Onyx (Gate)

For several years we've been following the billowing musical universe of Tyshawn Sorey. From new classical to heavy metal to all manner of improvisational music, Tyshawn is a label favorite and just a mind-blowing multi-hyphenate. Included in his talents is the consistent integration of some of the best young musicians into his many bands. For a while his sextet included a young woman who played the vibraphone like a maniacal dervish, intent with the most laser-like focus we've seen. She is Sasha Berliner, a San Francisco native who is bound for stardom. Sasha put together the quintet to record this album from her many high-level musical associates: James Francies and Julius Rodriguez on keyboards; Burniss Travis II on bass; Marcus Gilmore on drums and Jaleel Shaw on alto sax. Thana Alexa contributed a vocal on one song. The first JMI record to be recorded outside Reservoir Studio, this one was tracked and mixed at Ben Kane's Electric Garden in Brooklyn. The cover painting was a child of the pandemic: a painter named Lewis Achenbach used his Instagram account to watch musicians like Sasha play from their homes and painted them while they played.