An intrepid mix of prodigy, passion and high-minded concept collides to superb sonic effect on this sophomore effort from the Chicago-born, San Francisco-based Wil Blades, a monster Hammond B-3 player hailed by no less than Dr. Lonnie Smith as “the future” of the instrument.

In his early 30s, Blades has played with everyone from John Lee Hooker to Nicholas Payton to the late, great Idris Muhammad, but tapped a contemporary to help orchestrate Field Notes in recruiting the considerable talents of Baton Rouge-born drummer Simon Lott, who has thrilled critic and casual fan alike since moving to New Orleans upon graduating from LSU roughly a decade ago.

The trio is rounded out by guitarist Jeff Parker (most notably of Chicago post-rock outfit Tortoise) and the three players clearly found common ground, as evident in the bold jazz/funk frontiers brilliantly navigated on the album’s nine, all-instrumental tracks.

The infectious grooves bring to mind the silky grease of “Fat Albert”-era Herbie Hancock, the precise elegance of Grant Green, and the sinister axe-shredding of John Scofield’s work with Miles Davis; but those comparisons are simply contrived convenience, as the trio breaks new musical ground, discovered in Parker’s deft solo in “Parks N Wreck,” the delicate drive of Lott’s solo on “Miller’s Time,” and ambient waves of B-3 that wash over the entire album.

With a tour of Japan scheduled to promote the album, one can hope that the dream team assembled for Field Notes becomes a permanent fixture.