When the Mike Frost Project burst on the Chicago scene in 2004 with their appropriately titled album, Nothing Smooth About It, veteran Windy City jazz pundits were ambushed. On record, the sextet seemingly arrived fully developed and no one knew much about them, particularly the two brothers who anchor the group. Then once they hit the streets, the MFP proved that no studio tricks were needed. The grooves were in all the right places and the beat was bopping at the exact right time. All solos were righteous and soulful and the instrumentalists blowing harder than the city’s famous wintry hawk. They were so good, so authentic, so out-of-the-blue that a science-fiction jazz tale a la H.G. Wells’ time machine seemed plausible.

 

In a smaller trio setting, Mike Frost will be performing few originals and staying true to the genre of bop and hard bop for the shows tonight.