A very specialist drum centric release and showcase for Marijus Aleksa who is quite a player - we heard him with Keyon Harrold live back pre-Pandemic in 2019 at Ronnie Scott's - a gig which is mentioned here. From Lithuania, Aleksa has also performed with such high profile players as Bill Laurance, Joe Armon Jones, Ashley Henry and Dennis Rollins. As They Are finds the drummer joined by Cuban trumpeter Yelfris Valdés among an array of collaborators recorded over a period of 3 years. It's pretty sprawling and futuristic. And while it's clear that Aleksa is a fine very ballsy drummer whose stimulating driving Afrojazz-rooted style lands somewhere between the sound of Tony Allen and Paco Sery the shape of the album isn't nearly as convincing. Gravitate towards 'Do' most when the album drops on 17 March. Marijus Aleksa, photo: press