Different Tranes

When an artist departs this realm at a relatively early age, acolytes frequently seek a sense of how that curtailed creativity would have evolved. Miles Davis was expected to continually enhance his interest in funk, groove, electronics, and hip-hop, surely set to run alongside each of his favored developments in new music. John Coltrane is another of 2026’s centenarians, and a similar fantasy retro-anticipation is far more difficult. There was no sign of Trane hitting the fusion racks in any kind of possible future. Close to the edge, he was delving radically into free jazz, with enlarged solos or duo cut-backs (Ascension and Interstellar Space, the latter being an intimate meeting with drummer Rashied Ali). We can’t imagine Coltrane heading into rock or funk. His more likely direction would have been to seep in quietness and meditation, working more closely with Alice Coltrane, reflecting the softer stretches of Pharoah Sanders and his more global-ethnic works. Surely?

Here, we will consider descendant players who have clearly been shaped (often in a revelatory fashion) by Trane’s existence, but those who have also taken his core essence, to formulate approaches that, in their own way, continue his legacy via a non-mimicking path.

The New York tenorman Michael Brecker can easily be seen as a key channeler, with his fingering virtuosity, exhaustive stamina and his seeking of ever-higher planes of expression via duration. Brecker’s early work with Dreams, Steps Ahead, and the Brecker Brothers is not particularly where we’re looking, but rather his later concentration on acoustic settings, as his trajectory refined itself. One LP that explicitly deals with the John Coltrane legacy is Directions In Music: Live At Massey Hall (Verve, 2002), with Roy Hargrove, Herbie Hancock, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade. Much of the material stems from the Miles Davis repertoire, but there is a significant Trane-wedge included. “Impressions” is taken at a softly slow lounge pace, but it’s to complement “So What,” with which the reading is intertwined. “Naima” has just Brecker alone, for a long introductory embracing of the theme, gradually revealed, his tenor solitary for the entire seven minute performance. This is one of the best examples of Brecker’s continuance in the Coltrane vein. Then, “Transition” brings in the entire combo, delivering a straighter rush of hyperactive energy, Brecker mobilized entirely, Herbie in full flow afterward. The closing “D Trane” (penned by Brecker) opens with a tirelessly inventive tenor solo, surging through half of the fifteen minute performance, leaving Hargrove little choice but to pepper sensitively with his own following solo, although it doesn’t take the trumpeter long to rise up to a more crackling, volatile state, Hancock ultimately crowning the climax of this solo-led number. The audience went wild, repeatedly, even as they laid low in the mix. This number acts as a shining distillation of Trane’s aura. (Brecker can also be heard on the more recently released Naima (Live) album via Delta Music, once again investigatively interpreting its key tune in an a capella state.)

One rogue, teetering presence by Brecker (plus trumpeter and brother Randy) is on Zappa In New York (Discreet, recorded in 1976), the 1978 double live LP where the pair employ parpling electronics in a very imaginative manner that hasn’t dated, aligned with the limb-twisting complexities of “The Purple Lagoon,” an epic side-four instrumental. We can just about visualize Trane being captured by the twistings of this Zappa direction, but he probably wouldn’t have played on the opening “Titties & Beer.”

More recently, the Washington Heights alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin has dedicated an LP to the music of the Coltranes (both Alice and John, fairly equally), a recording which has been partly instrumental in massively expanding her audience. The 2020 Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope) featured several guest artists (as is the today way), adding but not distracting from the mission. The Coltrane readings breathed in infusions of their joint creative powers, grasping the aura and attitudes. There’s a notable funking-up of “Syeeda’s Song Flute,” with Keyon Harrold guesting.

Although known as a funkster (with her early albums and Soul Squad band), Benjamin was a regular member of Rashied Ali’s quintet around two decades back, connecting her directly to the Coltrane flow, gigging excitingly around NYC clubs such as the Jazz Standard. Through Ali, she began playing with the recently departed guitarist James Blood Ulmer (who lived just across the street from the sticksman), touring with him toward the end of his active playing life. Now, Benjamin is still including a funk section as the climax of her live sets, but her recent albums have been addressing a harder, faster, more extreme bunch of tunes, and an ever-escalating soloing prowess, pushing further and higher than many saxophonists dare. ...

Der feierliche Tenor-Sound, der einen auf den ersten Sekunden des Albums empfängt, ist sein Markenzeichen. Er erinnert an die Unbedingtheit der alten Fire Music, des schwarzen Free Jazz, des Spiritual Jazz. James Brandon Lewis, Sohn eines Predigers, führt diese Spielweise in beeindruckenden Projekten weiter und verfeinert sie mit seinem kompositorischen Feingefühl und exzellenten Musikern, die seine Vision teilen. Omni ist bereits die sechste CD, die Lewis mit dem vorliegenden Quartett auf Intakt Records veröffentlicht. Auf einigen Stücken hat er sein kompositorisches Konzept der «Molecular Systematic Music» mit zwölftonigen Tonleitern erweitert. Das bleibt nie ein stures System, sondern setzt höchstens Ausgangspunkte für neue Verflechtungen oder Themen. Die Musik bleibt immer kraftvoll und verwandlungsfähig. Die Titel der neun Tracks weisen deutlich auf den spirituellen Background des Protagonisten, der sich auch in den musikalisch-energetischen Prozessen manifestiert: In den ekstatisch getriebenen Schüben von «Fire in my Bones», im bluesigen Urgrund von «Testify», in den melodischen Verkündungen und Aufschreien von «Call to Worship» und auch in den hymnischen Miniaturen von «Omnipotent», «Omniscient» und «Omnipresent», die das Album gliedern.

Hacia un nuevo canon del jazz

Los álbumes de Brandon Lewis, Melissa Aldana, Joe Lovano, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins y Miles Okazaki ilustran los sonidos que están definiendo el jazz contemporáneo en Norteamérica....

https://elpais.com/babelia/2026-08-29/hacia-un-nuevo-canon-del-jazz.html

James Brandon Lewis is one of the most dynamic saxophonists working today. Whether playing with a classical string quartet, as a member of The Mezzthetics (Fugazi’s rhythm section with guitarist Anthony Pirog), or making rock-jazz fusion albums, his output is uniformly strong and his bold saxophone voice is immediately identifiable. His quartet of pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist Brad Jones, and drummer Chad Taylor represents the cutting edge of contemporary post-bop acoustic jazz. Omni is their latest of many albums for the Swiss label Intakt. “Testify” has all of the things I love about this group. From Lewis’s free jazz wail on the track’s opening salvo to his husky-toned blues shouting to his take on Coltrane’s sheets of sound, Lewis synthesizes nearly the entire tenor saxophone tradition while the rhythm section slowly churns out a groove I’ve not heard before. Ortiz, Jones, and Taylor give “The Sermon” a nasty swagger, “Call to Worship” sounds like its title, and “Line Upon Line” is a smash and grab job of furious saxophone blowing and banging piano clusters. Lewis’s quartet is already critically recognized as one of today’s top groups. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that it shouldn’t be long before Lewis and his quartet are considered to be of generational significance.

https://www.powmag.net/p/summer-jazz-roundup

The fifth Intakt release by the James Brandon Lewis Quartet is a searing personal statement designed to peel back spiritual layers and reach an inner, creative core. Lewis’s muscular, R&B-steeped sound delivers heat, phonics and fluid phrasing and are played full-force. But behind the bluster, you can sense that the tenor saxophonist has full instrumental control. The album is a mature statement that captures Lewis at his best.

Lewis’s quartet has now been stable for over six years – they released the live album Molecular on Intakt in 2020, shortly after forming – and have developed a clarity of conception, empathy and emotional focus that few bands can match. Pianist Aruán Ortiz combines pristine phrasing with subtle harmonic support, bassist Brad Jones is rock solid with a gorgeous sound and drummer Chad Taylor’s pared down beats round out textures and provide rhythmic thrust.

The album opens with unaccompanied sax establishing a soul-revealing mood, a menacing Ortiz chord cues ‘The Sermon’ and the quartet’s cut and thrust aesthetic is clear from the start. ‘Fire in My Bones’ is jaunty in a left-field kind of way, the phonic and fury of ‘Testify’ harks back to the blues, and ‘Omniscient’ delivers contemplation and calm.

As the set progresses, the band’s group sound, commitment and mutual support continue to impress. With Jones the foundation, Taylor’s distinct side-drum sonics and cymbal-play work a treat, and Ortiz’s sparse harmonies and expressionist outbursts are a perfect fit for the leader’s grounded left-field approach. ‘Omnipresent’ is the closer, a lovely mood-piece built on a sequence of suspenseful, arpeggiating chords.

https://www.jazzwise.com/reviews/james-brandon-lewis-quartet-omni?utm_campaign=Jazzwise%20Newsletter%20-%2018.09.2026&utm_content=Read%20more&utm_term=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jazzwise.com%2Freviews%2Fjames-brandon-lewis-quartet-omni&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Jazzwise

Le saxophoniste ténor américain James Brandon Lewis est assurément une des voix majeures du jazz contemporain. Biberonné au post-bop (avec un soupçon de free) et aux grands saxophonistes de ce genre (Coltrane, Ayler, Rollins, lequel n’hésitait pas à dire tout le bien qu’il en pensait), avec des touches de gospel (son père est pasteur) et de blues, il a construit une œuvre originale qui n’hésite pas à aller voir régulièrement vers d’autres horizons (deux splendides albums de punk-jazz avec The Messthetics ou l’hommage à Mahalia Jackson avec son « For Mahalia, With Love »). Le revoici avec son quartet, son projet principal, qui sort un sixième album en six ans. On retrouve toujours à ses côtés les fidèles Aruan Ortiz au piano, Brad Jones à la contrebasse et Chad Taylor à la batterie. Cette stabilité dans le groupe permet une interaction naturelle entre les musiciens, une réactivité instinctive. Pour ce disque, le leader souligne la dimension spirituelle de sa musique avec des titres révélateurs comme « The Sermon » ou « Spirit of the Living God », avec un titre d’album (« Omni ») qui annonce trois compositions, trois attributs divins, que sont « Omnipotent » (un court solo au saxophone qui ouvre l’album), « Omniscient » (un splendide duo sax-contrebasse niché au cœur de l’œuvre) et « Omnipresent » (joué en groupe pour clore l’opus). « Testify », avec sa touche gospel prononcée, est un autre exemple de ce côté mystique. James Brandon Lewis et ses brillants comparses n’hésitent pas à nous emmener également vers des sentiers brûlants, avec une section rythmique d’enfer, avec des compositions-improvisations libertaires (toujours cet équilibre parfaitement maîtrisé entre structure et improvisation) que sont « Fire in My Bones » ou « Line Upon Line ». Voici un nouveau grand disque de James Brandon Lewis. Certains parlent de l’influence d’un John Coltrane et de son « A Love Supreme » ou d’un Archie Shepp pour son côté gospel. On peut y penser, mais, en fait, on est devant une œuvre tellement personnelle, tellement originale que ces comparaisons n’ont pas lieu d’être.

https://jazzmania.be/james-brandon-lewis-quartet-omn/

Il n’est pas nécessaire d’être un fervent religieux pour s’enivrer du Love Supreme du grand Coltrane. De même, le plus grand des mécréants (coucou, vous m’avez reconnu ?) n’est pas obligé de rejeter toute œuvre axée sur la croyance. Ainsi d’OMNI, œuvre intensément spirituelle de James Brandon Lewis, fils de pasteur faut-il le rappeler. Puisons plutôt une nouvelle fois au sein de sa brillante conception du Modecular Systematic Music.

Lewis est à l’heure actuelle le seul saxophoniste de la (presque) jeune génération à pouvoir nous étonner et émouvoir. Et, surtout, son quartet composé du pianiste Aruan Ortiz, du contrebassiste Brad Jones et du batteur Chad Taylor est l’un des plus exaltant-excitant de la jazzosphère.

Le dodécaphonisme d’OMNI n’est en rien un frein au plaisir d’écoute qui est le notre : épure en solo (Ominipotent), dialogues croisés saxophone-piano (Fire in My Bones), Gospel détourné (Testify), saxophone de feu et de braises (Testify à nouveau), suavité du souffle et des mélodies (Oniscient, Omnipresent), autant de diversités et de moments précieux faisant œuvre.

Si Crescent était l’antichambre de Love Supreme, il en est peut-être de même d’OMNI. A suivre…

https://www.jazzin.fr/james-brandon-lewis-omni//

Und wieder hat James Brandon Lewis ein neues Album vorgelegt. Die immerhin schon zwölfte Veröffentlichung seit 2000 und die fünfte Produktion in gleicher Besetzung: Mit dem kubanischen Pianisten Aruan Ortiz, dem Bassisten Brad Jones und dem Schlagzeuger Chad Taylor.
„Omni“ beinhaltet neun Kompositionen, die alle von Brandon Lewis stammen. Wie schon in der Vergangenheit bläst der Tenorsaxophonist zum Sturm. Aber vieles klingt geordneter, durchdachter, als auf den Vorgängern. Es geht ihm um Selbstreflexion. „Mit zunehmenden Alter habe ich andere Wege gefunden, mich auszudrücken“, sagt er in den Liner Notes des Album, „als noch in meinen 20ern und 30ern.“ Es ist, als würde er eine Phase der Selbstbesinnung durchmachen. Ihm geht es darum, Subjektivität und Objektivität in Einklang zu bringen. Da kommt im Einzelnen Spiritualität zum Ausdruck. Weniger ein leidenschaftliches Entäußern am Instrument, als ein differenziertes Abwägen zwischen kraftvoller Improvisation und gedanklicher Vergegenwärtigung. Es kommt etwas Analytisches ins Spiel, wenn der Sohn eines Baptistenpredigers danach fragt, wer er ist und welche Rolle der Glaube in seinem Leben bzw. seinem Musizieren einnimmt.
Damit scheint er sich noch mehr als bisher John Coltrane zu nähern, dessen Erbe er schon eine Weile inhaltlich am deutlichsten weiterführt. Brandon Lewis bleibt der Fackelträger am Instrument, ein Prediger am Tenorsaxophon, ebenso radikal in der Improvisation, wie klar strukturiert im Aufbau seiner Musik.

https://kultkomplott.de/Permalink/Artikel/4075/#article_anchor_4075

Tutti gli anni Novara Jazz porta qualche concerto in una chiesa del centro storico della città e spesso anche fuori città, sulla scorta dell’analoga iniziativa londinese denominata Church of Sound. È capitato però che tra gli organizzatori del festival e la diocesi siano sorti piccoli contrasti, riguardanti il fatto che il jazz non sia considerato musica sacra e di conseguenza addirittura inadatto ad una chiesa, a un duomo o ad una basilica. Mi piacerebbe vedere cosa penserebbe un prevosto, di fronte al nuovo disco di James Brandon Lewis, uscito per Intakt Records ed intitolato Omni, che vede la consueta formazione con Aruán Ortiz al piano, Brad Jones al contrabbasso, Chad Taylor alla batteria e ovviamente James Brandon Lewis al sax. Omni è la radice latina di tre attributi fondamentali del Dio cristiano, ovvero «Onnisciente», «Onnipotente» e «Onnipresente»: infatti Brandon Lewis non fa mistero sul fatto che il disco sia un percorso profondamente spirituale e che sia anche la continuazione ideale di Transfiguration del 2024 (ne abbiamo parlato qui).

“‘Omni’ riprende esattamente da dove ‘Transfiguration’ si era interrotta” spiega infatti il compositore e prosegue precisando di come ci sia “Un livello di introspezione che mi fa porre domande su chi sono. Spogliare gli strati può essere doloroso, ma voglio farlo, voglio commentare la mia spiritualità“. Non ci sarebbe bisogno di aggiungere altro, a parte qualche nota tecnica magari ricordando che, con questa formazione, Lewis ha elaborato il concetto di Musica Sistematica Molecolare, che ruota attorno a scale di 6 o 7 note, ma che poi, con il già citato Transfiguration, Lewis inizia a usare un sistema a 12 toni, (oltre alle scale a sei e sette note). Ciò allude e omaggia uno dei capiscuola della musica moderna come Arnold Schoenberg, ma non è certo la citazione colta il cuore della musica di Lewis, ciò che conta è solo la sua ricerca che esplora costantemente lo spirito e lo spirituale. Val la pena di ricordare che James Brandon Lewis è figlio di un pastore battista e che la ricerca musicale è per lui un mezzo e non un fine, e che il fine è la ricerca delle forze spirituali, che agiscono nell’essere umano. Eh sì, esiste nel jazz, come in tante altre forme musicali, questo insopprimibile desiderio di “andare oltre”, di usare la materia musicale per farci giungere, dopo aver attraversato oceani in tempesta, qualche baia sicura, qualche landa di pace se non proprio di beatitudine. Ci sono ancora artisti che non hanno abdicato a “l’art pour l’art” ce ne sono nella musica e nelle altre arti e, frequentando il jazz da un bel po’ di anni, devo riconoscere di averne incontrati (per fortuna) parecchi.

Omni incomincia col brano che dà il titolo all’album e si apre col suono armonioso e profondo, pacato e meditativo del sax di Brandon Lewis, un brano breve ed intenso seguito dalla vitalità di The Sermon, affidato per metà ancora al sax di Lewis e per metà allo straordinario pianoforte di Aruán Ortiz. I brani si susseguono, ma questo è un lavoro che va letto certamente nella sua interezza, come dice nella nota di copertina Kevin Le Gendre, un sermone senza parole. La ricerca della spiritualità però, non è un sentiero a fondovalle immerso nella pace, ma un percorso irto di inciampi, di contraddizioni, di riflessioni, anche di retromarce. È un’aspirazione che per essere saziata, ammesso che sia possibile riuscirci, richiede impegno e dedizione, anche sconcerto, dubbio e sofferenza e esige la presenza di un sacro fuoco.

Come quello contenuto in Fire in my bones, uno spirito raccontato altrettanto bene in Tesfity, quasi un blues o nel tormentato Call to workship, o ancor di più in Line Upon Line, una sorta di “whooping”, in cui la “salmodia” della Black Church, quasi completamente free, sembra arringare l’ascoltatore-fedele, ed anticipa la vitalità deflagrante di Spirit of the living God. I brani in cui l’immaterialità dello spirito sembra essersi pacificato nella nostra anima secondo un immaginario musicale, sono proprio i tre pezzi che definiscono le attribuzioni di Dio: dopo Omnipotent in apertura, ecco a metà album Omniscient (sax e contrabbasso di Chad Taylor) e, alla fine dell’album Omnipresent col suo crescendo dolcemente mosso e quasi ascetico.

No, non siamo decisamente nel territorio della musica fine a se stessa: l’elemento fortemente religioso, sebbene apparentemente mitigato da intense sonorità jazz, non è un elemento trascurabile o surrettizio, anzi queste composizioni sono profondamente religiose e, tornando all’argomentazione iniziale di queste note, potrebbero e, in un certo senso dovrebbero, essere eseguite anche in luoghi deputati al culto. Occorre però essere molto duttili ed anticonformisti (termine ormai caduto purtroppo in disuso), per comprendere che la spiritualità abbisogna di nuove forme di trasmissione del suo complesso contenuto. Un disco coerente con tutto il percorso musicale di James Brandon Lewis, musicisti che non hanno derogato ad una...

James Brandon Lewis is now one of the top composers, bandleaders and tenor saxophonists of the world jazz scene, so each new album drop is going to garner load of attention. That certainly applies for his Quartet, which boasts pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist Brad Jones and drummer Chad Taylor backing Lewis. Well, the James Brandon Lewis Quartet just dropped their latest and it continues the astonishing development of Lewis as an advanced composer. Omni (Intakt Records) is the sixth release by his Quartet, and a new release for the third year in a row.

The rapid-fire succession of new material isn’t diluting the quality; it merely means the music is evolving at a fast pace. What started out as six- or seven- tone system has grown to twelve tones and beyond.

After the short plaintive saxophone salutation of “Omnipotent,” the bands leaps right into the current state of Lewis’ ‘Molecular Systematic Music’ concept. “The Sermon” takes modern jazz to its limits, resembling the urgent, nervous “Riot” by Miles Davis’ second great quintet. But listen to that Jones/Taylor rhythm section and you’ll find a completely different, muscular fragmented approach that just sends the song into a wide orbit. That’s plenty enough to prompt Lewis to rain down a vibrant downpour of notes.

Lewis continues to flirt with avant-gardism, applying accelerando to “Fire In My Bones,” bringing the melody at the bursting point when maximum velocity is reached, then slows down to a lazy pace, the sax sounding almost pre-bop; it’s as if ‘fast’ represents jazz at the frontier and ‘slow’ being jazz back in its tradition.

“Testify” is testifyin’ the blues here, starting out with a wail and settling into a sax procession that simulates a blues shouter, not a saxophone. Ortiz maintains the mood with a barrelhouse piano.

The spirituality of John Coltrane is never far from Lewis and he delivers an authoritative sermon in the Church of Trane during the “Call To Worship” that’s bound to chase all the demons away. Jones afterwards offers soothing counterpoints on his turn. “Spirit of the Living God” is another testimonial and here, Taylor’s circular rhythm seems completely at odds with the other three performers who are playing at a much slower place. They created an illusion because the timekeeping is actually on point and over time the synchronicity gradually becomes more evident.

The closing “Omnipresent” is powerful and subdued at once. Lewis extends his notes so they leave large footprints as Taylor orchestrates a quiet turbulence behind him.

James Brandon Lewis continues to push his artistry forward when it appears it’s reached the limit. There’s no limit to what Lewis can conceive and put into action, however, and Omni is yet another major achievement for him and his Quartet.

Omni is available now, via Bandcamp.

https://somethingelsereviews.com/2026/06/26/james-brandon-lewis-quartet-omni-2026-june-26//

James Brandon Lewis is on a remarkable run. Deface the Currency (Impulse!, 2026), his second collaborative album with the Messthetics, placed him at the cutting edge of the fiery fusion of punk and jazz. While that record proved he could invoke the power and fury of 60s Detroit band MC5's rock-and-roll testimonial Are You Ready to TESTIFY! (Sanctuary Records, 2007), on Omni, he is invoking a different kind of testimonial, one grounded in his upbringing as the son of a minister. Lewis and his long-running quartet, pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist Brad Jones, and drummer Chad Taylor expand on Lewis' "Molecular Systematic Music" and construct a sonic temple where they deliver a twelve-tone gospel from the pulpit.

Lewis has carefully structured the album around the three omnis of God. "Omnipotent" opens the album, much as the choir would open the service. This beautiful, minute-long solo piece reminds the congregation to take comfort in the fact that God is all-powerful while also preparing them for the message to come.

"The Sermon" starts quietly, with Ortiz, Jones, and Taylor starting things off before Lewis and his saxophone take the pulpit. However, as the message progresses, it begins to pick up energy, using a similar timing and cadence to that of a minister. Like the prophet Jeremiah, on "Fire in My Bones," Lewis has an uncontrollable fire burning inside him; he must let it out, or else be consumed by the pain it causes when he keeps it in. On this particular song, the band's skillful, almost telepathic interplay conveys this feeling perfectly.

This intense energy perfectly sets the stage for the next critical part of the liturgy. "Testify" is the sound of the congregation sharing a communal experience, bonding with one another as they stand to speak their unique experiences with the divine aloud. The concept of bonding plays a crucial role in Lewis' "Molecular Systematic Music." Within this musical framework, Lewis believes that musicians can break down music into tones, or "atoms." By bonding these tones into different musical molecules, you begin to form the unique DNA strand of the music being created, just as the individual members (atoms) of the congregation bond together to create the DNA of their own church. Similarly, the quartet can continuously reshape the music by combining the molecules in different ways, giving them the freedom to create something different each time they play.

Immediately following is the second omni, "Omniscient." The all-knowing God is in the church, listening to the testimonials, and the track is fittingly beautiful and serene. It acts as a salve on the fiery hot burn of our sins, a cooling grace for both the weight of our burdens and the heat of the holy fire.

"Line Upon Line" also has a dual meaning in the context of Lewis' molecular system. The band builds the song line by line, one molecule at a time, one line at a time, until the song is complete. In the church, a minister builds the sermon line by line, word by word, as it builds towards its message; this mirrors the way God reveals his truth, one line at a time, slowly, so that we can understand the truth. On this track, Taylor's drumming is less about keeping time and more like a kinetic jackhammer, pounding away as the track is constructed around him. Lewis' sax is urgent; his fiery overblowing raises the stakes and more than matches Taylor's intensity as they build their church, their sermon, their song, their message, one line at a time, until completion.

As the notes of "Spirit of the Living God" hit, the congregation stands and sings to close out the service as they file out of the pews; the third omni, "Omnipresent," begins, a fitting reminder that God is everywhere as they exit the church. In actuality, the physical church is just a building; the real church is the congregation, who carry the message forward. The message is not just in them; it is everywhere. On Omni, the music does not merely carry a message; it is the message.

While Omni is a spiritual jazz album, it is not a free jazz fire-breathing manifesto. Lewis' twelve-tone gospel is deeply reflective and beautiful. When it does burn, it does so with a purpose; it is controlled, passionate, but never fire and brimstone. The quartet deftly navigates between both extremes, with a skillful mastery born from their shared years of playing together. Molecular Systematic Music provides them with a framework, a map, a blueprint. Yet it is within this structure that they find the absolute freedom to create, to bind their notes into an infinite number of sonic combinations.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/omni-james-brandon-lewis-quartet-intakt-recordss