by Jeff TamarkinComing five years after Ritualism, his debut as a leader, Unified Presence is the sound of jazz guitarist David Gilmore (not to be confused with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour) not coming into his own -- he did that a long time ago -- but ascending to the top of his craft. Gilmore has put in plenty of time lending his virtuosity to others -- among them Wayne Shorter, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron and Steve Coleman -- and was also a prominent member of the '90s fusion band Lost Tribe. But here he has crafted a wondrous individualistic work that defines him as a commanding presence in contemporary jazz guitar. Gilmore prefers a pure tone (think Wes Montgomery and early George Benson brought into the 21st century) -- he's not one to venture into abrasive textures or challenging signatures -- yet his playing is anything but predictable or safe. He is precise and fluid, given to unexpected rhythmic twists and deep melodic explorations, and his complex solos build upon a theme, ignite and embellish. It doesn't hurt that he's surrounded himself with a cast of intuitive players here who would elevate any set of tunes: bassist Christian McBride, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and saxman Ravi Coltrane, with vocalist Claudia Acuña turning up on the album-closing "Beijo Partido (Broken Kiss)." Gilmore's titling of the album Unified Presence was quite deliberate: together these players lock into a groove as one and never let go. There are no weak links on Unified Presence, and with it Gilmore has graduated to the head of the class.