"We're reduced to being something on sight," says Lawrence Brownlee. The tenor sings a new song cycle with music by Tyshawn Sorey and words by Terrance Hayes. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Composer, multi-instrumentalist and educator Tyshawn Sorey, who has been granted a MacArthur Fellowship. John Rogers/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Under Oblique — I's zigzag lines, Tyshawn Sorey's drums barrel along like a runaway tractor trailer. Lucy Wood/Flickr hide caption

Steve Coleman performs with Five Elements, including Jonathan Finlayson (on trumpet, foreground), on the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival. Erik Jacobs/NPR hide caption

Pianist Kris Davis has a delicate yet searching touch on Paradoxical Frog, a trio record with Tyshawn Sorey and Ingrid Laubrock. EyeShotJazz hide caption

Cooper-Moore, Assif Tsahar and Chad Taylor make up the funky Digital Primitives. courtesy of the artist hide caption