Johnathan Blake didn’t set out to create a 2020s successor to his fellow drummer Max Roach’s We Insist! Freedom Now Suite but My Life Matters has many of the hallmarks of Roach’s civil rights-era classic. There’s a certain noble defiance in much of Blake’s writing and a poignancy which leads to an exultant finale on ‘Requiem For Dreams Shattered’ that gives a sense things can indeed get better.

This is Blake’s third album for Blue Note in a career that has seen this son of the late jazz violinist John Blake working in big bands (his drumming has propelled several Mingus Big Band albums) and small (notably with saxophonist Oliver Lake, the recently departed guitar wonder Russell Malone and recent visitor to Edinburgh, vibist Joe Locke).

His band here is very accomplished. Dayna Stephens makes as strong a case for the EWI synth as has been heard in an age, as well as playing tenor and soprano sax with authority and passion. Jalen Baker’s vibes are consistently expressive and pianist Fabian Almazan and bassist Dezron Douglas form a muscular rhythm team with an exuberant but never-domineering Blake.

‘Last Breath’ takes its cue from Eric Garner being fatally placed in an illegal chokehold and pays dynamic homage. The title track features particularly fine trading of choruses from Baker and Stephens (on EWI), and ‘We’ll Never Know (They Didn’t Even Get to Try)’ is a suitably dignified gospel-flavoured elegy.

Johnathan Blake: My Life Matters is released by Blue Note on Friday 19 September; main picture: Travis Bailey.