Isaiah Collier – Parallel Universe (2xLP)

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Isaiah Collier connects with the divine ancestors on a transcendent direct-to-disc session, Parallel Universe.

Chicago-based innovator and educator Isaiah Collier opens up new dimensions in the jazz continuum. A saxophonist whose multi-instrumental talents and compositional skills have pushed the boundaries of the form, Parallel Universe represents a new chapter in Collier's musical journey.

Embracing the risk and vulnerability that comes with the live process, Collier and his band tapped into the frequencies of improvisation that have fueled so many of jazz's most timeless recordings. "The direct-to-disc recording gave me a really fortunate opportunity to experience what our musical predecessors were dealing with almost a hundred years ago," he explains.

Featuring gospel-soul singer Jimetta Rose, AACM and former Art Ensemble of Chicago trumpeter Corey Wilkes, blues-rooted guitarist Michael Damani and regular collaborators Julian Davis Reid, James Russell Sims and Micah Collier, the 8-track album is bursting with love and understanding between players of the highest caliber.