Rico Jones - BloodLines (2025)

There’s an earth-deep resonance to “Blood Lines”, the live debut from tenor saxophonist Rico Jones, and it hits you within moments of the album’s first breaths. Recorded at Brooklyn’s Ornithology and released as part of Giant Step Arts’ Modern Masters and New Horizons series, this is far from just a showcase of emerging talent, it feels more like a deeply personal, spiritual statement, steeped in heritage, ritual, and emotional gravity.

Rico Jones, a Colorado native with Indigenous and Latino roots, blends these cultural touchstones into a unified musical vision. His playing on “BloodLines” is incredibly mature, soulful, and undeniably in the moment – rooted in tradition but unbound by it. There’s an honesty here that I love, it transcends the notes, a living experience translated into sound.

The centrepiece of the album is the five-part “Bloodlines: Suite of the Omnipotent and Eternal Spirit”. Beginning with the brief but potent Invocation, the group enters into a shared prayer space, a moment of open improvisation that sets the spiritual tone. What follows is a suite that explores the transcendent with remarkable depth. Pieces like “Across Time” and “The Voice of God Shines Brightly on My Heart” manage to balance intensity with introspection, and it’s in these moments that Jones’ voice truly comes into its own: searching, melodic, but always anchored by a clear emotional core.

There’s also great balance in the ensemble. Guitarist Max Light’s thoughtful textures provide a compelling foil to Jones’ earthier tone, while the veteran rhythm section featuring Joe Martin on bass and the ever-brilliant Nasheet Waits on drums, offers a foundation that’s both grounded and exploratory. This cross-generational lineup echoes the music’s core theme: lineage, passing down, and honouring those who came before.

“BloodLines” is a radiant debut from Rico Jones. It feels like a purposeful message from a musician with something to say – and the skill to say it with conviction. Rooted in identity, lifted by spirit, and executed with sincerity, this is music that connects on many levels. A moving and memorable statement.