A local supergroup, Slugger co-stars George Porter Jr. drummer Terrence Houston, Naughty Professor bassist Noah Young, keyboardist Joe Johnson and guitarist Max Bronstein. Working in the related spheres of jazz fusion, prog rock and jam band music, this quartet makes muscular instrumentals that showcase individual chops and ensemble flair. 

In the seven-track Eclipse, Slugger avoids self-indulgence, keeping the mostly instrumental music accessible for even non-jazz fans. And it’s obvious that these guys love to play.

Bronstein’s guitar often takes the lead, stating themes and doing much of the soloing. A Vermont native who studied jazz, Bronstein favors a trebly, distorted rock tone, but his jazz experience pushes his playing to places conventional rock guitarists can’t go. All the while, his playing is technically precise and musically engaging. 

Bronstein’s guitar plays prominently through opening Eclipse track “Sunshine.” Houston’s active, imaginative percussion save “Sunshine” from the inconsequential superficiality of smooth jazz. Johnson’s brief but intense electric keyboard solo rides the track into its lively fadeout. The keyboardist similarly raises Slugger’s musical temperature in “Insomnia.” Here and elsewhere in Eclipse, Slugger harkens to the rock-injected jazz fusion of the 1970s, examples of which include John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra and Chick Corea’s Return to Forever. 

Slugger’s collective proficiency may be best heard in the Eclipse track “Slugger.” Like a traditional New Orleans jazz band in full swing, everybody’s wailing. And the group demonstrates its flexibility with “Take A Breath,” (featuring R&B singer Mykia Jovan and rapper Ray Wimley) and an ear-catching gospel surprise, “Praise Break.”