This weekend, Blues Alley hosts Terence Blanchard (pictured) and his fantastic quintet for the release of his new album, A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Going into Thursday's early set, it was unclear how lushly orchestrated material would translate into a more traditional combo setting. As it turns out, it translates quite well, though we didn't get to hear very many of the new songs. While the band was burning, they only played two songs off the new album that were the clear highlights of the set. This is hopefully because the band is saving their best stuff for audiences who head down to the club this weekend.

The evening began with two songs, "Wandering Wondering" and "Fred Brown," during which the band sounded like an updated version of Miles Davis' great quintet of the 1960s. The post-bop sound was kinetic and the band was the aural equivalent of a flock of birds in flight, as they seemed to telepathically change direction, moods, tempos, and textures. The level of interaction was impressive as the rhythm section, comprised of drummer Kendrick Scott, bassist Derrick Hodge, and Cuban pianist Fabian Almazan, pushed the soloists without interfering with their musical exploration.

The group moved on to its low point in terms of tempo, but its apex in terms of emotion and intensity, with a medley of two songs from the A Tale of God's Will. The theme from "Levees" was even more haunting and mournful in performance than it is coming out of the speakers. In our CD review, we described "Funeral Dirge" as a prayer for New Orleans' dead and this spiritual quality was very much present last night. This particular song took on a different meaning to those in the club as yesterday the jazz community lost one of its elder statesman, legendary jazz drummer and composer, Max Roach.

Image taken from Terence Blanchard's website

Returning to its post-bop element, the band closed the set with another up tempo number, the highlight of which was Blanchard and tenor saxophonist Brice Winston trading solos. Like two boxers, they bobbed and weaved around each other, in continuous communication but with each pushing the other to new heights. The quintet brought the legacy of Miles Davis full circle in its encore, choosing to play the Davis classic, "Four."

One measure of a great jazz band leader is the ability to choose complimentary players and place them in a situation where they are free to express their individuality. When he introduced the band, Blanchard did not just limit himself to announcing names and instruments. Rather, he would rattle off each player's accomplishments outside his group, for example bassist Hodge's skill as a film composer, or drummer Scott's work with World Culture Music. Throughout the introductions, he repeatedly said how proud he was of each member. This nurturing environment clearly produces a creative energy that, in turn, generates the verve that was on display last night.

Terence Blanchard's Quintet will perform daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets through Sunday. Tickets are available here. $27.50 + $10 food/drink minimum.