Drummer, producer, and arranger Kevin Peter Jones assembled an all-star band featuring GRAMMY® winners Randy Brecker and Jeff Lorber to play eight sold-out shows at the iconic Blues Alley in Washington, DC. The live set, Blues Alley, was released on Friday, January 23, on Pacific Records, making Jones one of only four artists ever granted permission to release a live recording from the storied venue.
To honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jones previewed the album by releasing a radio-friendly edit of the Cannonball Adderley classic “Walk Tall,” the nearly twelve-minute opener from the ten-track set. Joining Jones, Brecker, and Lorber are GRAMMY® nominees Eric Marienthal (saxophone) and Lenny Castro (percussion), guitarist Dean Brown, and Senegalese bassist Cheikh Ndoye, whose world music nuances add depth to the contemporary jazz session.
“I wanted to bring together musicians who don’t just play notes — they tell stories. Each musician has a voice that’s unmistakable. When you put that kind of talent in one room, the music becomes bigger than any one of us,” said Jones. “People ask if having so many strong personalities creates friction. It doesn’t — it creates magic. Everyone listens, everyone reacts, and that’s what makes jazz alive.”
Blues Alley showcases masterful musicianship, the energy of live performance, and the spontaneous magic of improvisation. Jones sets the tone with astute drumming, complex cadences, and locked-in rhythms, supporting the melodic voices of keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, and guitar without overpowering them.
The set list balances reverence for history with innovative compositions, including Lorber’s “Hudson” and “Surreptitious,” Brown’s “Solid,” and Ndoye’s “Alchemy East.” Highlights include Marienthal’s emotive sax on Donny Hathaway’s “Valdez in the Country,” Brecker and Lorber’s rich interpretation of “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” and the bluesy Chick Corea-inspired “Blue Miles.”
Jones reflects on Blues Alley as both a tribute and a celebration: “This album stands as a testament not only to the music but to the spirit of Dean Brown, whose artistry and generosity left an indelible mark on everyone he played with. Recording live in such a storied space felt less like a performance and more like joining a living legacy.”
Blues Alley tracklist:
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“Walk Tall”
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“Hudson”
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“Valdez in the Country”
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“You Don’t Know What Love Is”
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“The Evening News”
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“Blue Miles”
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“Solid”
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“Surreptitious”
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“Alchemy East”
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Percussion Solo
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