South London's Peckham is England's center for articulate adventure and inclusion among artists approaching jazz in the 21st century. Keyboardist and producer
Kamaal Williams was among the scene's most celebrated progenitors as part of duo
Yussef Kamaal. They unceremoniously split shortly after releasing their prize-winning debut,
Black Focus. For the sake of continuity,
Williams hustled out
The Return on his own, replicating the earlier album's sleeve design while naming his label after its title. Rightfully acclaimed for its performances, the absence of
Yussef Dayes was felt in the album's lack of imaginative rhythm tracks.
Wu Hen,
Williams' proper second album is titled for the nickname provided by his Taiwanese grandmother. This ten-track set integrates the keyboardist's experiments in jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and electronic dance music under the banner of "Wu Funk." His accompanists on the date include strings and charts from
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, saxophones from
Quinn Mason, Katalyst Collective's
Greg Paul on drums, and bassist
Rick Leon James.
Alina Bzhezhinska's harp is employed in a guest capacity.