Download: Nicholas Payton's new "Bitches" Mixtape

Payton’s voice, not his trumpet, dominates Bitches, which also features guest vocalists Esperanza Spalding, N’dambi, Saunders Sermons and Chinah Blac. It’s in the mode of Sonic Trance partially in its borrowings from the fusion musical vocabulary, and in its break from what is expected of Payton.

Payton had Davis’ album in mind while making “Bitches,” he said, “because this is such a departure for me. Like ‘Bitches Brew’ was for Miles. It’s a similar sharp turn in my musical career.” (As for the provocative nature of the title, Payton says, “I figure if Miles can do ‘Bitches Brew,’ then 40 years later I can do just ‘Bitches.’”)

Payton posted a download link to the album this weekend.