Darius Jones – Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation)

After breaking up with his partner, saxophonist Darius Jones went on tour "to capture a moment in time, to crystallize the beginning of something at the end of something else." Born out of one live performance - his last night on tour - Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) brings a deep and profound vulnerability that is not only personal, but also the macro brokenness of our current political climate that evokes sadness, anger and confusion, but also a glimmer of hope for the future.

For four of the five tracks, Jones chose compositions by artists who are not only the most unmistakably black, but who he also considers "world builders." From Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman and Roscoe Mitchell to the present day with Georgia Anne Muldrow, Alchemy Alchemy draws immeasurable power from each of these artists who dared to create an entire universe on their own terms. With 'Figure No. 2', Jones offers us a modern take on the blues. Courtesy of Muldrow, her chorus encapsulates the vast scope of the black experience in America.

America and transform our deep-seated pain into our beauty and our armor of resilience. Jones Jones also rests proudly on the shoulders of Coleman and Mitchell, two of this music's best-known improvisers who often stood alone in its ever-changing landscape. He pays homage to Mitchell with 'Noonah,' Noonah,' which was initially met with derision by audiences in the late 1970s until his 21+ minute version overtook them.

On "Alchemy," Jones balances the emotional heft of closure with the simple act of being alone, tapping into the unknown power of his lone voice and a newfound strength and enthusiasm that will carry him ' and his listeners ' beyond the uncertainty and doubt of not knowing.