Brian Shankar Adler: Fourth Dimension

The state of the art of Brooklyn jazz is arguably embodied in Brian Shankar Adler’s Fourth Dimension (Chant). Inspired by the drummer’s ashram boyhood, Fourth Dimension explores musical spirituality with the eclectic sprezzatura of Fat Mama’s Jonathan Goldberger (guitar), Matt Moran (vibraphone), Santiago Leibson (piano), Rob Jost (bass) and Adler’s subtle deployment of Indian percussion. Fourth Dimension opens with a drone that oozes into a sort of spy-jazz mantra; “Rise and Fall” peaks like a musical palindrome; and “Gowanus” dredges up a miniature alien landscape. It all fits together with clockwork precision, endless surprises and casual splendor.