Heat On - self-titled

"Drummer Lily Finnegan’s robust debut, Heat On, is her “love letter to Chicago,” where her intergenerational quartet makes notable noise. In addition to being a creative drummer, Finnegan is a strong composer, and her work is always interesting." – DownBeat

"Walking into "Heat On" is like stepping into a Chicago jazz playground where history, groove, and freedom swirl together in the best possible way. Lily Finnegan - drummer, composer, community builder - is launching her powerhouse quartet onto the Cuneiform label with a Statement-With-a-Capital-S: a debut that’s rooted in the city’s legacy yet unafraid to burst forward with kinetic joy.

This isn’t jazz by numbers. It’s an audacious love letter to Chicago’s “inside-out” ethos - where melody and dissonance banter, tradition yields to invention, and every note feels alive with intention. Finnegan’s rhythm engine - her drum kit and Nick Macri’s supple bass - grounds the band. She draws power from influences like Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition, yet she doesn’t mimic; she channels the spirit. Techno-metaphor fans, take note - this is jazz that propels, not because it pounds, but because it moves with clarity and gravity.

Saxophonists Ed Wilkerson Jr. and Fred Jackson Jr. are more than bandmates: they’re storytellers. Wilkerson - an AACM legend - is as commanding as ever, his tone a rich slab of Chicago soul. Jackson, equally steady in decades of experience, weaves counterpoint that feels instinctual and deeply melodic. Together, they uncannily mirror Finnegan’s own rhythmic drive, creating a rich interplay of voices.

"Heat On" is an album that rewards both heart and ear - jazzy but not retro, thoughtful without forsaking impulse, fierce without losing warmth. At once sprawling and intimate, it confirms Lily Finnegan isn’t just joining the story of Jazz; she’s showing us how to keep writing it." - Chain D.L.K.