Sun That Never Sets [CD], Ralph Alessi, CD

For 'A Sun That Never Sets,' Ralph Alessi expands the quartet configuration with a fifth player for a set of eleven new compositions that elaborate on Alessi's intricate writing with deep thought and a fresh sense of adventure. The last time Alessi operated with a quintet was with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane in his This Against That ensemble, captured on 2019's acclaimed Imaginary Friends. Instead of a saxophonist, this time the trumpeter's brother Joseph Alessi comes into the fold and fortifies an already state-of-the-art group with inspired trombone lines in frequently wild interplay with the trumpet.