recording slows to a leisurely trot through "Bird Lives," as Mills and Banks Jr. play off each other, demonstrating their ad hoc dialogue between the sax and keys.  Coursing into the heady piece "Exit Strategy," Banks's keys ripple and flare with a nimbleness that draws a crowd while Wilson's drumming and Wind's palpitating bass  construct funky grooves.  The band slides into the lulling strokes of "3 Kisses" with aplomb, and segues into the perky shuffle of "Don't Stomp on My Dream."

A dreamy melody, "Window Shopping" invokes a laid-back mood, cruising into the twinkling rhumba-esque shimmies of "Sliver of Silver," a tribute to the music of hard bop pianist Horace Silver.   "Boubar" is a consonant aggregate of blues, soul, psychedelic funk, and eclectic bop, transitioning into the lyrical musings of "UMMG," Mills's reworking of Billy Strayhorn's original piece.

Mills's love of life is discernible in his playing and interaction with his band.  Their intuitive engagement brings out a congruent synchronicity, fashioning enthralling excursions that draw in audiences.

Musicians:
Pete Mills - tenor saxophone
Kenny Banks Jr. - piano
Pete McCann - electric and acoustic guitar
Martin Wind - bass
Matt Wilson - drums

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