So, it’s not surprising that Isles’s second album, “En Motion,” released in late January, is an eclectic, genre-defying affair. His superb main unit — Sam Barsh and Rachel Eckroth on keyboards, drummer Eric Harland, bassist Kaveh Rastegar, and David Gilmore on guitar — is augmented by guests from across the musical spectrum.
Isles is in command on trumpet throughout the disc, ranging from a minimal sound that recalls late-career Miles Davis to a fiery intensity reminiscent of Freddie Hubbard.
On one of the album’s finest tracks, Isles reinvents “La Fiesta” by Chick Corea, a founding father of jazz-rock fusion. Isles’s brand of fusion goes further, adding hip-hop and rap to the mix. On “Bate's Letter from MistaChuck,” Public Enemy’s Chuck D delivers a sadly relevant rap about being a target.
Other crossover tracks include “The Jump-Off,” showcasing Ben Wendel on tenor saxophone, as well as a string quartet. “Black Girl Magic” features Badia Farha and Mumu Fresh delivering a spirited rap about beauty, dignity, and pride.
One of the album’s charms is its use of unusual instruments: Victor Provost’s steelpan adds a Caribbean feel, DJ Raydar Ellis presides over the turntables, and Suphala contributes tabla.
The song selections are similarly quirky. Covers include “The Smoke,” a hypnotic composition by The Smile (a project of Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke) and a re-harmonized “Cristo Redentor,” a spiritual ballad by Duke Pearson.
Ron Netsky is a contributing writer for CITY. Feedback on this article can be directed to [email protected].
