Description
Drummer composer Steve Johns returns to SteepleChase with Extrasensory, his most fully realized statement since his acclaimed 2024 release Mythology (SCCD 31971). Reuniting the same core ensemble -- guitarist John Hart, vibraphonist/harmonica player Monte Croft, pianist Greg Murphy, and bassist Joris Teepe -- Johns builds on the band's deepening chemistry, now sharpened by the fiery presence of saxophonist Troy Roberts on select tracks. The program highlights Johns' dual gifts: modern, structurally inventive writing and dynamic, deeply musical drumming shaped by decades on the New York scene. Contrafacts, reharmonized standards, soulful vocals, and vibrant originals form a wide stylistic arc, from angular modern swing to luminous ballads and earthy shuffles. Throughout, Johns shapes textures and grooves with masterful clarity, guiding a group whose intuitive interplay truly earns the album's title. Extrasensory affirms Johns as a drummer leader of imagination and unmistakable voice. "Mythology" is an album full of imagination, stories and some fantastic playing by this amazing lineup of world-class musicians." (A Green Review on SCCD 31971)
