Greenleaf Music is proud to announce Transcend, the new album from visionary trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas, arriving April 24, 2026. Today we unveil the album cover, release the first single “Energy Fields,” and open pre-orders worldwide.

Featuring Douglas’ all-star GIFTS Quintet – James Brandon Lewis (tenor saxophone), Rafiq Bhatia (guitar/electronics), Tomeka Reid (cello), and Ian Chang (drums) – Transcend blends electronics, lyricism, and high-energy interplay into a bold new sound shaped by spiritual reflection and collective improvisation.

Following the acclaimed 2024 release GIFTS, Douglas continues his exploration of legacy and ensemble innovation, drawing inspiration from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts and the enduring idea that music can be both reverent and radically forward-looking. Alongside new originals, the album reimagines Ellington works including “Come Sunday,” “Heaven,” and “Oclupaca,” reframed through the quintet’s striking instrumentation.

The first single “Energy Fields” surges with a seriousness and depth reflective of the album’s subject matter. Saxophone and trumpet melodies cascade over rumbling cello tremolos, otherworldly guitar effects and evocative percussion. Rock-steady riffs emerge from guitarist Bhatia and cellist Reid, driving the piece forward. On “Energy Fields” Douglas draws inspiration from visual artist Jack Whitten, who dedicated one of his slab pieces to Duke Ellington.

To celebrate the release, the GIFTS Quintet performs at Big Ears Festival (March 29) and holds a residency at the Village Vanguard in New York (May 12-17).

Transcend communicates wonder, awe and connection – a reconciliation between spirit and craft, and between the individual and community.

Listen to “Energy Fields,” and pre-order Transcend now.

Personnel:
Dave Douglas, trumpet
Tomeka Reid, cello
James Brandon Lewis, tenor sax
Rafiq Bhatia, guitar
Ian Chang, drums

Production Credits:
Produced by Dave Douglas for Greenleaf Music

Recorded by Chris Allen on August 18 and 19, 2025, at Second Take Sound, NYC
Mixed and mastered by Tyler McDiarmid

All compositions by Dave Douglas (Dave Douglas Music BMI), except tracks 1, 4 and 7 by Duke Ellington

Photography by Anna Yatskevitch
Graphic design by Lukas Frei