Involved

Finally, drummer Kobie Watkins segues from hard bop to jazz funk to unabashedly romantic balladry in his CD "Involved" (Origin Records). If the constantly shifting jazz languages point to a young musician perhaps trying a bit too hard to show everything he can do, Watkins nonetheless handles it all. He benefits from hard-charging contributions from a cast of Chicago all-stars, particularly saxophonists Jarrard Harris and Geof Bradfield, trumpeter Pharez Whitted, guitarist Bobby Broom and pianist Ryan Cohan.

Not long ago, Watkins moved to New York and has been touring the globe with Sonny Rollins -- and taking the sound of his native Chicago with him.