Steve Grover is one of Maine’s best kept jazz secrets. A remarkable drummer and prolific composer, Grover has been omnipresent on Maine’s music scene—both as a sideman and as a leader—for several years. Grover will assume the role of leader when he brings his quintet to The Press Room in Portsmouth on Sunday, Feb. 24, in support of his latest CD, “Between Now and After.”

Joining Grover will be saxophonist David Wells and guitarist Tony Gaboury, both of whom play on the disc, along with trumpeter Trent Austin and bassist Tim Webb.Grover describes the quintet’s music as “straight-ahead modern jazz, mostly originals in a kind of melodic style, with a heavy dose of harmony. But we also plan to play some bebop tunes, as well as a few surprises,” he said.

At times, the music on the new disc has an open, spatial quality, while at others it features a more driving groove orientation. Among his compositional influences, Grover cites Steve Swallow, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter and “… the whole bebop thing and the entire ’60s continuum.” It’s music that is firmly rooted in the jazz tradition without being bound by it.

Grover has high praise for the musical associates who will join him on Sunday. “Tony and I go back some 30 years and have grown together as musicians. Trent and David I’ve known since their high school days and they’re two of the best musicians I’ve ever played with. Tim Webb is a more recent comrade. I love his sound, feel and versatility,” he said.

“Personally, I like the fact that everyone has a strong bebop background—Bird, Dizzy, Monk, etc.—but isn’t tied to just that,” Grover added. “The bebop and blues element has to be there, even though my tunes are not explicitly that. There is a kind of optimism in bebop that counterbalances some of the other concepts that I like, and I think that is a nice combination.”

A sound observation, indeed.