You’ll probably best remember Robert Hurst from his Wynton Marsalis days, but currently he tours with Diana Krall and trumpeter Chris Botti and is a long-time member of The Tonight Show band. He was also the guy who introduced us to Robert Glasper on record back in 2001. Well, this new release was recorded around the same time, but reportedly not satisfactorily finished because of Hurst’s busy work schedules. It is receiving enthusiastic reviews in America, but be warned, it’s a strange record. Though engineered by Joe Marciano of Systems Two studios, it’s swamped in echo and parts of the mix are very busy, especially and intentionally on the closing themeless jam, ‘Ichabad’. Hurst himself is a master, Ron Carter-class bassist as you’ll hear on all his solos and his musicians are beyond reproach. The high spot of the CD is Hurst’s three-part ‘Middle Passage Suite’, based on black history, with titles like ‘For Those Who Made It’, ‘For Those Who Didn’t Make It’ and the engrossing ‘For Those of Us Still Here’. Rudolph’s percussion plays an important role is what is occasionally Ellingtonian in concept and sometimes lugubrious, with Watts thundering underneath. I’m sure it wasn’t, but because of the mix, much of this album has a stoned-out, psychedelic feel and certainly holds one’s attention.