Pianist and erstwhile vocalist Jihee Heo leads a trio of originals with bassist Marty Kenney and drummer Rodney Green on this album that mixes many a style. She gives a spoken intro to the post bopping title track, and allows Saidu Ezike a chance to rap through Green’s backbeat of the R&Bish Trust”. Her touch is highlighted on her lovely solo track “Letter To A Little Girl” and is rich for the elegiac “Dark and L ight”, relaxing with Kenney on “Streams In The Desert” and giving a gospel feel to “Blurring the Lines”. Modern eclecticism.
Will Vinson handles double duties, playing saxes and electric piano in trio format with the company of strong personalities in Pat Metheny-inspired guitarist Gilad Hekselman and Metheny drummer Antonio Sanchez. Vinson mixes the keyboards and soprano sax on the muscular and nimble “Northbound” and goes into dark corners with the two on “Oberkampf”. Hekselman picks and grins to Vinson’s alto sax to the clapping pulse of the Middle Eastern Elli Yeled Tov” and the team gallops in a blue hue to Sanchez’s “Gocta”. Sanchez is a wunderkind here, sending little messages underneath the rumbling pulsations, holding back and then p ushing forth on “Firenze” and supporting the Coltranesque rubato on “Will You Let It”. Masterly moments