The title track off New York/New Jersey drummer Mark Guiliana‘s August-released album ‘Family First’ demands attention. A ponderous, subtly thrilling piece of questing horns and percussive clasps, the jazz tinged track could almost be a quiet anthem for autumn. Guiliana, a widely-celebrated musician and teacher whose discography includes a collaborative LP with contemporary piano master Brad Mehldau entertaningly titled ‘Mehliana,’ isn’t just a thinker, though, as other ‘Family First’ track "One Month" conveys a looser side with ramshackle drums and an overall peripatetic pace, while repertoire from just a year ago flirts with electronic music – check out the streaming single "Flaw & Order." A deeply eclectic artist, Guiliana knows how to both provoke and entertain. He’ll be playing at The Jazz Gallery on Wednesday (9.30) and at (Le) Poisson Rouge on 10.16 – Zach Weg
