Jazz quintet Out Of/Into – formerly known as The Blue Note Quintet – makes it perfectly clear that there are some exciting things happening in the world of jazz still. Following in the footsteps of the giants of jazz that came before, the band that consists of pianist Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer, are making engaging, thoughtful, and heady jazz for the new age and beyond.
The band’s debut titled Motion I slips into nighttime, cityscape jazz. Mysterious, intellectual, and prodigious jazz tomes that bring everyone from Andrew Hill to Wayne Shorter to Bobby Hutcherson to mind. Out Of/Into captures the magic of 60s-era post bop, with touches of early 70s masters like Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, and even Hancock’s Mwandishi trilogy. Motion I is a stunning debut from modern masters of jazz.
Motion I consists of 7 original pieces that the band honed and built over 40 live performances in 2024, building these works made for improvisation and exploration. All of these musicians are leading the way into the new frontier of jazz, while never turning their backs on the past masters that made a record like this possible. Even vibraphonist Joel Ross’ 2024 release nublues paid tribute to giants like Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane covering some of their classics while putting their own stamp on jazz, blues, and ballads. Motion I stands on its own among the greats.
“Ofafrii” opens the album, as well as being the lead single, and is stunning from the get go. Beautifully constructed with the rhythm section of Scott and Brewer laying a solid foundation for some serious interplay between vibes, piano, and saxophone. It’s a darkly beautiful composition. “Gabaldon’s Glide” has a smokey, late night vibe to it. It captures the feel of sitting at The Half Note in the 60s or 70s and experiencing greatness on a Tuesday night. The interplay between Gerald Clayton’s piano and Joel Ross’ vibes is nothing short of brilliant.
From the eloquence of “Second Day” to the epic masterstroke of “Aspiring To Normalcy” to the mysterious and restrained closer “Bird’s Eye”, Out Of/Into gets into the heart of creativity and connecting as musicians and humans.
I cannot recommend this record enough. Along with ETA IVtet and Jeff Parker’s The Way Out Of Easy, 2024 has been a stunning year for jazz and improvisational albums. Motion I is a stunning debut.
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