A soulful and ambitious session from saxophonist Nathan Davis – a funky little gem that's got a lot more to offer than just a simple tribute to Dr King! Nathan penned the set in a mode that's expanded from most of his other albums – using larger horns and electric instrumentation to give the record a groove that's almost like funky 70s soundtrack work, but which is also offset by some shorter, more introspective tracks that feature spoken narration about King and his legacy – read by Donald M Henderson, and done in an extremely poetic way. The session's as righteous as it is grooving – and showcases a side of Davis' talents we never even knew he had – a rich larger musical vision, handled perfectly throughout! Nathan plays a range of reed instruments on the album, and Frank Cunimondo plays some sweet electric piano on the record – and singer Brenda Joyce provides lyrics on a few numbers as well. Titles include "Funk A Dilly Molly", "MLK", "Atlanta Walk", "Mean Business", "Latin Happ'n", and "New Dues". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic large project by Christian McBride – maybe one of his most ambitious records ever, and one that really lives up to its intention! The movement here is the Civil Rights movement – recalled through the words of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, and Dr Martin Luther King Jr – then set to jazz instrumentation by a wonderful lineup that includes Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto and flute, Ron Blake on tenor and soprano sax, Michael Dease and Steve Davis on trombones, Lew Soloff on trumpet, and Geoffrey Keezer on piano. Four different figures each take on the voices, with an approach that's as great as the music – actors Wendell Pierce, Vondie Curtis Hall, and Dion Graham – plus poet Sonia Sanchez – often shifting the words of the key figures throughout a single musical work, with results that are surprisingly powerful. Titles include "Brother Malcolm", "Sister Rosa", "Rumble In The Jungle", "Ali Speaks", "Soldiers", and "A View From The Mountaintop". A fantastic record – and one that reminds us of the great power in this nation, at a time when its light is sometimes eclipsed. CD

Aruan Ortiz on piano and vocals, Don Bryon on clarinets, Pheeroan Aklaff on drums, and Lester St. Louis and Yves Dhar on cello – interwoven with passages by Martin Luther King Jr, performed by Mtume Gant. CD