This recording of a 2019 concert in Chicago that gives an excellent display of today’s generation of upcoming leaders. Trumpeter Marquis Hill sounds like he’s taken the baton from the likes of Woody Shaw, fronting a band with breathy saxist Walter Smith III, vibist Joel Ross, piano man James Francies, bassist Harish Raghavan and deft drummer Kendrick Scott. All of these gents currently lead bands of their own, so to hear them together is a royal treat.
Almost everyone gets a solo area, with Scott rumbling through his “Oracle”, Francies sounding classy on “Farewell”, Raghavan lyrical on “Perpetual”, Ross radiant on “Lullaby” and Smith blowing smoke rings during “Walter Speaks”. Together, sparks fly on the firey “A Portrait of FOla”, Hill glides on his muted horn on the hip “Autumn”, is open on his solo “ New Paths” while bopping with delight on the incendiary “Law And Order”, and drop dead gorgeous over Raghavan’s line on “New Gospel”. The music is live, and the band is alive!