Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The Blue Note label’s latest band of breakthrough headliners, originally named the Blue Note Quintet, was assembled to celebrate this year’s 85th anniversary of the label. Two months of touring and a name change later, Out of/Into’s crisp rhythms, taut interplay and edge-of-seat solos are now captured on disc.Motion 1 features seven originals that give a contemporary twist to Blue Note’s tradition of balancing ensemble discipline with solo strength. Improvisation is focused and moods range from ecstatic to contemplative. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and Joel Ross on vibraphone are long-term front-line acquaintances and bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Kendrick Scott are rhythm players in their prime.The album begins with “Ofafrii”, one of four pieces by pianist Gerald Clayton, an energetic mix of tumbling harmonies and sharp-edged lines. The theme moves from gritty modal moods to a tangled call-and-response, solos ebb and flow, and rhythms bustle underneath. Clayton’s “Gabaldon’s Glide” comes next, an introspective piece that combines warm feelings with hints of the blues — his sensuous ballad, “Second Day”, comes later and the brief, downbeat “Bird’s Luck” closes the set.Soloists effortlessly follow the highs and lows of Clayton’s compositions. Saxophonist Wilkins’ pithy tone and clean articulation underline his fine-tuned fluency and the nimble Ross fleshes out texture with subtle metallic shades. The vibraphonist’s “Radical”, with its upward slanting line, dense harmonies and walking bass swing, is also rich.The poised rhythm section signposts structure, shades mood and delivers rhythmic thrust. Bassist Matt Brewer’s percussive attack knits closely with drummer Scott’s adroit trickery and the two combine to make the music breathe. Both have showcases, Brewer with “Aspiring to Normalcy”, which develops through peaks and troughs, and Scott with “Synchrony”, a gripping furore of up-tempo swing.Previous Blue Note all-star releases consolidated the reputations of saxophonist Kenny Garrett, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and pianists Robert Glasper and Jason Moran. The release of Motion 1 should launch a similar path.★★★★☆‘Motion 1’ is released by Blue Note
