In the spring of 2019, drummer Adonis Rose gathered some of his very talented peers and musical cohorts to record Piece of Mind – Live at Blue Llama, his first release captured outside of a studio. The impressive group included artists hailing from New Orleans including the leader; bassist Jasen Weaver and vocalist Sasha Masakowski; trumpeter Maurice Brown, who was for a time very active on the Crescent City jazz scene; saxophonist Tia Fuller, who toured with Beyonce’s all-female band and performed with stars like Esperanza Spalding; and keyboardist Miki Hayama, whose resume boasts work with saxophonists Fuller and Kenny Garrett as well as trumpeter Roy Hargrove. This combination of fresh, strong, and exciting players comprised the components to create a night, and thus an album, worth savoring.

The repertoire for the night at the Ann Arbor, Michigan club came from a number of different pens. Things kick off with trumpeter Eddie Harris’ “Keep Yourself Together,” a funky groove that proves to be an excellent choice for this enthusiastic group. It is arranged very much like Harris’ original and retains the song’s sense of fun. Rose opens with a splash of cymbals and naturally the always dynamic Brown takes the lead by exciting the audience as he goes up and up for the high notes.

Rose is right-on in selecting and keeping vibrant a composition by pianist Ellis Marsalis. The brilliant pianist Hayama is beyond up to the task and the interchange between Brown and the adventurist Fuller take the beautiful song on a new journey.

The album ends on the tune “Blue Llama Jam” that was written by a collaboration of the band’s musicians. It hits with everyone struttin’ their stuff in a blazing showing of their individual musical expertise, personalities, and we’re in this together attitude. Good stuff.