UNDERSTANDING

Wallace Roney's most famous mentor was, of course, Miles Davis. It can't be denied that Davis' work and example still influence Roney's music. However, Roney has latched on to the spiking, probing, darker side of Miles' legacy which seems better suited to his musical temperament than does the winsomely lyrical playing of his famous colleague. Roney's 2013 recording is hard bop at its finest and features the concentrated power coupled with devastating power and originality for which Roney's bands have become known.