Kinfolk 2: See The Birds CD

Given the critical and commercial success of Nate Smith's 2017 debut album, the GRAMMY Award-nominated Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere, it would be fair to say that this belated sequel is hotly anticipated. Fortunately, it's very good, with the New York drummer drawing inspiration from the music that sound-tracked his teenage years - think neo-soul, hip-hop, jazz-funk and Prince, for starters - while placing it in a contemporary jazz context. The results are uniformly breezy, entertaining and evocative, with highlights including the live rap headiness of 'Band Room Freestyle', featuring verses from Kokayi, the tactile neo-soul/R&B fusion of 'Don't Let Me Get Away', the high-octane jazz/alt-rock fusion of 'Rambo: The Vigilante' and the laidback vocal jazz bliss of 'Fly (For Mike)', a touching tribute to Smith's late father.