The James McGowan Ensemble recently released their album, Reaching In, the first part of a two-part series. Reaching Out will be released in 2024. McGowan shares, “We all experience personal and collective struggles, and sometimes hide from reality, but this concept album shares a musical representation of my own process to reach in, work on myself, and seek inner peace, with the hope of re-engaging in society — reaching out.” A 13-piece group consisting of two quartets and several solo artists, including its namesake piano player/director, James McGowan, all the musicians in the James McGowan Ensemble reside in Ottawa, Ontario. With the group’s core being the Modasaurus jazz-fusion quartet joining with the Despax string quartet, the marrying of classical and jazz music for Reaching In beg...