What’s next? David Laborier, a passionate jazz composer who’s at home in both large and small ensemble settings, releases his fifth album as a leader. NE:X:T features the medium sized sextet format and showcases a musical melting pot of jazz, pop, rock and experimental elements. It is a homogenous co-existence of musical styles resulting in highly accessible colors and atmospheres, rather than giving the listener the impression of an overdone and intellectual arrangement of notes. NE:X:T take the audience to the stylistic edge of jazz music, even crossing all the boundaries of a classic instrumentation. Jazz, rock and hip-hop influences open a new musical path to a colorful world of sounds. Each of the players’ individual styles and instrumental approaches shine through David Laborier’s extravagant compositions. The opener “Wes We Can” pays tribute to jazz guitar legend Wes Wontgomery in a cool and relaxed manner, followed up by “Step Right Up!”, a funky up tempo tune featuring some high energy trumpet, trombone and saxophone improvisations. The ballad “The Wait Is Over” explores the band’s acoustic sound, whereas in “Best Served Cold”, the listener is taken to a soundscape made of distorted sounds, the purity of horns and drums combined with electronic loops. “Pendulum” is a contrapuntal construct between the guitar, trumpet, trombone and saxophone, featuring extended solos. “Closeness” is a heartfelt ballad conjuring warm and intimate feelings. Hip-hop inspired “Baked Goods” takes a groovy path down acoustic and electronic elements, via oriental flavors, and ending in the openness of the spirit of jazz. The melodies from NE:X:T have a contagious quality to them and will surely find an audience beyond that of hardcore jazz aficionados.
