Kevin Haynes / Grupo Elegua: Inner Outer Alignment Vol. 1

Alto saxophonist, percussionist, composer and African folklore singer Kevin Haynes first came to prominence playing drums with the Jazz Warriors Big Band in the 1980s. An ordained Yoruba Ifá priest, his artistic development has continued to be shaped by the spiritual percussion traditions of West Africa, alongside his mastery of the alto saxophone, a proficiency that has often seen him referred to as the "African Charlie Parker."

His Grupo Elegua project is a heady fusion of hard-bop jazz, Cuban rhythms, Nigerian Yoruba bata drumming and African vocal traditions. For the project, Haynes has assembled a stellar core band featuring Deschanel Gordon (piano, keyboards), Daniel Casimir (bass) and Moses Boyd (drums, percussion).

Boyd and Casimir get Inner Outer Alignment Vol. 1 (Ti abenu ati ti ita titete) off to a propulsive start with "New World Order." Haynes' rapid-fire saxophone attack wails over the bustling rhythms before handing over to Gordon, whose solo brings another layer of magic to the track. Haynes then returns in a calmer, more lyrical mood to bring the piece to a close.

Joe Armon Jones joins the band on keyboards for "Agenda 2022-2030." The track has a distinctly different sound character from the opener, but Boyd and Casimir again provide a percussive foundation that avoids cliché, while Haynes delivers another fiery solo.

The bright and upbeat "Su Beddin Weddin Ya" is the clear album highlight. Haynes offers an excellent saxophone melody before launching into his solo, with Gordon, Boyd and Casimir providing some fine interplay along the way. The piece ends in style with evocative African drumming. "Dahomey," the former name of Haynes' native Benin, follows and maintains the album's high energy, giving each musician room to shine, with Gordon particularly noteworthy. The track concludes with Boyd displaying his considerable subtlety behind the kit.

The final track, "Orumila Oriki," shifts the focus towards African singing and percussion. While this may be of less immediate interest to a jazz audience, it provides a fitting conclusion to an album rooted as much in African musical traditions as in jazz.

Haynes weaves his flamboyant saxophone sound throughout Inner Outer Alignment Vol. 1, with Gordon providing consistently strong support and Boyd and Casimir forming a terrific rhythm section. The album pulses with African rhythms and a vibrant sense of movement. It is music that leaves you wishing you could experience it live rather than through speakers or headphones.