Trumpeter Dave Douglas (b. 1963) is dizzyingly versatile. In 2022, for example, he released Songs Of Ascent, based on several psalms from the Bible. Released, of course, on his Greenleaf Music label, which he started in 2005 and on which he has released 100 albums. In his career, he made over 60 recordings as a leader and penned more than 500 works. His current ensembles include the Dave Douglas Quintet, Sound Prints and If There Are Mountains. Douglas is often involved in special projects, involving big bands, tributes and ensembles with multiple trumpets, such as Dizzy Atmosphere. Now he presents his new Gifts Quartet, featuring glittering new jazz stars: saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang. The latter two are members of the post-rock trio Son Lux, so the sound will be decidedly contemporary. On their album Gifts (2024), this quartet pays tribute to the great jazz composer Billy Strayhorn.
