and have something in common: they both "go to 11." Of course, 's "11" refers to the extra kick derived from 's guitar amp, capable of being turned up "one louder than ten." In 's case, "11" signifies the number of beats per measure in a typical piece of music written by bandleader/drummer/composer , whose own extra kick might be delivered to the kick drum itself, right before each bar line in the score. Nobody can nail the groove in a time signature with a seven, nine, 11, or 13 in the numerator like , who is (for the most part) seemingly allergic to mundane four-on-the-floor rhythms, and (the fifth album by and ensemble under the moniker and third release on ) is a fine place to immerse oneself in his rhythmic world. The CD portion of this CD/DVD set is quintessential , with the same septet lineup featured on 2009's , including, in addition to himself, saxophonist , trumpeter , guitarist , violinist , keyboardist , and bassist . ' layered compositional approach is in evidence from the start of opening track "Corps et Ames," as he taps out a stop-start cymbal pattern over 's pausing figure on the keys; the drummer fills in the rhythmic gaps as bass and guitar enter, soon joined by violin and trumpet -- and yes, are "going to 11," and actually have been from the first cymbal tap. There are so many rhythmic changeups in the remainder of the piece -- and throughout the album -- that one could begin thinking about the music mathematically instead of just sitting back and enjoying it. But enjoyment is unavoidable as the band's engaging themes, punchy riffs, timbral variety, harmonic shifts, and inspired solos are ingeniously integrated into the rhythmic framework, with results that are truly enveloping at every possible level, never seeming needlessly tricky or complex. And while the signature horn riff and lovely violin part (seeming to flirt with 's "Summertime") in "Ultraviolet" and the extended solo showcases in the concluding 13-and-a-half-minute opus "Midi-Minuit" (featuring an uncharacteristically even-tempoed heavy and spacy slow fade at the end) might be considered highlights, the album's uniform excellence makes singling out the "best" tracks a futile exercise. Likewise the concert DVD recorded at the 2010 NEARfest, a thrilling set featuring selections from all three CDs (and one pre- album), expertly captured by six camera operators and bookended by split-screen behind-the-scenes footage. It's a pleasure to watch the young bandmembers -- obviously inspired by the music of the elder in the drum chair -- navigating the kaleidoscopic changes as the compositions ebb and flow while always locking into the leader's clean, crisp, and unflashy forward momentum. Rating 21st century jazz-rock bands on a scale of one to ten, merit a clear...you guessed it...11. ~ Dave Lynch