Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life

Established in 2015, Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life assembled expressly to document the saxophonist's inaugural Blue Note release under his own leadership. Its name derives from the leader's widely praised 2006 double album, which presented two contrasting quartets. The lineup consists of trumpeter Keyon Harrold, bassist Kyle Miles, drummer Charles Haynes, organist Mitch Henry, and keyboardist Masayuki Hirano. Meshell Ndegeocello produced the resulting album Nihil Novi, which includes contributions from an all-star roster that encompasses Robert Glasper, already present on the 2006 sessions, along with Chris Bruce, Chris Dave, and Pino Palladino. The project appeared in April 2016. Two years afterward, Strickland's ensemble delivered its second Blue Note recording, People of the Sun. Produced by the band itself, the personnel had evolved, with Pino Palladino supplanted on bass by Kyle Miles and further augmented across five tracks by Ghanaian born, U.S.-based percussion master Weedie Braimah. Guest vocalists Bilal, Pharoahe Monch, and Greg Tate appeared on the single "On My Mind."