One of the best drummers of the day, Johnathan Blake shows his writing skills here with his band Pentad on this recent recording. He brings together Dezron Douglas/b David Virelles/p, Joel Ross/vib, Immanuel Wilkins/as for a mix of his own tunes along with that of Douglas, Virelles and the late drummer Ralph Peterson. The album has a personal feel to it, with the songs a dedication to his inspirational elders, including his father (who is pictured on the cover in an intimate family pose).
Blake’s mallets give a solemn solo to open things up with on “Lament For Lo” before the team digs into a canter, with Wilkins clean and peppy on “Passage”. There are some spacey sounds teamed with Virelles on “Muna & Johna’s Playtime” before the team goes into a fun tango on “Tiempos”. There’s some fun and funky soul with hip vibes by Ross on “Groundhog Day” with more delicate chiming on the gentle “Tears I Cannot Hide”. Douglas delivers a thoughtful into to what eventually becomes a hip-hopper “A Slight Taste” with things ending on a soulful strut for “West Berkley St.” A mix of generational pulses