Seeds

One of the most promising shifts in modern jazz has been younger musicians’ interest in stepping outside the constructs of the form. What they play may be jazz, but inspiration can come from anywhere and take them (and you) anywhere. Argentine keyboardist Leo Genovese has notably worked with Esperanza Spalding to these ends, and on Seeds you can hear a similar willingness to step into different worlds. Tracks range from the ferociously played “Father of Spectralism” (which has a vibe of jazz fusion as space travel) to “Our Historic Future” (a tangled acoustic tune that seems to conjure Thelonious Monk’s spirit). The epic Radiohead-like rocker “Portuguese Mirror” appears near the end, featuring Spalding on vocals and one of several fine saxophone solos from up-and-comer Daniel Blake. Genovese cycles through all this and more, playing with an urgency that serves the songs well. While this is his third album, Seeds very much feels like an auspicious arrival from an artist who bears watching in the future.