Lux Quartet - Tomorrowland (Enja/Yellowbird)

Myra Melford seems to be a real collaborative mood lately. Hot of the heels of back-to-back triumphs with the supergroup Fire & Water Quintet, the pianist shares leadership of the Lux Quartet with drummer Allison Miller, inviting bassist Scott Colley and saxophonist Dayna Stephens to join the challenging fun on Tomorrowland. Written by Melford, “Intricate Drift” plants the flag, with sophisticated riffs threatening the rhythm section like hungry vines around a lion; never fear, however, as the bass and drums never surrender. On the pianist’s “The Wayward Line,” the band flows in unison like a wave, before Miller’s rumbling toms drive Stephens into a frenzy, Colley’s arco and the author’s piano ripples thrust in a counterpoint, and the group reconvenes for a storm of notes and rhythm. On the other claw, Miller’s “Speak Eddie” swings under a hard bop riff – one that begins warping and mutating over the course of the track, as Stephens’ sonorous sax engages in a cat-and-mouse with Colley’s roving bass and Melford’s combative keyboard. The drummer’s “Deeply Us” lowers the temperature via a beauteous ballad, less to prove the band can do it and more to express themselves in a more spiritual and, yes, deeper manner. Colley’s title track closes the record with a dreamy continuation of the same spirit. Throughout the album, these top-flight players trade licks, blend textures, and revel in the spirit of group interplay and the sheer joy of making music together. Tomorrowland sets a new standard for twenty-first century free jazz and post bop.