Soul Progressin'

Nobody expresses the intent behind the music of pianist Lafayette Gilchrist better than the artist himself. On his fourth album as a leader for Hyena Records, Gilchrist explains it like this: "Soul Progressin' is a rediscovery in the sense of what was and is still the most essential part of my offering. Soul Power Lives. Its roots are endless and wondrous. Its future is undeniable. So we just want to celebrate about it a bit." And indeed, that's what the Baltimore-based artist does. While Gilchrist's version of celebration might be headier and more abstract than most people's definition, from those willing to drink from his cup of D.C. go-go, Mingus-meets-Ellington jazz and hard funk, the results will make believers of them.