"Verus Vita" is an original composition by pianist Mike Bond, whose name translates from Latin as "true life." The piece appears on A Series of Circumstances, a 2023 album co-led by tenor saxophonists Ryan Devlin and Steve Kortyka, recorded at Phat Planet Studios in Orlando, Florida. Bond serves as the pianist in a quintet that also includes bassist Gene Perla and drummer Adam Nussbaum, a rhythm section assembled to capture the spirit of Elvin Jones's Live at the Lighthouse recordings. The album grew out of a collaboration between Devlin and Kortyka that began with online videos during the pandemic before their first in-person meeting. Bond, who had been working with Devlin prior to the project, contributed original compositions alongside pieces by Perla and other band members. The quintet performed a series of gigs in January and March 2023 before entering the studio in July, allowing the ensemble chemistry to develop naturally before committing the material to record. The tune's Latin title reflects a philosophical bent that distinguishes it from the more colloquial naming conventions of most jazz originals, suggesting a compositional seriousness that aligns with the album's post-bop aesthetic. Reviewers noted that the project's original compositions could have easily found their way onto a classic Blue Note session, indicating Bond's deep familiarity with the jazz tradition.
