Los Angeles-based trombonist and composer Ryan Porter will release his third album, Force For Good, on June 14 with Alpha Pup Records‘ World Galaxy. It follows his sophomore album, The Optimist, released last year. 

Force For Good was written and recorded between 2014-19 and features  core members of the West Coast Get Down, a collaborative group of musicians all born and raised in Los Angeles. This includes Kamasi Washington (sax), Brandon Coleman (piano, Fender Rhodes), Cameron Graves (piano, Fender Rhodes), Miles Mosley (acoustic bass), Thundercat (electric bass), and Tony Austin (drums). Other contributing members include Nia Andrews (vocals), Josef Leimberg (trumpet, percussion), Robert Miller (drums), Aaron Haggerty (drums), Lyndon Rochelle (drums), and Jumaane Smith (trumpet). 

The album was captured across different locations in Los Angeles. Sheet music and general instructions were brought to the studio but Porter gave the players freedom to explore around the plotted transitions and changes. Three takes were recorded for each composition. 

Album title Force For Good references an interview passage by John Coltrane during the ’60s. 

“I was doing research on John Coltrane when I came across an interview of him being asked why his music seemed to attract many different types of intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual people. He stated that he made some changes in his own personal life that made him question his purpose on this earth. In the course of thinking of his purpose on this earth, he noticed that in this life everyone is faced with a decision and that decision guides what your contribution to this world will be. He thought to himself there is so much evil in the world and so many people are making the choice to become a force for evil. John felt making a choice to be a force for good would not only help his life but make his music the film score for the people who choose to force for good no matter what the conditions are. The Force for Good album is my contribution to the legacy of John Coltrane’s message of peace, love, and unity through music.” — Ryan Porter 

The album lands on digital platforms June 14, with physical pressings to follow later this year. Along with the new album, Porter will join Kamasi Washington’s live band as they embark on an opening tour for Herbie Hancock this summer. This will be followed by his own tour of Europe and the UK to present music across his first three albums. 

Streaming options for the first single and album pre-order can be found here. 

Tracklisting

01. Madiba

02. Maggie

03. Neves (Interlude)

04. Heaven Only Knows (ft. Nia Andrews)

05. Blame it on The Sun

06. Carricou

07. Memory Band

08. Mesosphere

09. World on Wheels

10. Oscalypso

11. People Talk