While Jamison Ross is known to most jazz fans as a drummer his upcoming debut is unusual in that it showcases another side of his musical personality, the 27-year-old’s singing voice.

The 2012 Thelonious Monk prize-winning player – you might have seen him on the UK jazz scene playing with Carmen Lundy in recent years – debuts with Jamison this summer, and he sings on 10 of the 12 tracks, a risk by anyone’s standards given that as a singer he is largely unknown. Material on this Concord release includes Muddy Waters’ ‘Deep Down in Florida,’ Eddie Harris & Les McCann’s ‘Set Us Free’, and Carmen Lundy’s ‘These Things You Are to Me.’ 

With Ross on the album are guitarist Rick Lollar, bassist Corcoran Holt (known for his work with Kenny Garrett), saxophonist Dayve Stewart, pianist Chris Pattishall, organist Cory Irvin, and trumpeter Alphonso Horne III plus special guest pianist Jonathan Batiste.

Jamison Ross, top. Photo: Devin DeHaven/Concord