Photo: Mauro Zanotto

It’s always great to see a busy sideman stepping into a starring role. June 16 will see the release of Byzantine Monkey (Firehouse 12), the bandleading debut of John Hébert. The Louisiana-born bassist, who first came to prominence in 2006 as a member of the late pianist Andrew Hill’s last working band, has since made himself an indispensable presence on the local scene. He’s led bands here and there, but most of his recent gigs have found him playing a supporting role. On Byzantine Monkey, two of Hébert’s recent employers, saxists Tony Malaby and Michaël Attias, feature prominently. Listen below to the way Malaby’s soprano and Attias’s baritone entwine around the bassist’s hauntingly folkish melody on “Acrid Landscape,” and keep an eye on the Firehouse 12 site for more info on the upcoming record.