Saxophonist Marcus Strickland continues the electric explorations of his previous project with Meshell Ndegeocello – but works here on his own, with his very cool Twi-Life group – which certainly opens up a whole new dimension in his music! Marcus blows sopranino, alto, tenor, and bass clarinet – in a group that also has Mitch Henry on a fair bit of keyboards, with live bass and drums, and occasional rhythm programs from Strickland himself, which bring a subtle complexity to the music! The sax solos are mostly right out front in the mix – but sometimes step aside for guest contributions from Greg Tate, Bilal, Pharoahe Monch, Akie Bermiss, Jermaine Holmes, and Weedie Braimah – on titles that include "Lullaby", "Build", "Aim High", "On My Mind", "Spirit Of The Music", "Relentlessness", "Marvelous", and "Black Love". CD

Saxophonist Marcus Strickland continues the electric explorations of his previous project with Meshell Ndegeocello – but works here on his own, with his very cool Twi-Life group – which certainly opens up a whole new dimension in his music! Marcus blows sopranino, alto, tenor, and bass clarinet – in a group that also has Mitch Henry on a fair bit of keyboards, with live bass and drums, and occasional rhythm programs from Strickland himself, which bring a subtle complexity to the music! The sax solos are mostly right out front in the mix – but sometimes step aside for guest contributions from Greg Tate, Bilal, Pharoahe Monch, Akie Bermiss, Jermaine Holmes, and Weedie Braimah – on titles that include "Lullaby", "Build", "Aim High", "On My Mind", "Spirit Of The Music", "Relentlessness", "Marvelous", and "Black Love". LP, Vinyl record album

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We've really grown to love pianist Orrin Evans in a trio setting, but he's a surprisingly strong talent at the helm of this large group too – an ensemble with a rich sound and a sense of feeling that really matches Evans' own piano! There's a boldness to the music that really brings out a whole new side of Evans – this sense of majesty that's always lurking in the way he approaches the keyboard in a smaller group, but which takes off here with work from a larger group of saxophones, trumpets, and trombones. Evans gets in many great solos – and other key moments come from Marcus Strickland on tenor or soprano sax, Stacy Dillard on tenor, Todd Bashore on alto, Conrad Herwig on trombone, Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet, and Ralph Peterson on drums. Titles include the originals "In My Soul", "Explain It To Me", "Dita", "Prayer For Columbine", and "Mother's Touch (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Bassist Christian McBride works here with a mighty striking group – a quartet that features Josh Evans on trumpet, Marcus Strickland on tenor and bass clarinet, and Nasheet Waits on drums – all players who give this record an edge that we're not used to hearing from Christian! The music was recorded live in St Louis, which might be part of the sound – but there's clearly a new mode of expression going on here from McBride, especially when he works his bass with lots of offbeat tones and bold moments that really seem to go past the usual! Waits really keeps the energy up too, and Strickland and Evans soar in all the right moments – on titles that include "The Middle Man", "Ballad Of Ernie Washington", "Ke-Kelli Sketch", "Walkin Funny", "Seek The Source", and "Kush". CD

Trumpeter Jimmy Owens always has something wonderful going on – a hell of a great player, and one who's grabbed our ears right from the start of his career with a string of memorable recordings! Yet somehow, in these later years, he seems even more inventive than ever – willing to try new things and start new projects, at a time when so many other older players might just be content to settle into more easygoing modes. After some recent work on the music of Thad Jones and Tom McIntosh, Owens turns his talents to this hip Monk Project – a recasting of Thelonious Monk compositions in new arrangements by Jimmy – put together in ways that really sparkle with soul, and take the tunes in some great new directions – still respecting their roots, but bringing in a warmth that we really love – all a great reminder that Monk intended these tunes not as strict compositions, but as a framework for new exploration. Of course, the group players are a big part of the sound here – and include Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Marcus Strickland on tenor, Howard Johnson on baritone, Kenny Barron on piano, Kenny Davis on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – on titles that include "Blue Monk", "Stuffy Turkey", "Let's Cool One", "Reflections", "Brilliant Corners", and "Espistrophy". CD

Christian Sands is a mighty warm piano player – a musician who's clearly got a great reach and range on the keyboard, but always comes across with a very personal, spontaneous sort of vibe! Sands could clearly overstate his case if he wanted – but he's also one of those pianists who know just how to hang back in the right way – letting the space around the notes do just as much work as the notes themselves – in a beautifully-linked core trio that includes Yasushi Nakamura on bass and Marcus Baylor on drums. Other elements come into the music at times – tenor and bass clarinet from Marcus Strickland, guitar from Gilad Hekselman, and percussion from Cristian Rivera – but it's the core cohesion of the trio that really makes the record sparkle – a fantastic setting for Sands' well-timed, well-chosen notes. Titles include "Song Of The Rainbow People", "Armando's Song", "Gangstalude", "Use Me", "Reaching For The Sun", "Freefall", and "Oyeme". CD

Bassist Ben Williams definitely comes of age here – serving up a set that's warmly balanced between acoustic and electric modes from the leader, and from the other musicians in the group! The album's got an open, soulful vibe that's not unlike some of the best contemporary projects on Blue Note in recent years – particularly those from the Robert Glasper camp – maybe a bit more straightforward than those, but with a wonderfully rich vibe – and just the right amount of space for guest stars who include Stefon Harris on vibes, Christian Scott on trumpet, and Goapele and W Ellington Felton on vocals. The core group has lots of great Fender Rhodes – plus soprano and tenor sax from Marcus Strickland – and titles include "Black Villain Music", "Voice Of Freedom", "Lost & Found", "The Color Of My Dreams", "Toy Soldiers", and "Half Steppin". CD