Trumpeter Josh Lawrence has a nicely compressed approach to his trumpet – a sound that's sometimes got the more focused vibe of an early Miles Davis, along with all the sense of sparkle that might imply – yet with a delivery that's got a lot more space between the notes, and which really catches the best sort of energy from his hip bandmates on the date! Willie Morris III provides some sharper lines on tenor, and the rhythm work is wonderfully warm and fluid – with Art Hirihara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and either Rudy Royston or Jason Tiemann on drums. Lawrence contributed some great original material to the record – "Left Hanging", "Cantus Firmus", "North Winds", and "Black Keys" – and Morris contributed the cuts "Grit" and "Hole In The Wall". CD

Maybe the first album we've ever seen from trumpeter Josh Lawrence – and a set that will definitely have us looking out for more! Lawrence composed almost every tune on the set, and works with a sense of color that really lives up to the title – on lines that are sometimes nicely compressed and subtle, and blown on flugelhorn – sometimes bold and vibrant, soaring out in the company of an excellent group that includes Caleb Curtis on some especially nice alto and flute! The keyboards shift throughout – as Orrin Evans plays acoustic piano on five titles, and Adam Faulk handles Fender Rhodes on seven more – creating a nice shift in color that furthers the spirit of the tunes, driven by rhythm work from Madison Rast on bass and Anwar Marshall on drums. Titles include "Black", "An Uptown Romance", "Yellow", "Presence", "The Conceptualizer", and "Green". CD

Maybe the first album we've ever seen from trumpeter Josh Lawrence – and a set that will definitely have us looking out for more! Lawrence composed almost every tune on the set, and works with a sense of color that really lives up to the title – on lines that are sometimes nicely compressed and subtle, and blown on flugelhorn – sometimes bold and vibrant, soaring out in the company of an excellent group that includes Caleb Curtis on some especially nice alto and flute! The keyboards shift throughout – as Orrin Evans plays acoustic piano on five titles, and Adam Faulk handles Fender Rhodes on seven more – creating a nice shift in color that furthers the spirit of the tunes, driven by rhythm work from Madison Rast on bass and Anwar Marshall on drums. Titles include "Black", "An Uptown Romance", "Yellow", "Presence", "The Conceptualizer", and "Green". CD

Trumpeter Josh Lawrence works here with his Color Theory group – a great name for the combo, given how vivid they can be with their many hues! The music is soulful and swinging, yet also quite lyrical too – maybe in modes that recall some of the late 60s Blue Note work of McCoy Tyner or Horace Silver, but much more horn-heavy overall – as Lawrence blows alongside Caleb Curtis on alto and David Gibson on trombone – both players who are very well-suited to the mission of the group. Zaccai Curtis plays piano – and Fender Rhodes on one track – and Orrin Evans guests on the acoustic keys on two tunes. The group's completed by Luques Curtis on bass and Anwar Marshall on drums – and most tunes are originals by Josh, with titles that include "Accompanied Contrast", "Circles On Black", "Dominant Curve", "Blues On The Bridge", and "In The Black Square". CD

Orrin Evans is a hell of a pianist, but he's also a hell of a bandleader too – stepping out here with his excellent Captain Black Big Band – an always-great unit that shows off a whole new dimension of Evans' mighty talents! The music is rich and bold right from the start – and clearly, the leader is much more of a mutual participant in the proceedings than the boss – as the horns alone have these individual flourishes and power as a whole that's really amazing – a sense of color and richness that's very distinct from Orrin's piano, and which maybe gets even more presence in the mix. Players include Todd Bashore, Immanuel Wilkins, and Caleb Wheeler Curtis on alto saxes; Josh Lawrence, Sean Jones, and Thomas Marriott on trumpets; David Gibson, Reggie Watkins, and Stafford Hunter on trombones; Troy Roberts on tenor; Stacy Dillard on soprano; Luques Curtis and Madison Rast on bass; Jason Brown and Mark Whitfield Jr on drums; and Evans on piano. A few tracks feature slight vocal contributions – and titles include "That Too", "A Time For Love", "Proclaim Liberty", "Tough Love", and "I'm So Glad I Got To Know You". CD

One of the most spiritual, most well-conceived sessions we've heard from reedman David Boykin in years – a single performance that runs for almost 30 minutes, featuring a totally hip lineup that includes Nicole Mitchell on flute, Joshua Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, Eliel Sherman Storey on tenor, and Avreeyal Ra on drums! The key element here, though, is Lasana Kazembe – who delivers a powerful spoken passage at points – these righteous words about our fair city of Chicago, with a powerful message about the city and life within. Lawrence Jones adds congas to the proceedings, Zahra Glenda Baker sings a bit, and the whole thing resonates with a mix of jazz, spoken word, and spiritual message that takes us back to some of our favorite recordings of the 70s! CD