The music on Bodhi3’s Ceremony is rooted in a tradition of jazz for spiritual purpose as pioneered by musicians such as John and Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. The band’s three members (Mike Mito on reeds and percussion, drummer Jeff Zielinksi, and bassist/vocalist Rebecca Greene) are relatively unknown on the New Orleans music scene, but nevertheless show a great sense of musical maturity on this, their debut album.

Besides the great jazz tracks like “Autobahn” and “Thoughts of South America,” Bodhi3 also makes reference to other, more ancient forms of spiritual music. Mito and Zeilinski’s shakuhachi (Japanese flute) duet “Two Birds” is a truly Zen expression in accordance with the instrument’s traditional purpose, and is one of the most beautiful passages on Ceremony. A similar high point is the chant song “Native,” where Greene’s commanding vocals and Zielinski’s intuitive rhythmic approach create a moving experience reminiscent of Native American pow wow music.

One thing that Bodhi3 does not exemplify is musical virtuosity. None of the musicians have the chops of artists who play this style of music professionally, such as Hamid Drake or Charles Lloyd, but that doesn’t detract from their overall musicality. Despite occasional moments when the band seems to reach beyond its grasp, Ceremony still glows with a genuine feeling of spiritual communion and showcases some excellent talent from three underrated members of the New Orleans music community.