Herlin has assembled a fine group of outstanding young musicians. The core players are: Bruce Harris, trumpet; Godwin Louis, saxophone (from Haiti); Emmet Cohen, piano; and Russell Hall, bass (from Jamaica). All of them except Harris are under the age of thirty and are poised to benefit from Riley’s sage leadership. Veteran guitarist Mark Whitfield and Cuba’s Pedrito Martinez on percussion are Herlin’s special guests. As in modern life, the hallmark of jazz is improvisation, which is key to managing change. Herlin’s synthesis of his expanding foundation with the dynamic pathways of his musical development reflects this improvisation. It is Herlin’s achievement of an individual expressive freedom in the context of the group’s cohesion and advancement that is the very essence of jazz. With great enthusiasm, we welcome Herlin Riley’s New Direction!