Steve Smith and Vital Information

Time Flies (+ Bonus CD: A Prayer For the Generations)

Label: Wounded Bird

Vital Information is the jazz group led by Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame drummer Steve Smith (formerly of Journey). The group is a trio with Smith, Manuel Valera on keyboards and Janek Gwizdala on electric bass. The band has a new album, Time Flies, which is exactly what happens when you put the 60-minute 12-track disc on. It comes in an attractive package with a bonus disc, A Prayer For the Generations.

Time Flies is a blend of straight forward jazz (tunes from Bud Powell, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk, and Cole Porter) and fusion pieces, with a nod to bop. Each track is an opportunity for exhilarating musicianship, with sustained high energy. It’s a breathtaking listening experience to say the l east.