Passage

On his second Blue Note outing and fifth album overall, drummer Johnathan Blake pays tribute to his late father, violin trailblazer John Blake Jr., who composed the title track. There are other dedicatees as well: the solo drum intro “Lament for Lo” is for fellow drummer Lawrence Leathers, who died at 37 in 2019; and “Tears I Cannot Hide” honors its influential composer, the late Ralph Peterson Jr., who recorded it on his 2002 album Subliminal Seduction. Blake’s reading is a waltz, faster in tempo than the original, with warm Fender Rhodes coloring the elegant harmonies.
Blake’s vehicle is a jaw-dropping quintet called Pentad, with alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist David Virelles, and bassist Dezron Douglas. We get to hear Virelles in a trio setting on his own “Tiempos,” and the quartet with Ross’ vibes as lead melodic voice on “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” one of a handful of Blake originals. Douglas gets the spotlight on his funky composition “A Slight Taste.” Almost like a tearjerker movie ending, “West Berkley St.” concludes with a montage of voicemail messages from Blake the father to Blake the son. He’s just checking in, saying hello, with love and caring fully audible in his voice.