At age 25, Adam Rongo hasn’t been on the scene long, but he’s already turning the heads of fellow musicians. Here, on his debut album, he enlists help of trumpeter Etienne Charles, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., and nine others in a variety of different settings. This lets Rongo showcase his ear for arrangements, choosing offbeat tunes like Steve Wilson’s jaunty “Turnin’ the Corner” and Johnny Griffin’s “Fifty-Six,” as well as stripped-down versions of classics like “Stardust,” “You’re Mine, You," and a surging take on “You Don’t Know What Love Is.” While band members contribute a few tunes, Rongo offers the straight-ahead “Temporary Paralysis” (which sets aside time for each band member to solo), a swinging and horn-driven “Doppelganger,” and a funky groove called “The Wager.” Through it all, Rongo’s clean tone and clearly defined ideas lead the way. The title here says it all—Adam Rongo’s first chapter gets the story off to a good start.