Opus 5

Drawing from the legacy of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the New York City-based collective Opus 5 operates as a forward-looking post-bop quintet whose members all record for the Criss Cross imprint. Its original roster brought together saxophonist Seamus Blake, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Donald Edwards. The ensemble issued its first full-length recording, Introducing Opus 5, in 2011, with the follow-up Pentasonic arriving the next year. Progression appeared as their third studio album in 2014, and the group returned the following year with the heated session Tickle.