Heard the Samadhi Quintet launching their new album the Dance of Venus at the Sela Bar, Leeds the other night. They describe their music as combining the rhythms of Indian and Latin American music with the beats of hip hop and the language of jazz. Featuring Krzysztof Urbanski – sax, Dominic J Marshall – piano, Sam Vicary – bass, Sam Bell – percussion and Sam Gardner – drums, the truly outstanding musicians play with an ensemble feel that lifts the whole project out of the ordinary. Samadhi Quintet set out to “explore ‘number in time’, the essential nature of music by combining the highly structured numerical systems of rhythm found in Indian classical music and the pinpoint precision grooves and rich harmonic progressions of hip-hop.” Their intricate rhythms undoubtedly reflect the fact that the band is the brain-child of leader and composer Sam Gardner, the band’s drummer. At moments I was reminded of Coltrane’s A Love Supreme in their music’s spiritual ambition, as they explore adventurous rhythms and layered, cumulative themes. Hard to pick out one musician as they were all so skilled, but Dominic J Marshall on keyboards with his trilling arpeggios had me comparing him with the late great Austin Peralta. Well, worked for me. Check them out. If you like your jazz adventurous with a spiritual edge Samadhi Quintet won’t disappoint.

http://samadhiquintet.com