Survival of the Fittest

The always exciting saxophonist Jordan VanHemert is joined by Terell Stafford, Michael Dease, Helen Sung, Rodney Whitaker and Lewis Nash for these 9 rich and colorful jazz tracks.

The textured and melodic "Here And Now" starts with Stafford's soulful trumpet amid Sung's mature keys and Nash's light drumming, and "Tread Lightly" follows with scrappy drums and Whitaker's playful bass that suit VanHemert's bright sax bouts.

Landing the middle is "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" and "Sea Of Tranquility". The former is a quick moment guided by the meticulous sax that recruits punchy drums, while the latter emits a heartfelt intimacy via the soft keys and reflective wind.

Arriving near the end, "Mo's Blues" benefits much from the plucked bass and animated trumpet, and the title track exits with a swift and dynamic display of inimitable skills from the players.

This is VanHemert's 5th album as leader, and much like everything he's been a part of, it's full of harmonic, melodic and intelligent interaction that will always be relevant and appreciated.