PlainsPeak is a celebration of longevity, the pursuit of a group sound and identity, and the city of Chicago itself. The group is co-led by saxophonist Jon Irabagon and trumpeter Russ Johnson, who have been recording and touring together for almost 20 years. In addition to being the top-call rhythm section team in Chicago, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall have also been performing with the co-leaders for decades, and the cohesion of the music reflects this familiarity. The mandate for PlainsPeak, however, is to use this camaraderie to take chances with every performance, exploring the possibilities and taking advantage of spur-of-the-moment instantaneous reactions. The group is searching for the sound of surprise at all times.