The identical twin brothers Marcus and E. J. Strickland, from Miami, have spent most of this decade carving a foothold on the New York jazz landscape. At 30 both are central figures within the present wave of dynamic and open-minded post-bop. Marcus, a saxophonist, and E. J., a drummer, each have impressive new albums that draw on a wealth of references without losing an ounce of clarity or purpose.
They played in each other’s groups at Joe’s Pub on Friday night, during a tandem album-release celebration for Marcus’s label, Strick Muzik. First up was the E. J. Strickland Quintet, drawing from “In This Day,” an assertive and ambitious debut. The lineup actually involved six musicians: the Stricklands along with the alto saxophonist Miguel Zenn, the pianist Luis Perdomo, the bassist Ben Williams, and the conga player Samuel Torres, who began the set with a dramatic solo overture.
Within moments E. J. took over, setting up a busy and acute-angled Afro-Cuban groove. The band settled into “New Beginnings,” one of his sharper originals. Rhythm is a pliable element for E. J., and he made it a driving concern throughout the set, with forceful but slippery drumming. He often linked one tune to the next with a forward-tumbling solo, using the dark shimmer of his cymbals for texture.
They played in each other’s groups at Joe’s Pub on Friday night, during a tandem album-release celebration for Marcus’s label, Strick Muzik. First up was the E. J. Strickland Quintet, drawing from “In This Day,” an assertive and ambitious debut. The lineup actually involved six musicians: the Stricklands along with the alto saxophonist Miguel Zenn, the pianist Luis Perdomo, the bassist Ben Williams, and the conga player Samuel Torres, who began the set with a dramatic solo overture.
Within moments E. J. took over, setting up a busy and acute-angled Afro-Cuban groove. The band settled into “New Beginnings,” one of his sharper originals. Rhythm is a pliable element for E. J., and he made it a driving concern throughout the set, with forceful but slippery drumming. He often linked one tune to the next with a forward-tumbling solo, using the dark shimmer of his cymbals for texture.
