By Frank Alkyer | Published April 2015
Reggie Quinerly embodies style, substance, soul and swagger. The drummer burst onto the scene as a leader in 2012 with a tribute to his old neighborhood in Houston, Texas. Music Inspired By Freedman Town was a blast of pride and an indication of great things to come. Well, the future is now—and Quinerly delivers with Invictus. This is an album full of power and grace, taking its title from a William Ernest Henley poem. In the liner notes, Quinerly points out that this recording serves as a declaration of taking control of his future as an artist. “And while critics, musicians and fans continue to debate the commercial sustainability of an entire industry,” he noted, “I firmly believe its sustainability rests solely within us creators: No matter who is (or isn’t) listening, we must persevere, we must create and we must document, because only that which is documented lives on.” Amen. Quinerly backs up what he says here, working with a quintet of bright, next-gen stars—Warren Wolf on vibes, Christian Sands on piano, Yotam Silberstein on guitar and Alan Hampton on bass. They blaze on tunes like “Tavares” and “Light Work.” They groove old-school on “My Blue Heaven” and “Lester Grant.” They tug at the heart on ballads like “Variation 24” and “Kunst Uberlebt.” The latter is a Sands solo piece written by Quinerly. It’s just breathtaking. And every now and then some hip-hop beats flash by on “The Child Of The 808 Interlude,” “The Child Of The 808” and “That Right There.” It’s all seamlessly programmed and performed. Quinerly is an artist who has a clear vision of what he wants to do and where he wants to go. So, enjoyInvictus and look forward to where Reggie Quinerly is heading next. (Check out the online video trailer for Invictus by clicking here.)
