"It was a late night I was playing guitar and writing down some ideas. I remember I was thinking about how I admire songs that move a lot of dominant 7th chords around in interesting ways and that I had never really tried that as a compositional tool myself. Then I thought about how deep will Baggett's Jamerson chops are, and about how Anthony reid can play all Of these classic grooves so well, and how dave Holloway can make common chord progressions sound so interesting and unique. These ideas were swirling around in my head as I put this together. And I really think I remained committed to these ideas, you know playing to my friends strengths as I composed. The title who's gonna stop us, I couldn't get that phrase out of my head." guitarist/composer Matt Hudson discussing the new Scientific Map release"Nothing for Granted"Bassist Will Baggett, pianist Dave Holloway, guitarist matt Hudson, and drummer Anthony Reid update their always ambitious quartet, Scientific Map, with a new disc titled Nothing for Granted. Their first release since 2011's Rust Belt Soul which featured vocalist Gene Stovall. Scientific Map returns to their instrumental roots with 8 new compositions. Since the group last recorded circumstances have changed for this Chicago quartet. Will Baggett has released a couple records of his own as musical director of Soul Collective, Anthony Reid and Matt Hudson have each become fathers twice and have married. Dave Holloway has become a fixture at the Drake Hotel as a house pianist. These changes are reflected in a new sense of structure and maturity in the band's music. Thanks Everyone is a concise funky number that draws equal inspiration from John scofield's late 90's work and grooves from Michael Jackson's"Off the Wall" era. The track"Who's Gonna Stop Us?" exemplifies the band's familiar defiance albeit with a new urgent fluidity evoking a late night theme and a heavy dose of bebop phrasing. Hudson was also grieving the loss of his childhood friend during this time, Pour Some for Rennie was written in the memory of an old friend."I wanted to write something for Rennie that captured the feeling of hanging out with him. He was always outrageously witty, a great listener, and the man had an uncanny ability to convey complex ideas in the simplest terms.""La Senorita Rosales"is a beautiful Brazilian ballad written for Hudson's wife."More Control than Money" is a titled lifted from remarks made by Tomas Bangalter interview in an interview in which he was asked about Daft Punk's business practices. Interestingly, the chord changes in this piece are also borrowed from the Daft Punk tune"Something About Us." Finally the album ends with"Lollapalooza 1995." The piece seems to place some of the dissonances created in that slacker rock era and put them in a series of very precise rhythmic figures. Lovers of soul jazz, Chicago, and groove music, brotherhood, craft, and creativity will celebrate another fine release from this resilient quartet.