Revelation

This upbeat, jazzy big band will get you dancing. Their weapons of choice for making the groove are saxophone, horns, steel drum, piano, and of course the omnipresent high-hat. Long instrumental tracks allow the performers enough time to build upon and creatively riff off of one another, giving interest and variation to the melodies.

RIYL Coltrane, Antibalas, a slew of other jazzy big bands
FCC clean (all instrumental)
Recommended tracks: 1, 3, 4, 7

1. (6:10) Uptempo jazzy drums, sax, and horns brightly serenade you as you dance, shaking your sparkly skirt, with a game-show intro feel. The jam gets more mid-tempo about halfway through, then regains energy.
2. (10:48) Smooth, sax-heavy island jam balanced out by relatively lighter piano riffs. Complex, varied, doesn’t lose energy.
3. (5:29) Steel drums make this dance jam spectacular. Horn complements, but doesn’t overpower.
4. (10:30) High hat, piano, guitar, flute, and horn come together in so many ways to create this complexly layered track. Uptempo and bright, this one doesn’t stay in the background. Slows down a few minutes before finale, then slinks away to close.
5. (6:13) More steel drum! Mid-tempo horns respond to the drum, which is deftly and quickly played. A bit cheesier-sounding than other tracks, but still fun.
6. (8:17) A lovely piano solo halfway through backed by heartfelt horns. Perhaps the most “serious” track on the album. Steel drum isn’t the star here despite its presence; the horns run the show.
7. (10:29) An amazing ending. Gentle xylophone starts off a passionate dialogue between horns punctuated by drums. The last minute is a great comedown from it all.