By introducing his consistent and dynamic new quintet with ‘Smoke Shifter,’ we learn a little more about percussion ace Chad Taylor’s almost limitless artistry.

Three-Layer Cake once again bakes some of the most indescribably outlandish music with’Sounds The Color Of Grounds,’ where gonzo meets prowess.

In imposing his large ambitions on the smaller scale of a quartet, Ches Smith made music that’s still grand in scope with ‘Clone Row.’ All it took were the right partners and some
resourcefulness to pull off that magic act.