makes his debut with his nuanced 2023 travelog . Along with being his first studio album for the storied jazz label (and his 16th overall), is also his first primarily vocal-oriented production, featuring singer . Also joining him is pianist , bassist , and drummer . Vocally, the California-born/New Orleans-based has a warm sound that bridges the gap between the relaxed style of alt pop artists like with jazz and R&B luminaries like and . She fits nicely alongside , whose own burnished tone has always evinced a vocal-like quality. There's a sense throughout the album that is pulling songs from an array of influences. Most emblematic of this broad palette is "Chicago Blues," a heady cross-stitch of 's "Goin' to Chicago" and indie singer/songwriter ' "Chicago" that also features Chicago-bred vibraphonist . returns to the hometown concept throughout the album, bringing along several special guests who each play a song associated with the place they grew up. Crescent City-born trumpeter jumps on board for a boldly reharmonized take on "Do You Know What It Means," while guitarist sprinkles his fusion-influenced lines on a convincingly reworked rendition of 's "Streets of Philadelphia." We also get New York guitarist for an urbane and swinging take on the standard "Manhattan." Elsewhere, settles into warm readings of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "That's New England," and "Stars Fell on Alabama," all of which bring to mind the relaxed, '50s jazz of singers like , albeit with a modern creative jazz and classical-inflected artfulness that longtime fans will be familiar with. ~ Matt Collar