Hope

"Hays plays with his namesake trio as well as the Bill Stewart Trio and has worked with Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Roy Haynes, John Scofield, Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau and many others. Lionel Loueke is a Benin native who holds a Jazz Performance degree from Berklee and has played with numerous top-shelf jazz artists including Herbie Hancock, George Garzone, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Haden and John Patitucci ... Despite their many differences, there is a contemporaneousness and harmony between these two artists that transcend their roots and goes straight to the heart of their common purpose. Hope is an elegant album from two masters with ambitious aims and the talent to convey their message in sublimely stylized manner".

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"The sensation of listening to the album is well reflected in its underwater album art, depicting a whale accompanied by a small group of dolphins. The 11 tracks evoke the weightless drift of the ocean, punctuated by moments of splashy playfulnes ... The power of Hope, though, is provided by the ballads. They're gorgeous, maze-like tunes that are easy to get lost in".