Immanuel Wilkins: Blues Blood

One of the leading sounds of the younger alto saxists, Immanuel Wilkins puts together a thoughtful and thought-provoking reflection akin to a concept album for his third Blue Note release. It includes Micah Thomas/p, Rick Rosato/b, Kweku Sumbry/dr and vocalists Ganavya, June McDoom and Yaw Agyeman, who present a story about a 1964 prison beating. Guests Chris Dave/dr, Marvin Sewell/g and Cecile McLorin Salvant bring in cameo performances, as Ms. Salvant is bohemian on the mellow “Dark Eyes Smile”, Dave teams with Agyeman on “the drifiting “If That Blood Runs Fast” and Sumbry gallops with Ganvya on “Everything”. There are lots of segments of background voices, noices and effects that are almost like a soundtrack to the event, with Wilkins adding an ethereal tone to “Matte Gaze”. Except for the hard bopping and driving “Blues Blood”, the album is a musical message, taking you into the dark corners of injustice. Somber sounds and scenes.

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