Drummer Lumark Gulley presently lives in Dallas though his connections to Louisiana, and Baton Rouge in particular, are many as is evidenced by the musicians contributing to this fine jazz disc.

The band includes saxophonists Quamon Fowler, Darryl Reeves and Stephen Richard, pianist Andy Bourgeois and bassist Roland Guerin with liner notes written by Baton Rouge educator extraordinaire Alvin Batiste. As a drummer and the composer of all but two tunes heard here, Gulley proves that it isn’t just burn tunes that possess the ability to sizzle. That point is illustrated on the disc’s opener, the Gulley original “Three Flowers.”

The laid-back groove provides a solid base for Gulley’s harmonically compelling horn arrangements as well as the adventurous improvisations by the talented and eager musicians. Gulley, who once studied with drummer great Alvin Fielder, creates excitement with great splashes of cymbals as he urges on the soloists. Contrasting moods contribute to the liveliness of the disc.

There’s the slow strut of “Blues for Lost Souls” highlighted by the big, round tones of Guerin’s bass and Bourgeois’ solid piano. The finger-snapping “Mr. Miles” swings like crazy with Gulley struttin’ his stuff trading fours with Richard’s honkin’ tenor. Fowler (nicknamed “Q”) fondles Nat Cole’s ballad, “Beautiful Moons Ago,” with magnificent expression, taking his time to breathily tell the story of romance.

Gulley’s “Impasse” is a screamer of musical conflict and resolution as the leader’s insistent drums thunder while saxists Reeves and Fowler soar mightily to land in the harmonic and rhythmic community of the group dynamic. Printilla is a celebration of teamwork and individual expression that gets better with every listen.