Few jazz players have experienced the meteoric rise to prominence in their youth that pianist and composer James Francies did. Possessed of a crystalline tone and deeply syncopated, polyrhythmic approach to jazz's complex harmonic architecture, the New York City-based pianist was already an in-demand sideman and touring musician for artists ranging from Chris Potter and Pat Metheny to the Roots and Chris Dave and the Drumhedz -- all before his 23rd birthday. Flight, his 2018 Blue Note leader debut, was celebrated, as was his work with Lauryn Hill, Bilal, Kodak Blac, and José James. The album won Francies a prominent place in the pop, R&B, and hip-hop worlds as a composer and session player. His sophomore outing, Purest Form, appeared on the Blue Note label in 2021.