Beyond now

"This is the powerful left-field New York jazz band that played on David Bowie's Blackstar, fronted by saxophonist Donny McCaslin ... Though McCaslin is a sought-after improvising jazz saxist with a rugged post-Coltrane sound, his dedication to Bowie represents that niche of rock and hip-hop-influenced jazz that is rooted in the accumulation of repeated hooks against rhythm-section crescendos of rising heat ... Such repetition-based and anthemic music can pall for some jazzers, but it's nonetheless a formidable set with a darkly seductive power".

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"Because of their association with Bowie, the quartet's Beyond Now will get attention from a wider range of music fans than a jazz album normally would. But this record warrants attention on its own merits because it showcases the exciting, genre-blurring sound of a sophisticated band coming into its own".

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"A radical and daring departure for McCaslin, and also a gesture that feels genuine and sweet, given Bowie's sudden, shocking death. But its claustrophobic rhythmic packets and opratic triumphalism are tiresome. And though McCaslin often plays with compelling lyricism, none of the tracks comes up to the level of "Dollar Days", on Blackstar itself ... Does that mean that McCaslin shouldn't have made this album? Absolutely not. There's real emotional clarity here. More jazz players should try crossing barriers like this, dipping into contemporary pop repertoire, whether they entirely succeed or not".