Gemini Rising

Numerous musicians battle to procure their own particular character and identity, always acclimating like a chameleon in an endless journey to discover what fits. Then there are others that rise fully fledged; in full command of their craft, their sound, and their identity. Kenny Peagler fits immovably in the latter classification. He is a world class jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.

While Black Fuzz, recorded for Kanye West's Sony-distributed boutique label, remains unreleased, Sa-Ra return to Ubiquity, the independent that released the trio's first 12" single, for their first "proper" album. Although it is only a little more focused and unified than 2007's The Hollywood Recordings – none of which was recorded for the purpose of a standard album Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love benefits from its sprawl, and that's because Sa-Ra don't really do tight, straightforward, and concise. They're polyglot space cadets, filtering their love for synth funk, ambient soul, and Afrocentric avant-garde jazz through left-field hip-hop, from contortions of low-booming G-funk to dazed drum loops as doped-out as anything on Stones Throw…