For those unaware, drummer-composer Jonathan Barber announces the release of In Motion, his fourth studio album with his long-standing group Vision Ahead, out August 2nd, 2024.

Instilled with a sense of maturity and rooted in deeply personal expression, In Motion emerges as an authentic musical portrait of the Hartford-born artist illustrated by eight richly-composed original compositions and a pair of reprises.

Intended as a cohesive, full body of work, In Motion is Jonathan Barber’s most astute statement yet, and a testament to the staying power of Vision Ahead as an ensemble.

The title, In Motion, is a nod to the act of “doing”, and is thought of as a motivational mantra for the drummer-composer. It’s an accurate reflection of Barber’s ever-evolving artistry and meteoric career: since 2018, Barber and Vision Ahead have consistently released impactful and acclaimed projects, each further solidifying the group’s standing as one of the premier ensembles of this generation.

Anchored by Barber (who was selected as the #1 Up and Coming Drummer by Modern Drummer Magazine in 2018), Vision Ahead features first-call guitarist Andrew Renfroe, artful pianist Taber Gable, respected bassist Matt Dwonszyk and exploratory tenor saxophonist Matt Knoegel. “Barber’s Concept with “Vision Ahead” is shapely and sure, fortified with youthful energy, yet tempered by mature skills. His compositions are solid, his performance grounded, full of dance feel, and one with a future,” described jazz journalist Ken Micallef in DownBeat Magazine. The sound of Vision Ahead is decidedly now.

1. Radar (5:05)
2. Giving (2:13)
3. In Motion (4:59)
4. When Love Calls (4:27)
5. Liberty (4:43)
6. The City That Sits On A Hill (5:29)
7. When Love Calls (Reprise) (2:40)
8. Can’t Call It (3:10)
9. Liberty (Reprise) (0:46)
10. Help Us All Rise (3:25)

On what is more than just an album, indeed more like a testament to Jonathan Barber’s artistry and vision, chock full of rich compositions, virtuosic performances, and innovative arrangements, the album opens on the richly melodic Radar and the emotive Giving and then we are brought forth the inspired, evoking, titular In Motion, the beautiful ballad When Love Calls, and then we get the impassioned Liberty.

Along next is the rhythmic finesse that glides us through The City That Sits On A Hill and a reprise of When Love Calls, before they are in turn backed by the compositionally fortified Can’t Call It, a short, but sweet reprise of Liberty, the album closing on the veritably theatrical Help Us All Rise.

The album’s title holds layers of significance, both on an individual level and in recognizing jazz history — a truncated version of one of the most famous standards about the Crescent City: “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?” By evoking this standard, Skonberg immediately aligns the album with the history and tradition of that great musical city.

Moreover, by shortening the title to simply state What It Means, Skonberg turns it into a broader statement and call to her audience to recognize that which is important to each person. Skonberg herself addresses the topic from her perspective on the album. “I am affirming ‘what it means’ to me,” she says. “I care about family, I care about getting to make music that brings joy with other people, from a place that reveres its roots, and that looks forward to brighter days.”

www.jonathanbarbermusic.com

Jonathan Barber @ Facebook