is a Grammy-winning trumpeter, composer, and producer from New York City. A well-traveled session and live musician, he has registered credits with , , and , to name a scant few. , his 2018 leader debut, joined straight-ahead and contemporary jazz -- vocal and instrumental -- to pop and soul. , issued by , is more ambitious. Here, looks back to jazz's origins as dance music before bebop and reinterprets it for the present day, deriving inspiration from 20th century influences including the electric, funky . 's 21st century approach to jazz-funk includes R&B, indie pop, and hip-hop in its DNA, and attempts to create fresh musical architectures for dancing. ' band includes keyboardist/producer , pianist/keyboardist , drummer/percussionist , bassist , vocalist/lyricist , and guitarist . Further, ' star-studded guest list includes , among others. Opener "The Jump Off" offers a four-on-the-floor kick drum intro before ' trumpet and 's tenor introduce 's and ' keyboards in a funky strut punctuated by a fretless bass and 's chunky chord vamps; it sounds nothing like it, but swings as hard as 's "Sir Duke." Single "Black Girl Magic" features singers seamlessly wedding neo-soul to polished hip-hop, jazz syncopation, and feminist polemics. Second single "Harlem Shake" offers a Rhodes piano and drop bass before offers the knotty, boppish head atop a funky backbeat and fingerpopping piano vamps. The killer "Bate's Letter" -- featuring emcee -- melds contemporary jazz, EDM, and syncopated hip-hop complete with steel drums, turntablism, and tablas. "Reality" is another take on jazz/rap fusion. Here, ' trumpet winds around layers of rippling, percussion and spectral electronics. rhymes and sings dancehall style before delivers a satisfying solo. The wonderful version of 's classic "Cristo Redentor" pays direct homage to and . Faithful to the melody, its shuffling hip-hop drums, 's bassoon, 's labyrinthine vibraphone, and a string quartet add harmonic, textural, and rhythmic complexity. In another example of taste, and company cover "The Smoke" by English indie rockers ; while the original is a trippy, beat-laden psych ballad, this one revels in spidery funk with a bumping, upmixed bassline, martial snares, pan steel drums, and spooky strings and keyboards framing ' horn as it carries the melody. 's "La Fiesta" (originally on ) adds flamenco guitar and trumpet amid skittering drums and percussion, as 's glorious synth lines provide an expanded textural dimension while remaining completely faithful to the spirit of the tune. In sum, showcases an innovative North American nu-jazz approach. While continues to honor and celebrate his inspirations, he pays them homage by using their innovations to go deeper and wider, expanding the music's reach. ~ Thom Jurek