Bassist Max Moran, drummer Joe Dyson and pianist Conun Pappas came together as teenagers at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, studying under Alvin Batiste. Batiste gave the young band its first performing opportunities at Snug Harbor while they were still in high school, and saxophonist Donald Harrison took them out of the country as his backing band before their first days of college.
Their self-titled debut (2012) was hailed as a modern-jazz gem spotlighting a diverse range of original material. The follow-up, The Search: Departure (2015), runs thirteen original tracks from thoughtful and moody to hip and upbeat, touching funk, blues and swing, with the trio adding synthesizer and layers for a rich, unexpected sound.
