Although recorded in concert at Berklee, the primary statement from newcomer Alonzo Demetris is that this beacon of musical education is not about incarceration, regardless of how tough rehearsal regimes may be. Instead, he is referring to the soul-destroying phenomenon of the ‘prison industrial complex’, which has notoriously exploited African-Americans for decades and continues to be a shameful blight on the supposed land of the free to this day. Using excerpts of rousing speeches by renowned activists such as Angela Davis, trumpeter-composer Demetrius sets the tone for a series of mostly epic compositions in which suitably fraught, if not tense, wounded themes, enriched by the smart unison statements of the leader and saxophonist Yesseh Furaha-Ali, launch extended improvisations that carry the moods well. The performance standard is impressively high and there are strong echoes of contemporary pacesetters such as Christian Scott and Robert Glasper insofar as soulful energies flow into an ensemble sound that moves stealthily between acoustic and electric worlds. Demetrius takes a number of commanding solos, particularly his spiraling choruses on, ‘F.O.O. Shit’, that serve notice of a notable talent in the making who has strong political convictions. A defiant stand against oppression is enhanced by the use of an irresistible sampled vocal chant: “This is what community looks like!”