Since releasing his auspicious in 2014, tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader has consistently explored new jazz pathways while remaining fiercely protective of its storied tradition. The opening track on , a conceptual musical celebration of the life, work, and innovations of 20th century polymath George Washington Carver, is an illustration. His solo tenor blues moan in the intro lies firmly in the Mississippi Delta before admitting 's honking modalism. The frame him with 's New Orleans-style martial parade drums, 's circular bassline, and 's strident cornet solo, before they come back to together on a brief -esque theme -- a la "Lonely Woman" -- then explore group improvisation without abandoning the blues feel. is ' debut. He formed the -- that also includes cellist -- specifically for this project. In the liner notes, author and jazz critic states, "More than an homage ... has composed a body of work that captures the essence of Carver's life, work, and vision â?¦ to reveal the artist, botanist, ecologist, aesthete, musician, teacher, and seer who anticipated our current planetary crisis." In "Lowlands of Sorrow," 's cello meets 's gimbri and 's kit and marimba in a triple-metered, call-and-response rhythm chant. and respond in unison with canny, deeply resonant solos. Ballad "Arachis" commences as a dirge. , , and emulate a funeral march while bows to underscore the key changes. When enters with free-flowing rolls, fills, and accents, he heightens the tension around the tonal center until it gives way to the tenorist's impassioned, angular soloing. When solos, the rhythm section's far-reaching interplay offers a solid foundation that he embraces and explores, adding textural dimension before 's driving solo. "Fallen Flowers" commences with staggered call-and -response horn interplay, creating a lyric manifesto that governs the entire tune. bridges the frontline and rhythm section as he builds out the melodic motif with a strident plectrum pulse. "Experiment Station" follows a kinetically polyrhythmic path toward lyric exposition and discovery; hints at, then articulates the head, exposing its thematic seams before splitting them open in his solo. The all-too-brief "Seer" is framed by 's primal, hypnotic mbira, while its harmonic line suggests an otherworldly folk music. Closer "Chemurgy" returns to the blues but in a very different way. offer declarative fills and emotional modal solos, while create pulsing, circular rhythms that dances around and expands with his kit. On ground listeners in familiar musical sources, but follow with a breathtaking expression of modern jazz as its own creative canvas for exploring and interrogating musical, social, and cultural history. ~ Thom Jurek