For more on the band and the new recording, check out the official Down to the Bone Facebook page.

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Eddie recalls a wild moment 20 years ago when he had to drive five hours from Chicago to Ohio just to sub in for a show, saying, “As soon as we all got on the stage, our connection was instant.” Even though they’ve known each other for nearly 30 years, it took a chance meeting in a Colorado green room in 2025 to finally say, “It’s time.” Robert sums it up perfectly, noting that playing with these guys is “like putting on a pair of well broken in comfortable shoes.”

The full self-titled album was recorded at Marigny Studios, and is steeped in that New Orleans sound. The sonic palette draws from deep lineage while remaining distinctly their own. There are obvious influences of classic organ trios from the 60s and The Meters, but also sought-after New Orleans players like Eddie Bo, Ernie K-Doe, and Professor Longhair. The trio is joined by guest horn players Brad Walker (saxophone); John Michael Bradford (trumpet); Big Sam Williams (trombone) who appear on three of the album’s eight tracks and percussionist Pedro Segundo who guests throughout. If the album sounds like this first track, it’s going to be an instant add to my party playlist. Mercy.

The Breaks is out May 1 on the Color Red label.

The Breaks group photo by Mark Pagani.

The post The Breaks: Modern Groove Masters Assemble appeared first on ContemporaryJazz.com.

The Will Downing and Gerald Albright collaboration, Pleasures of the Night, was the best-selling contemporary jazz recording according to the October 31, 1998 issue of Billboard. At the time, Downing said, ““This is a departure for us both. It’s pretty much a traditional sounding record with flavorings of contemporary jazz sprinkled in so as not to exclude the audiences we’ve already built up over the years. It gives both of us an opportunity to stretch out more than our own records. It’s not often that you have the opportunity to do exactly what you want to do, no holds barred.”

Here’s the complete Top Contemporary Jazz Albums for that time:

1. Will Downing and Gerald Albright – Pleasures of the Night
2. Kenny G – Greatest Hits
3. Rick Braun – Full Stride
4. Down to the Bone – From Manhattan to Staten
5. George Benson – Standing Together
6. Fourplay – 4
7. Keiko Matsui – Full Moon and the Shrine
8. Marc Antoine – Madrid
9. Various Artists – KKSF Sampler for AIDS Relief, Volume 9
10. Medeski, Martin and Wood – Combustication

Also of note in that top ten is that the debut recording of Down to the Bone was in its 37th week on the chart.

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