Follow the Sun

Like so many of his fellow AACM members, Kahil El’Zabar makes music that's an organic intersection of classic bop, avant-garde jazz, and other African folk music traditions. Here, on the 60-year-old drummer and percussionist’s 60th album, he’s joined by Ritual Trio bandmates Ari Brown (saxophone and piano) and Junius Paul (bass), as well as Dwight Trible (vocals) and Duke Payne (a Chicago legend who plays tenor saxophone and bagpipes). While some folks plowing this field come up with aggressive and inscrutable music, El’Zabar’s is wide open and inclusive, with the soft pulse of hand drums setting a tone for the rest of the group—soft, deep, and inspired. He's a prolific composer, with five of the tunes here originals. Strong cuts include the relatively straight bop of the title track as well as the hypnotic “Great Black Music” and the percussive “Our Journey." These are complemented by a jaunty version of Wayne Shorter’s “Footsteps” (with a nice piano solo) and an earthy take on Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands,” with Trible adding shades of work songs and early gospel.