Mike Ellis: Bahia Band

When a CD opens with a 13-minute, spaced-out, soul-reggae version of the bop classic “Bags’ Groove,” you know you’re going somewhere out of the ordinary. The extended Afro-Brazilian jams that follow live up to that expectation and then some, as soprano saxophonist Ellis leads a large ensemble through Miles Davis-style funk, transcendental interludes and his own raucously inventive horn solos, all layered atop a phalanx of dense, trance-inducing percussion. It flows thickly, like lava, and if some tracks run a little overlong, so be it.

Originally Published May 1, 2008