Little Big III (LP)

Pianist and composer Aaron Parks returns to Blue Note Records - where he released his influential 2008 album, Invisible Cinema - with Little Big III, the third studio album from his acclaimed band Little Big, featuring guitarist Greg Tuohey, bassist David Ginyard Jr., and drummer Jongkuk Kim. Co-produced by Parks and Don Was, the collective's concise, accessible writing and vibrant, empathetic playing elevate the band's powerfully modern, post-genre concept for improvised music in the 21st century. Throughout, the bandmembers' kinship is palpable. There's a vitality at play on the record that is extraordinary; somehow, it's beautiful and raw in equal measure. "While this record feels the most supple and alive," Parks says, "it also feels like the most focused album Little Big has recorded - the most distilled down to the essence."