A winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2012 and mostly known as a drummer on albums such as Carmen Lundy’s Changes and Soul to Soul, Jamison Ross’s 2015 self-titled debut album took the jazz world by surprise, revealing a composer, arranger and singer of the highest order, and earning a much deserved Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy nomination in the process. Similarly traversing jazz, gospel, soul and R&B, this follow-up will consolidate his burgeoning reputation. Ross’s deep pocket underpins a joyous take on Allen Toussaint’s ‘A Mellow Good Time’, an album opener which gives a nod to his adopted Crescent City home, as does an atmospheric take on the Willie Tee title-track. The late Mose Allison’s classic anti-war song ‘Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy’ may now be 50-years-old, but Ross succeeds in making its age-old message resonate strongly (“Straight ahead/ Knock ’em dead/Pack your kit/ Choose your hypocrite”). There are fine standards, too, glowing takes on ‘Don’t Go to Strangers’ and ‘My Ship’, the latter as diaphanous a version as you could wish for. Co-written with guitarist Lollar and Joshua Starkman, the bossa-like ‘Safe in Arms of Love’ is the pick of several originals. Accompanied solely by Cory Irvin on Hammond organ, Ross closes the album with a song associated with Fats Waller, ‘Let’s Sing Again’, simultaneously paying tribute to where his musical journey began in his grandfather’s church.