No Wind & No Rain
Calligram, 2026
9/10
This 4th album from the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective finds the 7th piece incorporating plenty of influences into their distinct and timeless formula.
“The Laughing Heart” opens with Keith Brooks III’s thumping drums and John Fournier’s rich sax adding much to the rich climate, and “A Town Called Mercy” follows with Micah Collier’s playful bass lines that suit Dee Alexander’s soulful pipes.
The title track arrives in the middle and benefits from Larry Brown Jr.’s funky guitar amid plenty of grooves, while “Message To A Child” brings a lushness to the textured album highlight that enlists Ryan Nyther’s well timed trumpet.
Arriving late, “There Is Light Somewhere” spotlights Amr Fahmy’s elegant keys that align with flowing sax, and “There Is A Light Interlude #2” lands in dreamy territory via the gentle interaction.
An album with themes of perseverance, No Wind & No Rain embraces folk, blues, and gospel ideas into its harmonic bouts and infectious energy.
Travels well with: Atlantic Road Trip- Watch As The Echo Falls; Chris Madsen- Threefold