For two decades Marcus Gilmore has been the drummer innovators call first.  He has played/recorded with everyone from Chick Corea, Pharoah Sanders, and Ambrose Akinmusire to Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, and Thundercat, contributed to the Oscar-winning score of Pixar’s Soul, and was a Rolex Arts Initiative protégé.

Marcus made his leader debut at the Village Vanguard in 2022 and went on to record his debut album “Journey to the New: Live at the Village Vanguard” in 2024. The album was released in May 2025, marking his long-awaited first album as a leader, and it landed at number one on The New York Times’ best jazz albums of the year. The Collective he assembled for it reflects his range: David Virelles on piano, Morgan Guerin on EWI, Emmanuel Michael on guitar, Rashaan Carter on double bass, and Burniss Travis on electric bass and sound design.

The music moves patiently through original material by Gilmore and his bandmates plus a Geri Allen composition, building immersive, groove-rooted atmospheres rather than drum showcases. Live, the project confirms what the record suggests: a major sideman has become a major bandleader.