Border Crossings is the newest album by New York guitarist and composer Early Times. This is a straight-ahead jazz album spiced with soul and Latin rhythms.
Early has received airplay nationally and internationally. Since 2021 Early has released 4 albums. He has toured with 9-time Blues Music Award nominee E.C. Scott and recorded 2 albums with her. He has recorded with 3-time Grammy winner and blues legend Bobby Rush. Early is also a nationally broadcasted radio personality on SiriusXM satellite radio.
For this recording, Times recruited some of the finest and most decorated players around. Steve Gadd (drums) is a Grammy winner and has been inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame He has received two Honorary Doctor of Music degrees. Zaccai Curtis (piano) won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for his album Cubop Lives which also included Luques Curtis (bass). Both musicians feature prominently on Border Crossings. Luques has previously recorded with Eddie Palmieri, Gary Burton, and Orrin Evans. Rounding out the lineup is Craig Handy (saxophone and flute) who has performed with Herbie Hancock and recorded with George Cables, The Cookers, and Steve Miller Band, & John Scofield.
The tunes on Border Crossings, all written by Times, cover the spectrum from hard bop to Latin Jazz. The album opens with “Roadside Quicky” punctuated by a bright, funky rhythm. After Luques provides an alluring intro on the bass, “Succubus” allows all players to stretch out and features some tight ensemble unison parts. “It’s Been So Nice” is a solo guitar showcase for Times. “Scarlet Dancer” moves the group into Latin territory with an explosive solo on the outro by Gadd. The band eases into a laid-back groove on “On the Corner”, allowing Handy to showcase his stellar flute playing. The album closer is “Chicago Sundown” which evokes a dusky, bitter-sweet Windy City mood.
The album was engineered by 3-time Grammy winner Chris Sulit. Jay Messina served as co-engineer and co-produced the album with Early. Jay has engineered and mixed albums by countless artists from Miles Davis to Aerosmith to Eddie Palmieri.
RECENT TOUR DATES
Fanatics Lima NY
Pennington’s Jewitt OH
Natalie’s Grandview Columbus OH
Heidi’s Cocoa Beach FL
Buckingham Blues Bar Ft. Myers FL
Cafe 11 St. Augustine FL
Funky Biscuit Boca Raton FL
Seville Quarter Pensacola FL
Capitol Oyster Bar Montgomery AL
Jamey’s House of Music Lansdowne PA
Chan’s Woonsocket RI
OWL FEST Wilseyville CA
Torch Club Sacramento, CA CA
Middle Ages Syracuse NY
Uncle Cheef Brewster NY
North River Blues Festival Marshfield MA
Weekend of Blues Fest Hemlock NY
Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Portsmouth NH
Daryl’s House Pawling NY (Early solo)
Back Porch Kilgore TX
Granada Theater Dallas TX
Antone’s Austin TX (Early solo)
Ram’s Head Annapolis MD
The High Dive Gainesville FL
Grey Owl Rockland ME
SiriusXM New York City NY
Rum Boogie Memphis TN
Mauch Chunk Opera House Jim Thorpe PA (Early solo)
Beach Bar Ft. Myers FL
City Winery New York City NY