marcus gilmore presents journey to the new at nublu, nyc, may 29 - first set
photography by ©Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas
Throughout his career, Marcus Gilmore—a first-rate, Grammy Award-winning drummer and composer—has been a vital contributor to projects led by Chick Corea, Steve Coleman, Vijay Iyer, David Virelles, and Shabaka Hutchings, among others. Though less prolific as a bandleader, he released Refract in 2023, a co-led trio project with pianist Jason Moran and electronic artist BlankFor.ms, and further expanded his musical palette this year with an experimental sextet on the newly released Journey to the New - Live at Village Vanguard.
On May 29, the group brought pieces from this new album to life at Nublu, in a joy-filled celebration featuring Emmanuel Michael on guitar, Burniss Travis on electric bass, Jason Lindner (subbing for David Virelles) on Rhodes and synths, Morgan Guerin on EWI and tenor saxophone, and Rashaan Carter on acoustic bass.
The music—a progressive fusion of the present day—blended elements of post-bop, neo-soul, ambient electronic, and Black American music. The concert opened with Travis’ “Voltaire”, where his electric bass often functioned like a synth, delivering effect-drenched harmonies with Michael soloing atop. At the core were odd-metered riffs that set the stage for the solos. The following piece, “Interlude One”, centered around a semi-acoustic guitar riff. Written by Michael, it showcased his voice, supported by a rhythm section that generated dynamic undercurrents to keep the atmosphere vibrant and engaging.
Gilmore’s “Cape Strive”—composed in tribute to the Indigenous people of Cape Town, South Africa—began with a compelling drum intro and unfolded into a high-energy performance, featuring powerful solos from Guerin on EWI, Lindner, Michael, and Gilmore himself. The first set concluded with an intricate fusion piece that, propelled by assertive rhythms and expansive drumming, spotlighted Guerin on tenor saxophone and incorporated deliberately dissonant guitar interplay in a productive exchange with the electric bass. The audience responded enthusiastically to the performance, on a night where Lindner also served as DJ before the concert and between sets.