Four Finger Five - Four Finger Five (2008)

Incorporating myriad genres including jazz, soul, rock and pop, this trio from Muskegon, Michigan has concocted a truly unique style, deftly taking the classic triumvirate of guitar, bass, and drums and building a sound that is at once innovative and creative, while feeling as familiar as a thrift store coat. Featuring collaborations with world-renowned saxophonist Karl Denson and jazz/funk/jam pianist Anthony Smith, Four Finger Five presents a band that is young but confident, demonstrating tremendous talent with all aspects of the songwriting craft and a willingness to leave traditional conceptions of jazz/rock/soul at the door.

While this self-titled release features several tracks that clearly reveal the band's jam-based roots, it displays incredible diversity, bringing an air of culture to blue-collar rock and urban pop/soul by using straight ahead jazz elements to bridge a gap between those two long-isolated genres.