The latest album from the all-star collective Dinner Party opens with a rebuke—“Now, you know better than to show up empty-handed,” poet and performance artist J. Ivy tells a visitor at the door, woozy funk wafting underneath his detailed rundown of etiquette. His thundering baritone eventually softens, and he admits that he’s just giving his guest a hard time. “We know—we know that love is what you bringing,” he intones, and the background music breaks up just as he’s about to perform introductions. Whatchu Bringing?, the third album from Dinner Party, gives love right back to its listeners. It’s a playful, laid-back affair where multi-hyphenate Terrace Martin, pianist and bandleader Robert Glasper, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and producer 9th Wonder casually show off their virtuosity on economical yet vibe-heavy funk-soul explorations. Chicago vocalist Phoelix also appears on seven of the nine tracks. ”Breakfast at Sharkey’s” combines spaced-out synths with a resolute groove; ”Just My Type” is a 21st-century take on quiet storm where Phoelix’s voice melds with the instruments around him. “If It Ain’t Broke” is a strutting soul cut, Phoelix’s instrument floating above the collective’s tight playing. Since their 2020 debut, Dinner Party have released records that double as matter-of-fact statements of their combined and individual talent. Whatchu Bringing? adds to that list with music that offers, as the final track declares, “sweet peace of mind” while also having a lot to take in.