Meshell Ndegeocello started out life as Mary Johnson, learned to play bass, then started performing around Washington DC, then New York. She was one of the first female artists to be picked up by Madonna’s Maverick Records, where she released the sophomore album Peace Beyond Passion, one of those CDs you shouldn’t be stuck on a desert island without; and she was nominated for multiple Grammy awards, not necessarily in that order. Then Ndegeocello released more albums, like perfectly spaced children, about three years apart and each unique.

Somewhere during that time period she met Rebecca Walker and they are partners even today. This union produced the 2003 album Comfort Woman, a love letter to her beloved.

Ndegeocello continues to generate a unique sound for each album released and The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance Of The Infidel is no exception. She has gathered many fine musicians for a group effort, or as the use of ‘jamia’ would imply, school. Included on this CD are Cassandra Wilson, Miles Davis-alum Jack DeJohnette on drums, Kenny Garrett, Oliver Lake, Don Byron take turns on horns, vocalists Sabina (The Brazilian Girls) and Lalah Hathaway, Ron Blake contributes saxophone, and Jahi Sundance on turntables.

The jazz orchestration of the members of The Spirit Music Jamia is reminiscent of 70s-era Miles Davis. During part of that era, he would gather a group of musicians and become more of a musical director of a band. Before writing this album off because of the Davis reference, be aware that this isn’t extreme experimental or dissonant musical noodlings, it's what I believe is technically called modal jazz, which Davis occasionally performed.

That said, I immediately take it back because track 2, "Al-Falaq 113," is very reminiscent of Miles Davis’ more famous sound. The horns are bright and climb all over the place in unexpected ways, scaling then plummeting like a flock of parrots against the backdrop of an afro-beat percussion. Think drumming circles at their very best accompanying mournful brass and graceful piano shot through with scratchy blips and heavily distorted electric guitar. There is a lot to listen to on this song that clocks in at just under twelve minutes. In fact three songs on the CD come in at over eleven lyric-free minutes.

I was expecting the title song, "Dance of the Infidel," to have a lot more gusto, just because of the name. Maybe there would be some kind driving rhythm that works itself up to a dervish beat. Instead, it is the opposite, nearly languid with its calm, almost melancholy sound, provided in part by a piano and what sounds like an organ. Then the song slows done even more with gurgles that are near perfect replicas of many bong hits taken in a quiet room. Then the song seems to work itself up into a reefer madness like frenzy. But maybe that’s just an obvious interpretation.

I love "Aquarium," sung by Sabina. It is a sunny bit of Morcheeba-style ultralounge that has the silky vocal quality of Bebel Gilberto with the humor of Bjork. This song is just asking to get remixed, especially since the ending is so abrupt and summer is so near. Listen for it drifting across the honeysuckle-scented air during a sultry midsummer night.

The great thing about Cassandra Wilson is that she always sounds like Cassandra Wilson. And when she says to come bare your soul to her, it is hard to resist. No lady trap or butch bachelor pad would be complete without a copy of track 6, "The Chosen." If she doesn’t let you hold her close and nuzzle her neck during this song, she’s just not that into you. Glorious and sublime aren’t strong enough words for this tune.

"Luqman," track 7, has a cool little discrete repeating banjo chord that is both eery and comforting. Like the triumph of urbanism over a rural aesthetic, or an honoring of the more provincial musical roots of the cosmopolitan jazz sound. This song is much better than the Vangelis-esque (think Blade Runner soundtrack) third track "Papillon." Like those ugly little dogs with the same name, naming something butterfly does not a thing of beauty make.

"My intention was to create music that allows the musician to interpret and self-express," Ndegeocello notes in her press material. "On this album, the individuality of each player is what drew me to them and I am grateful to each and every one. Music for me is my prayer, my praise, but also an opportunity to listen and hear how musicians can take a seed and create, grow, build, communicate between each other, paint, fly, fall, return, then depart again on the unknown journey. These collaborators blessed me with their faith and trust within themselves. Words fail me often and so this is the most meaningful album for me. May whoever needs it, find it, and all praise is for the Creator. I am grateful."

The songs on this album are grand, whimsical, and bluesy, and became available on the first day of summer, June 21.

Get The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel