While drummer Kendrick Scott's namesake outfit—Kendrick Scott Oracle—has been around in some form since 2006, it's a band that's really come into its own in the last few years. With the arrival of Conviction (Concord Records, 2013), Scott made a major statement on a high-visibility label; jazz listeners and critics both took note. With We Are The Drum, his debut for the storied Blue Note imprint, he raises the bar even higher, melding complex ideas and completely accessible sounds.

While Scott cites his instrument in the title of this album, this is not a drum-centric record. Yes, there are drum solos, be they introductory in nature ("Mantra," "Never Catch Me") or weaved in and out of an entire song likes waves fiercely arriving and breaking at the shore before receding ("We Are The Drum"). But these solo displays are more about capturing or creating the spirit of a song than anything else. No single instrument dominates these proceedings and there's a democratic spirit at play throughout this album.

The music presented on We Are The Drum doesn't come at the listener so much as it surrounds and envelops. This band gazes across vast sonic landscapes with a panoramic mindset.