Blind piano prodigy, Wynton Marsalis protégé and staunch traditionalist Marcus Roberts returns with his first album in eight years, New Orleans Meets Harlem, Vol. 1. He is back with his longtime trio, New Orleans bassist Roland Guerin and drummer Jason Marsalis, reinterpreting the sounds that led from saloons of Storyville to the streets of the Big Apple. To accomplish this, Roberts revisits many familiar faces: Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin and Thelonious Monk—many of whom he’s previously expounded upon. And while this may appear confusing on the surface, the focus here isn’t on the musicians or their compositions. It’s on uncovering the ties that span from the roll of ragtime to the spirit of the second line to the essence of the blue note. Musically, its mission lies within unveiling the true nature of the blues as evidenced by Roberts’ sole, original composition, “Searching for the Blues.”

Fans of Roberts, particularly fans of his 1997 release Blues for the New Millennium, should find this set intriguing. But this time around, the piano itself—as opposed to the ensemble or the compositions—is the focal point. Stylistically, it’s as if he’s deconstructing the ethos of what Tennessee Williams described as the “blue piano,” working through the core elements of ragtime, swing and bebop (more precisely pre-bop), often in each song. Sometimes, the joy is in the twinkle of the traditional flavor (“New Orleans Blues,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’”). Other times, listening to the laidback New Orleans groove shift into the crisp New York pulse is simply rhapsodic (“Black & Tan Fantasy,” “Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are”). Sometimes, something much cooler and hipper reveals itself. Roberts take on Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” trumps his version from 1998’s “The Joy of Joplin.” Yet, other times, you’re left scratching your head (“Jitterbug Waltz,” “In Walked Bud”). One thing is clear—according to Roberts, this volume is just a taste of what’s to come.