Joe Sample's early embrace of funk and soul made him a fusion trailblazer, yet his roots in older jazz styles always remained firm. The pianist tackled a bouncy stride rendition of the standard “I Got Rhythm” and he reimagined his own “Soul Shadows” as a Third Stream ballad that balances relaxed playing with melodic intricacy. Also telling is “Miles of Blue”, which sends him back to hard bop's deep grooves and driving improvisation.