Home

Though he's lived in New York since 2012, bassist Lorin Cohen reveals the modesty instilled by his Chicago upbringing on his recently released debut Home (Origin), playing with a soulful muscularity and helming his band's harmonic shapes and rhythmic thrust rather than trying to command center stage. Cohen understands what it takes to make a band sound better without drawing attention to himself. Before leaving town he spent five years on the road with Caribbean-bred keyboardist Monty Alexander, and that experience too weighs heavily on the album thanks to the dominance of tuned percussion (provided by vibist Joe Locke and steel-drum player Victor Provost). At times there's a fusion-tinged sensibility in the fussy arrangements, and when harmonica soloist Yvonnick Prene joins in, the mood becomes a bit too chill for my ears. This weekend's concerts promise a more streamlined sound, however, featuring just Provost along with pianist Ryan Cohan and drummer Donald Edwards, who also play on the record.