Fusion is taken to a new level with TRANSCENDENCE, the new CD by drummer Jaimeo Brown. Brown has melded African-American gospel tunes (sung by Gee's Bend Quilters), JD Allen's

bluesy tenor sax, East Indian Camatic music (led by the vocalist Falu), jazz improvisation, hip-hop beats, and electronic production techniques into a fresh-sounding, ground-breaking whole.

Brown, who has played drums with Charles Mingus, Pharaoh Sanders, Geri Allen and Wynton Marsalis, has long been interested in genre-bending music, music that crosses East-West boundaries in search of a common denominator: deeply felt spiritual and musical values. Put another way, his goal has been to transform universal pain and deliverance into art.

To make it work, he assembled a crackerjack team of world musicians. In addition to those named above, the list includes the guitarist/soundscape specialist Chris Sholar; avant-jazz keyboardist Kelvin Sholar; and Brown's sister, vocalist Marisha Rodriguez. These skilled and fearless artists, working in live and studio settings, have ventured into uncharted waters and found treasure there--unique, haunting music that defines 21st century jazz. (Visit motem.com or jaimiebrown.com)