Jazz music is constantly in a state of flux. It feeds off of new ideas and innovation to keep the music vital, and growing. The mantle is passed from generation to generation, eschewing the infective glare of pop notoriety to maintain the artistic presence that moves the music forward, now seventeen years into a new century. In jazz today, there is a groundswell of young musicians who understand this perspective, forging new paths into the future, while grounded in the traditions of the past. They possess the understanding of paying dues, of developing one's craft within the tenets of grand tradition, before making their own statements of innovation that define what jazz is today, and portends to be on the journey moving forward. This deep level of understanding and musical intelligence is what fuels musical insight, and original approach.

There is a beacon of light emanating from New York City these days, that clearly illustrates this approach and subsequent innovative results, in the person(s), of the Curtis Brothers, bassist Luques, and pianist Zaccai. Originally hailing from Connecticut, the brothers began their musical journey at the Artist's Collective, under the auspices of NEA Jazz Master