Two decades after the ensemble was founded in New York in 2006, the album Rush presents the musical language Elevation has developed over the years in a mature and deeply personal form. Lucian Ban’s original compositions pay tribute to key figures in jazz who have had a profound influence on him, including Abdullah Ibrahim, Andrew Hill, Larry Willis and Billy Strayhorn. The album thus becomes a genuine musical conversation across generations. Rush concludes with a haunting interpretation of an ancient Transylvanian folk song, Grangure Pană Gălbană, in which traditional singer Gavril Țărmure’s voice intertwines with the sound of the Elevation quartet.
Speaking about the new album, Lucian Ban says: “Collaborating with some of the finest jazz musicians in New York – indeed, in the world – artists with a deep connection to the great tradition of American jazz, has given me the opportunity to refine my own musical vision within the classic jazz quartet format and bring together some of my most important influences in a living ensemble that truly embodies the spirit of jazz.”
Romanian-born pianist and composer Lucian Ban returns with Rush, a refreshingly vital album from his acclaimed group Elevation, featuring saxophonist Abraham Burton, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Eric McPherson. (…) The music is permeated with interplay, sometimes leading to mesmerizing results, as in Elevation, an achingly beautiful and leisurely illuminated ballad composed for Larry Willis, where the quartet showcases razor-sharp musicianship, sophistication, and passion for sound. Hébert’s intimate lyricism is featured here, and the group’s spotless dynamics leave us in awe. These tautly arranged compositions are given fascinating colors, shades, and directions under the captivating performance of Ban’s Elevation.
Filipe Freitas: Lucian Ban & Elevation – Rush, JazzTrail, September 8, 2026.
There is a certain poise about this release. I was expecting it to be far more avant garde, whatever exactly that means. It isn’t although there are passages that verge on that direction. But it operates in a space which is certainly modernistic, in its dour, floating textures and a language that draws more on minor tonalities, unfinished sentences and a blueness.
Stephen Graham: Lucian Ban and Elevation, Rush, Sunnyside **** , Marlbank, September 16, 2026
The title cut is a knotty groover wherein Elevation are blowing on all cylinders. Ban’s driving pedal points inside underscore the tune’s rhythmic complexity. His playing reflects the influence of diverse pianists/composers including Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, and Herbie Nichols. (…) Rush is 21st century jazz that embraces tradition plus rhythmic and harmonic invention in a completely intuitive, organic, collective voice.
Thom Jurek: Rush, AllMusic, 2026.