Baltimore-based jazz pianist Lafayette Gilchrist got his start playing in saxophonist David Murray's band, but he ventured out on his own starting with the 2004 album, THE MUSIC ACCORDING TO LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST. On his first two releases, Gilchrist mixed his visceral, knotty, Monk-influenced style with a funk horn section and hip-hop-inflected beats, but for his third album, 2007's aptly titled 3, Wilkins pared down to classic piano-trio format, while still maintaining subtle rhythmic inflections of the funk and go-go sounds he grew up loving in the Baltimore/DC area.