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The album's hardly breakthrough for pianist Eldar Djangirov, given his success in recent years – but it is another bold step forward, served up in his richly flowing approach to the keys! Eldar's trio rolls out here with tight energy from the start – gathering force as they move forward, with a wonderful tangle of piano, bass, and drums – all effortlessly pulsing, dipping, and turning – even while Djangirov flows ahead on some wonderful free flights of his own! The approach is everything that's made Eldar such a strong new voice on the piano – and the group also features guest appearances from Chris Potter on tenor and Joe Locke on vibes – each on a different track. Titles include "Blink", "No Moon At All", "What'll I Do", "In Pursuit", "Morning Bell", "Point Of View Redux", and "Breakthrough".

Sharp tenor from the great JD Allen – a very striking set that's filled with all original compositions – work that really shows the way that Allen's grown strongly as both a writer and player in recent years! There's a sense of darkness to the record right from the start – a brooding intensity that finds a way to both move forward and fold back on itself – this kind of elliptical mode that's very compelling, and brought into strong focus by a quartet that features Eldar Djangirov on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Jonathan Barber on drums. Titles include "Grace", "Chagall", "Load Star", "Cross Damon", "Detroit", "Mass", and "The Little Dipper".