Bill Frisell - In My Dreams

Label: Blue Note Records, 2026

Personnel - Bill Frisell: acoustic and electric guitars; Jenny Scheinman: violin; Eyvind Kang: violin; Hank Roberts: cello; Thomas Morgan: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Guitarist and composer Bill Frisell is widely regarded for his fluency across avant-garde jazz and post-bop while embracing country and folk traditions, styles he blends seamlessly with a distinctive touch and sound. In My Dreams unfolds as another cohesive and immersive musical narrative, featuring nine originals and three covers, all delivered with the quietly moody radiance of Frisell’s American-rooted aesthetic. The guitarist assembles a dependable string trio—cellist Hank Roberts and violinists Jenny Scheinman and Eyvind Kang are longtime collaborators—alongside a core rhythm section with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston.

Recorded live, the program opens with the violin duet “Trapped in the Sky”, followed by “When We Go”, drawn from Frisell’s debut album Rambler (ECM, 1985). Keeping the structure relatively straightforward, Frisell introduces the piece with pointillistic gestures, looping textures, and smooth phrasing before the elegant, in-the-pocket 4/4 pulse emerges, allowing jazz and folk elements to intertwine gracefully. The string arrangement proves particularly refined, and the piece concludes with a gentle funk-inflected drive.

The title cut, “In My Dreams”, unfolds through charming acoustic guitar fingerpicking, spreading a luminous harmony in 3/4 that evokes a vivid sense of reverie and discovery. It flows naturally into “Isfahan”, the celebrated composition by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, reimagined here with understated sophistication. Frisell’s expressive guitar voice resonates throughout the album, lingering on meaningful phrases and the subtle spaces between them. “Curtis (A Year and a Day)” appears as a reflective lament illuminated by bright flashes of optimism, gradually rising with the support of Royston’s propulsive backbeat and well-expressed fills.

“Why” rests upon a carefully balanced harmonic cycle, while Stephen Foster’s parlor classic “Hard Times” returns in a vamp-driven ballad form, following its earlier appearances on the albums Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones (Nonesuch, 2001) and Harmony (Blue Note, 2019). “Again”, another earlier composition, is revisited with greater outward energy while maintaining its polished character. Royston’s toms-centered drum shouts cause positive commotion, culminating in impetuous cymbal splashes. There are bits of guitar distortion in this epic adventure activated by a disorienting tempo.

The impressionistic country-folk atmosphere returns with “Home on the Range”, which, flowing in 3/4, closes the album on a warm and affirmative note. The finale incorporates swooping effects, loops, and concise violin interjections. Shaping space with remarkable ease and wisdom, Frisell’s unmistakable sonic palette is elevated by the ensemble’s deep sensitivity to the music, ensuring that the listener’s engagement never fades.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - When We Go ► 03 - In My Dreams ► 04 - Isfahan

Michael Formanek - New Digs

Label: Intakt Records, 2026

Personnel - Michael Formanek: double bass; John O’Gallagher: alto saxophone; Chet Doxas: tenor saxophone, clarinet; João Almeida: trumpet; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Alexander Hawkins: Hammond B3 organ; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Lisbon-based American bassist and composer Michael Formanek introduces a new septet, New Digs, featuring his trio partners from Thumbscrew—guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara—alongside British organist Alexander Hawkins and a three-horn frontline of saxophonists John O’Gallagher and Chet Doxas, plus trumpeter João Almeida.

Driven by imaginative, free-flowing arrangements, the band opens with “New Old World”, a platform for resolute bass lines, psychedelic organ textures, slippery rhythmic shifts, and bursts of cacophony marked by stabbing saxophone and trumpet figures over counterintuitive guitar accompaniment. Solos by Halvorson, O’Gallagher, and Doxas stand out, with the latter channeling a fervent, Coltrane-like intensity. The piece resolves unexpectedly in a high-pitched, suspended collective lament, even as Formanek turns to the arco. In turn, “Prequel” establishes an air of mystery through sustained organ chords, insistent bass notes, and kinetic drumming. Clarinet and alto saxophone interweave phrases with precision, while Formanek asserts himself with declamatory gestures supported by varied percussive textures. The piece builds toward a climax shaped by his double stops and chromatic motion.

“It Was” highlights the richness of the saxophone writing over a carefully constructed harmonic progression, while “For My Consideration” gains momentum through a bass pedal point, electrifying organ swells, angular unisons, muscular drumming, and dense horn interplay. Formanek’s compositional approach often suggests looseness in rhythmic design, yet “aka The Stinger” leans into a more direct, bluesy, groove-oriented framework.

Paying tribute to the late pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, “Gone Home / Interlude for Susan Alcorn” features a deeply expressive arco bass statement and a poised trumpet contribution from Almeida over a 3/4 harmonic cycle. “Quinze” emerges as another striking piece, marked by deep grooves, vivid improvisation, and sharp-edged intensity. The closing track, “Nigh Total”, ventures into an intergalactic soundscape shaped by swirling organ textures, resonant bass figures, and grounded percussion.

New Digs is another superb manifestation of Formanek’s capabilities as a bandleader. He remains one of the most distinctive voices in the avant-garde jazz scene, always giving his bands space to unleash their individuality within the frames he attentively designs.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - New Old World ► 02 - Prequel ► 03 - It Was ► 08 - Quinze

Marilyn Crispell / Anders Jormin - Memento

Label: ECM Records, 2026

Personnel - Marilyn Crispell: piano; Anders Jormin: acoustic bass.

American pianist Marilyn Crispell and Swedish bassist Anders Jormin join forces for the first time on the duet album Memento, a recording that favors introspection and serenity. The musicians’ distinctive language is present in both the improvised and written material, and the music unfolds naturally, organically, and with sensitivity.

The four opening pieces are improvised, beginning with the poignant “For the Children”, where touching melodies unfold without pretension, establishing the reflective tone of the entire work. Dedicated to the memory of innocents caught in the world’s ongoing wars, the piece includes plaintive, Eastern-tinged cries emerging from Jormin’s expressive arco playing over serene piano textures. “Dialogue” moves with breezy simplicity, grounded in warm, woody bass tones and shimmering overtones, with Crispell responding in the same wavelength, creating a self-contained musical exchange that becomes even sparser and more minimalistic on “Embracing the Otherness”. “Contemplation in D” proves a pure delight, guiding the listener into hypnotic territory through open chords that cast tonal beauty and modal ambiguity in a chiaroscuro landscape.

Jormin’s “Three Shades of a House”—originally featured on Bobo Stenson’s trio album Contra la Indecisión (ECM, 2018)—appears in two versions, Morning and Evening, whose contrasting luminosities are shaped by solo piano and solo bass, respectively. Crispell also performs unaccompanied on “Memento”, whose pastoral character hints at classical influence, and on “Dragonfly”, a dedication to bassist Gary Peacock that closes the album on an optimistic note. Like those pieces, “Beach at Newquay” is composed by Crispell and benefits from Jormin’s exemplary support. His arco range often resembles a weeping flute, while delicate piano drops fall gently in the background, forming a lyrical evocation of nature.

Memento unfolds with yearning atmospheres where spontaneity and artistic sensitivity open the door to broader emotional landscapes. Its purely intuitive interplay may not be an everyday listen, yet it occupies a meaningful place within contemporary jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - For The Children ► 04 - Contemplation in D ► 09 - Beach at Newquay

Mark Turner - Patternmaster

Label: ECM Records, 2026

Personnel - Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Jason Palmer: trumpet; Joe Martin: acoustic bass; Jonathan Pinson: drums.

Long recognized as a brilliant saxophonist, Mark Turner continues to push artistic boundaries while remaining faithful to jazz fundamentals. His post-bop mastery is firmly displayed on Patternmaster, a sci-fi-inspired release featuring a quartet with trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Jonathan Pinson. This is the same ensemble that recorded Return from the Stars in 2022.

Comprising six Turner originals, the album opens with the title track, a dexterous contrafact on Wayne Shorter’s “Pinocchio”. Martin and Pinson establish an infectious groove that both propels and anchors the music, supporting a creative theme delivered in unison by the frontline horns. Turner takes the first solo with a resolute attack and narrative clarity, riding a subtle bossa-inflected current shaped by the rhythm section, while Palmer matches the energy with assured phrasing. “Trece Ocho”, introduced by an entrancing bass figure, contains passages that recall the ingenuity of late pianist Andrew Hill, framed within a chamber-like brightness before culminating in a brisk, playful fanfare.

The band maintains its spark on “It Very Well May Be”, launched by Palmer’s commanding statement before Turner joins for the theme exposition. The rhythm section swings with purpose, and Turner delivers a solo blending hard-bop drive with post-bop sophistication, followed by Martin’s triplet-rich bass exploration. “Lehman’s Lair”, inspired by a complex composition by saxophonist Steve Lehman, thrives on a determined 4/4 pulse marked by groove and persistence, with the horns engaging in a virtuosic exchange rich in melodic treats.

“The Happiest Man on Earth” unfolds as a slow waltz shaped by sumptuous harmonies, while “Suspersister”, first recorded in 2009, adopts a structurally bold framework with subtle pop-rock inflections. Pinson’s agile, jittery drumming stands out throughout, reinforcing intricate meters, vamp-based passages, and engrossing saxophone–trumpet conversation.

This quartet injects the music with engaging rhythmic impulses and a palpable sense of unpredictability, executed with consummate skill. Turner, having cultivated a distinctive tone and language, affirms his compositional strengths through empathetic interplay and unmistakable individuality.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Patternmaster ► 02 - Trece Ocho ► 04 - Lehman’s Lair

Jon Irabagon - Focus Out

Label: Irabbagast Records, 2026

Personnel - Jon Irabagon: alto saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano, Fender Rhodes; Chris Lightcap: electric bass; Dan Weiss: drums // Guests - Kokayi: vocals (#3,5); Dave Ballou: trumpet (#3,4); Miles Okazaki: guitar (#3,4); Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone (#4); Mark Shim: tenor saxophone (#4).

Assertive and harmonically adventurous without abandoning tradition, Chicago-based saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon has secured a high-ranking place in contemporary jazz. With a progressive mindset, he continues to release brilliant albums in varied formats and rich stylistic settings. His latest sonic venture, Focus Out, features a formidable quartet with inventive keyboardist Matt Mitchell, grounding bassist Chris Lightcap—here playing exclusively electric—and astute drummer Dan Weiss. Across six vibrant originals composed during a period in which Irabagon struggled to balance fatherhood and career, the quartet’s third outing presents him exclusively on alto saxophone, following Rising Sun and Recharging the Blade, where he focused on tenor and soprano, respectively.

The pieces are demanding, and “Morning Star” opens the album in visceral, eloquent fashion. Over the relentless momentum generated by Weiss’ fractured rhythms and the funk-inflected drive of Lightcap’s electric bass, Mitchell’s burning Rhodes and Irabagon’s incisive alto state unison lines with commanding authority. The title track, propelled by an asymmetric bass groove, creates constant metric shifts and even swings hard. Irabagon’s improvisation remains focused, gliding in and out of the margins with refined articulation. Weiss colors the texture with explosive cymbal work before his ride cymbal ushers in an avant-garde romp that drives the piece to its conclusion.

Both “Paper Planes”, named after Irabagon’s favorite cocktail, and the politically charged “Indigo Stains” feature vocalist Kokayi. The former channels a frenetic, vintage jazz spirit, with saxophone, trumpet, and guitar roaming freely, while the latter skirts between grooves with remarkable work by piano and drums. Guest trumpeter Dave Ballou and guitarist Miles Okazaki are featured here and also join “Evening Star”, which also includes tenor saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Mark Shim. Here the ensemble reaches a peak in an avant-garde gem marked by free-funk flair and finely calibrated dynamics. Bursting unisons, collective turbulence, and buoyant, horn-driven improvisations yield angular, outside runs delivered with athletic intensity. Okazaki’s distinctive phrasing benefits from Mitchell’s Rhodes accompaniment, and the vigorous finale unfolds with impeccable synchronicity.

Following “Prayer (For Reomi)”, a tender saxophone–piano duet ballad written for Irabagon’s daughter, “Center Post”, an earlier composition and another high-energy workout with shades of Coltrane, closes a breathtaking album that offers listeners a rich new tapestry of sound. The consistent brilliance and unpredictability displayed by this quartet—calibrated for maximum energy and marked by expansive freedom—make Focus Out one of the year’s standouts.

Favorite Tracks: 
02 - Focus Out ► 03 - Paper Planes ► 04 - Evening Star

Alain Métrailler - Heights Prospection

Label: Unit Records, 2026

Personnel - Alain Métrailler: tenor saxophone; Elias Stemeseder: piano; Chris Tordini: bass; Eric McPherson: drums + guest - Gregoire Maret: harmonica (#5).

Heights Prospection, the debut album by Swiss saxophonist and composer Alain Métrailler, balances styles, moods, and grooves with distinct character. Some records manage to appeal to listeners across the jazz spectrum, and this is certainly one of them. Featuring seven compelling original compositions, Métrailler entrusts them to a vibrant New York–based quartet with pianist Elias Stemeseder, bassist Chris Tordini, and drummer Eric McPherson. The bandleader, who spent six years in Brooklyn before returning to Switzerland, also interprets the standard “Crazy He Calls Me” in a supple saxophone–piano duet dedicated to influential alto saxophonist Lee Konitz.

Métrailler does not limit himself to classic jazz lyricism; he also pushes forward through adventurous explorations that exceed expectations. The opener, “Obvious Transmission”—a 5/4 blues written for his mentor, saxophonist Ohad Talmor—and “Jump Loud”, a piece that channels the spirit of Thelonious Monk and Anthony Braxton with edgier contours—it is dedicated to Joe Lovano—exemplify this approach. The former thrives on a steady piano pulse, contrapuntal bass lines, and flowing drums that inject a polyrhythmic feel. Métrailler’s dark-hued, introspective saxophone voice blends reflection and urgency, suggesting a meeting point between John Coltrane and Ellery Eskelin.

“Crispy”, a hard-bop nod to saxophonist and clarinetist Chris Speed, leans more directly on tradition, propelled by McPherson’s steady ride cymbal, Stemeseder’s probing deconstructions, and Tordini’s melodic bass work. “EWR Hero Saynt”, inspired by Wayne Shorter, dances with a buoyant swing, while “Flight of the Humble Being” unfolds as a tender 3/4 ballad enriched by guest harmonica player Grégoire Maret.

“Unstablemates”, a tribute to Benny Golson that also nods to Speed’s tune “Really OK”, introduces an engaging theme first stated by solo saxophone. With flexibility and assured phrasing, Métrailler develops motifs and sharply articulated lines that define his personal language, while Tordini and McPherson are given room to assert their presence.

Métrailler’s melodic and harmonic ideas appear in the form of passionate curveballs and disruptive tidal waves, evoking a sense of blossoming, possibility, and inner space. Heights Prospection stands as a promising first statement from an emerging saxophonist of notable vision.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Obvious Transmission ► 04 - Jump Loud ► 06 - Unstablemates

Gabriel Vicéns - Niebla

Label: Clepsydra Records, 2026

Personnel - Gabriel Vicéns: guitar; Roman Filiu: alto saxophone; Vitor Gonçalves: piano; Rick Rosato: bass; E.J. Strickland: drums; Victor Pablo: percussion.

Niebla is the fifth album by New York-based Puerto Rican guitarist and composer Gabriel Vicéns, who reunites the core lineup from his 2021 release The Way We Are Created. The multifaceted sextet features Cuban saxophonist Roman Filiu, bassist Rick Rosato, drummer E.J. Strickland, and percussionist Victor Pablo, with Brazilian pianist Vitor Gonçalves stepping in for Glenn Zaleski. Across nine strong originals, Vicéns draws on Afro–Puerto Rican bomba and plena rhythms, auteur cinema, and painting as sources of inspiration.

Stylistically varied, the album opens with the vaguely introspective “El Fin de La Noche”, the first of three understated, acoustic guitar-driven pieces placed at the beginning, middle, and end of the record, all shaped with elegance and subtlety. On the title track, “Niebla”, Vicéns switches to electric guitar and ventures into more aggressive terrain, highlighted by contrapuntal saxophone lines and a slightly offbeat groove shared by piano, bass, and drums. Modern in scope and rich in harmonic color, the piece bears a spiky edge reminiscent of the leaping melodic contours of Austrian composer Anton Webern. Vicéns’ solo unfolds with chromatic nuance and intervallic boldness, while Filiu’s saxophone balances fluidity with fragmentation. Vibrant percussive attacks toward the end help ground the piece decisively.

“Vejigante”, inspired by a Puerto Rican folkloric figure, unfolds in an odd meter, opening with a compelling patterned dialogue between guitar and saxophone. Silence plays an active role, and a floating midsection explores meditative rubato exchanges before the original groove returns in support of Gonçalves’s animated piano statement. The 15-minute “Ramaje” centers on an engrossing riff within a five-beat framework. Filiu’s solo brims with invention, followed by Strickland’s drum feature that leads into serene passages marked by stillness and ambiguity. A sweeping solo percussion section drawing on the Cuban güiro tradition concludes the piece in vamping mode.

“Guaiza”, informed by the piano music of Morton Feldman, creates a seductive atmosphere over a tight groove, featuring a resonant bass solo and motivic guitar explorations. The uptempo “Stray Dogs” takes its cue from Tsai Ming-liang’s film and the changui rhythm from Guantánamo, Cuba. The band excels in crisp unison lines, dynamic motion, and sharp accentuation, with Vicéns and Filiu trading vivid ideas in an intense musical conversation. Latin inflections become especially pronounced during the piano solo.

With deep command of tone, originality, and risk, Vicéns gets you hooked in contemporary compositions that, not fixed in tradition, breathes and invigorates in equal measure, revealing a composer firmly in control of his evolving artistic voice.

Favorite Tracks: 
02 - Niebla ► 03 - Vejigante ► 07 - Guaiza ► 08 - Stray Dogs

Dave Douglas - Four Freedoms

Label: Greenleaf Music, 2026

Personnel - Dave Douglas: trumpet; Marta Warelis: piano; Nick Dunston: bass; Joey Baron: drums.

Comprising nine originals that merge jazz tradition with contemporary improvisational language, Four Freedoms is a deeply intuitive quartet session led by American trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas. Full of artistic freshness and a subtle, nearly surreal wit, the music hovers between form and abstraction, drawing conceptual inspiration from the Four Freedoms speech delivered in 1941 by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

Boasting a buoyant, vital sound, “Grits”—written for seasoned drummer Joey Baron—opens the session with playful, tonally rich drumming. Bassist Nick Dunston locks in with swinging verve, supporting Douglas’ towering trumpet voice. The trumpeter reigns supreme, blowing with authority and a hard-bop drive punctuated by folk inflections and knowing musical quotations. Across 32-bar rhythm changes, Amsterdam-based pianist Marta Warelis probes for singular conversational pathways, while Baron later trades bars with his bandmates with electrifying momentum.

If the balladic reverie of “Dreams We Hold” feels slightly less impactful, “Sandhog”—a grooving homage to the workers who built tunnels, the Brooklyn Bridge foundation, and subway systems—stands out for its exploratory reach. An eight-beat bass groove anchors the piece, supporting the triumphant call-and-response dialogue between Douglas and Warelis. Dunston delivers a deeply rooted statement, followed by Baron’s spectacular tom and cymbal architecture.

The avant-garde title cut feels abstract and loose, with Dunston employing arco bass with restraint and intelligence while Warelis injects intervallic surprise. “Militias”, meanwhile, flows through modal currents, enigmatic harmonies, and openly creative melodic contours.

Fueled by a robust bass introduction, “Fire in the Firewood” moves between solemnity, emotional release, and bursts of avant-garde expression. “Sing Sing” embraces jazz languor through muted trumpet and lucid brushwork, while “My First Rodeo” returns to soulful swing, buoyed by expansive improvisation.

With each musician contributing their own distinct personality to the whole, Four Freedoms pumps a different vibe with moments of rare elegance. Douglas’ vast body of work continues to command respect, and this latest offering stands as a worthy and compelling addition.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Grits ► 03 - Sandhog ► 05 - Militias ► 06 - Fire in the Firewood

Aaron Irwin Trio - Spark

Label: Adhyâropa Records, 2026

Personnel - Aaron Irwin: saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Mike Baggetta: guitar; Bill Campbell: drums.

The long-standing trio led by saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Aaron Irwin returns with a blues-and-folk-tinged outing, offering a sonic tribute to the traditions of American roots music. Spark is their third release.

Irwin’s bass-less trio, rounded out by guitarist Mike Baggetta and drummer Bill Campbell, begins its journey with the title track, a piece whose melodic contour briefly recalls the church hymn “Gift of Finest Wheat”. Driven forward by Campbell, this Americana-flavored opener features a nuanced pedal point and an octave-doubled melody. “Mississippi Hurt” highlights Baggetta’s soothing fingerpicking style, while Irwin’s clarinet climbs its harmonic slopes with agility and Campbell colors the kit with darker, wetter tonal textures. The piece grows increasingly animated toward the end, shaped by dynamic phrasing and focused guitar strums.

The trio demonstrates a clear affinity for waltz forms. “Skuli” unfolds with elegance, its melody carried by bass clarinet and punctuated by emotionally charged guitar cries. “Giuffre” leans into a seductive blues character, while “The Snow Man”, also marked by bass clarinet etchings, briefly shifts into 4/4 in its middle section before returning to 3/4 for its close.

Though generally understated, the album reaches a more pressurized intensity on “Fahey”, which develops like a Celtic-tinged ritual through vigorous, bright-harmonic guitar strumming that gradually settles into a carefully patterned pulse. “Goodnight Laverne” and “Goodnight Shirley” take the shape of jazz-standard-style ballads, with Baggetta’s six-string work shining expressively on both.

Both “A Song in the Front Yard” and “A Blues Feeling” lean into blues language. The former, playful and lively, thrives on a bass clarinet line that grooves with easy charm, while the latter alternates between energetic ten-beat cycles and softer 4/4 passages.

Irwin’s compositions, often sensitive in nature, don’t produce much excitement. Yet, the honest and cohesive interpretations of the trio radiate some warmth and intimacy.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Mississipi Hurt ► 04 - Fahey ► 05 - Goodnight Laverne

Meg Okura - Isaiah

Label: Adhyâropa Records, 2026

Personnel - Meg Okura: violin, erhu, vocals; Anne Drummond: flute; Sam Sadigursky: bass clarinet, clarinet; David Smith: trumpet; Rebecca Patterson: trombone; Riza Printup: harp; John Lee: guitar; Brian Marsella: piano; Evan Gregor: bass; Peter Kronreif: drums + Guests - Sam Newsome: soprano saxophone (#5,6,7,8); Randy Brecker: trumpet (#5,6,7,8); Remy Le Boeuf: alto saxophone (#3,9); Rogério Boccato (#6,8): percussion; Yotam Ishay: organ (#6,7); Naomi Newsome: vocals (#2).

With her latest album, Isaiah, the expansively creative Japanese violinist and composer Meg Okura proves once again that she stands among today’s most distinctive musical visionaries. Rhythmically fluid and stylistically adventurous, the record represents contemporary world fusion at its most refined. A testament to her eclecticism and athletic command, the album showcases her acclaimed Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The tentet’s unfettered explorations are amplified by a roster of distinguished guests who elevate the ensemble’s dynamics, arrangements, and interplay to a higher plane.

The exuberant fusion of “Sushi Gadol”, a tribute to Okura’s brother—who transitioned from heavy metal drummer to Protestant pastor—opens with prog-rock stamina embedded in its intricate theme before drifting into breezy chamber textures and eventually settling into a Brazilian-tinged groove. Flutist Anne Drummond engages in spirited exchanges with Okura, leading to a final thematic statement enriched by trumpet, bass clarinet, and guitar accents. “Blessing”, inspired by the Pre-Haftarah Blessing Okura and her daughter received, unfolds as a luminous waltz, featuring David Smith’s radiant trumpet lines, Sam Sadigursky’s subtle yet pertinent bass clarinet commentary, and Naomi Newsome’s ethereal vocalizations that shape a soulful atmosphere.

The infectious title track, “Isaiah”, thrives on funk, Japanese music, and African folk influences. Passages in seven later shift tempo, and there’s astute chromatic movements, pedal points, chamber episodes, and rampant swing thrusts supporting Remy Le Boeuf’s agile saxophone runs. “Rice Country” blends Japanese pop and folk with the American idioms of Aaron Copland, resulting in a kind of Benny Goodman-styled swing where the instruments converse with one another. The gracious “Sunset Bells” features guitar and trumpet solos over taut rhythms, finishing in an excellent chamber mode.

The influence of Michael Brecker is noticeable on “African Skies”, a piece drawn from his 1996 Impulse! album Tales from the Hudson, though Okura adapts it to her own style. Packed with detail, nuance, and deft rhythmic variation, the piece features Michael’s brother Randy Brecker on trumpet, as well as a delightfully outgoing piano solo by Brian Marsella. A different groove underpins the assertive discourses of violin and flute. “Jubberish” is a grooving, well-oiled 7/4 blues that lands on a solo violin passage, maintaining the septuple meter while exploring Arabian dance inflections that reward with inventiveness and rhythmic fire.

Okura’s meticulously assembled sonic layers are remarkable, and Isaiah is a multidimensional crossover journey that packs a punch, the product of the complex mind of a mature, original composer of enormous talent.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Blessing ► 04 - Rice Country ► 06 - African Skies ► 07 - Jubberish

Melissa Aldana - Filin

Label: Blue Note Records, 2026

Personnel - Melissa Aldana: tenor saxophone; Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Kush Abadey: drums + Guest - Cecile McLorin Salvant: vocals (#3,5).

Chilean-born saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana has long expressed the desire to record a ballads album in the tradition of John Coltrane and other masters. She fulfills that intention with her new quartet—Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums—while adding a distinctive twist: the repertoire is devoted exclusively to Filin songs, a US-influenced Cuban style popular from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Filin, her third release as a leader on Blue Note Records, contains moments of genuine romanticism, though it does not consistently deliver the spark or sense of discovery that might make the material fully compelling.

The album opens with a confident reimagining of Salvador Levi’s “La Sentencia”, where the delicacy of touch in the rubato piano playing and the velvety saxophone establish an inviting mood. The melodies, shaped with a soulful warmth à-la Charles Lloyd, rest securely on Washington’s rounded, supportive bass lines and Abadey’s soft brushes-on-snare and cymbal legato. “No Te Empeñes Más” introduces guest vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, whose expressive delivery enhances the piece, alongside heartfelt solos from Aldana and Rubalcaba. Salvant also appears on “Las Rosas No Hablan”, written by Brazilian samba master Cartola, rendered in graceful Spanish and sustained by the quartet’s refined accompaniment.

Brazilian presence is further felt through “Little Church” by Hermeto Pascoal, one of the album’s highlights. The piece moves between soulful lyricism and spacious dimensions, with Aldana’s saxophone projecting an almost ethereal glow over Rubalcaba’s sensitive pianism and Abadey’s subtle rhythmic commentary. “Imágenes” and the closing “No Pidas Imposibles” unfold as languid meditations, the former marked by Aldana’s wistfully dark yet airy tone, the latter distinguished by Rubalcaba’s exquisite grace.

Aldana’s unique musical habitat—where passages coalesce with discretion and often in predictable contours—finds particular resonance in “Ocaso”, composed by Mexican guitarist Claudio Estrada. The main melody has a dark feel to it, while the final vamping pulse comes injected with a disengaged, almost unconcerned air. 

Yet while the musicianship is consistently polished here, Aldana’s artistic voice tends to resonate more vividly to me when she channels her creativity into her own original compositions.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - La Sentencia ► 05 - Las Rosas No Hablan ► 06 - Little Church

Ingrid Jensen - Landings

Label: Newvelle Records, 2026

Personnel - Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Gary Versace: organ; Marvin Sewell: guitar; Jon Wikan: drums + George Coleman: tenor saxophone (#1).

Resourceful Canadian trumpeter and composer Ingrid Jensen—a key member of the acclaimed all-female jazz ensemble Artemis—continues to assert herself as a commanding bandleader and inventive composer with her new album, Landings. Released exclusively on vinyl to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the French label Newvelle Records, the album features eight tracks: five originals from members of her quartet and three carefully chosen covers.

Jensen is joined by the buoyant rhythm section of guitarist Marvin Sewell, organist Gary Versace, and her husband, drummer Jon Wikan, and welcomes legendary saxophonist George Coleman on the astonishing opener, “Amsterdam After Dark”. Composed by Coleman in 1978, the piece is delivered in sparkling form, tipping a subtle hat to Chick Corea and Donald Byrd. At 89, Coleman remains incisive and focused, weaving rapid, multihued lines over harmonically rich textures while Jensen’s inspired trumpet solo glows with effulgent tone, remarkable range, and striking melodicism.

Jensen’s own “New Body” plunges into atmospheric balladry with distinction, beginning with rubato guitar before settling into a steady 4/4 pulse, culminating in a breathy, contemplative finish. The title track, “Landings”, features adjustable grooves, melodic impact, and harmonic nuance, blending post-bop and fusion elements while later exploring R&B and funk frameworks.

Carla Bley’s impressionistic classic “Ida Lupino” is rendered with gentle refinement, while Sewell’s “The Worker’s Dance” anchors itself in a firm 3/4 lock-step, highlighting the guitarist’s semi-acoustic textures and Versace’s driving organ. Versace’s own composition, “Many Homes Many Places”, projects a lively Wes Montgomery Trio vibe fused with Miles Davis–inspired electric color, allowing the ensemble to swing freely and engage in crisp, responsive interplay.

The album closes with trumpeter Jim Knapp’s gorgeously bluesy “Home”, a piece closely associated with Jensen’s live repertoire. Marked by Wikan’s sensitive brushwork, the track showcases the quartet’s cohesion and melodic charm. Landings confirms the artistry of Jensen and her collaborators, delivering music that is both technically accomplished and deeply persuasive.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Amsterdam After Dark ► 02 - New Body ► 05 - Landings ► 06 - The Worker’s Dance

Haeun Joo - Just Gravity

Label: 577 Records, 2026

Personnel - Haeun Joo: piano; Chris Tordini: double bass; Steven Crammer: drums.

New York-based Korean pianist Haeun Joo’s debut album, Just Gravity, presents sharp, crisp solo piano inventions alongside astutely executed trio explorations, tracing sometimes divergent, sometimes vividly descriptive musical landscapes. Joo teams up with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Steven Crammer on four of the ten improvised tracks, carving out images of fragmentation, contemplation, and beauty.

The opening pieces, “Salt and Silence” and “Noah”, are openly built as solo piano narrations. The former feels glamorously detached yet firmly anchored in the low and middle registers, probing fleet trills, staccato chordal sequences, and appealing motions. The latter flows with a more traditional approach and clearer thematic ideas without ever losing its sense of direction. Shifting tempos never disrupt the music’s seamless flow.

The first trio piece, “Jumping Into the Flow”, features Crammer’s distinctive rhythmic sensibility creating a magnetic cross-current that rubs against Tordini’s vigorous bass plucks and muted strums. Joo is free to roam, yet the trio achieves a functional connection that is plainly reflected in the music. They venture into dense timbral forests before gradually thinning their instrumental intensity for a judicious, resolute conclusion. The excellent “Ellie the Paw” exudes a classy jazz feel, propelled by crisp brushwork and smooth, rounded bass notes. It is crowned by deliberately spacious piano playing and settles into a vamp that, shifting chromatically, acquires a sultry Latin tinge secured by a powerful bass pedal point.

“Authentic Taste” offers prime solo piano moments, combining poignant modern classical language with the dreamy jazz ballad sensibility associated with Billy Strayhorn. “Indefatigable” highlights Joo’s instinctive left hand as a foundational groove engine, complemented by melodic agility in the upper register. The intonation always feels grounded, riding creative waves with exploratory excitement. Crammer comes to the fore again on “Soft Collapse”, beginning with hypnotic mallet work before being joined by Tordini’s air-permeable bass drive and Joo’s unflappable pianism. Toward the end, the drummer shifts to gently propulsive snare fluxes and sophisticated cymbal choices.

Pulsing with experimental textures and a deceptive sense of form, Just Gravity sounds as if it is in perpetual motion. Joo, a spontaneous storyteller, never swamps her peers, instead using her energy and melodic sensitivity to shape something collectively engaging.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Salt and Silence ► 05 - Ellie The Paw ► 06 - Authentic Taste

Brandon Seabrook - Hellbent Daydream

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2026

Personnel - Brandon Seabrook: guitar, banjo; Elias Stemeseder: piano, synth; []: Henry Fraser: bass; Erica Dicker: violin.

In a lucid sonic exploration of dream logic and surreal storytelling, Hellbent Daydream marks a new chapter for guitarist, banjoist, and composer Brandon Seabrook, a daring experimentalist who shapes a quartet increasingly defined by balance and structure. Joined by imaginative Austrian keyboardist Elias Stemeseder, resilient Brooklyn-based bassist Henry Fraser, and versatile violinist Erica Dicker, Seabrook carefully crafts arrangements that avoid clichés while amplifying the idiosyncrasies of his compositions.

“Name Dropping is the Lowest Form of Conversation” moves through spacious chamber settings that waltz effortlessly, privileging poised sophistication over wild rhythmic attacks. Its precise, flawless movements transport the listener to cinematic soundscapes, accented by surprising synth interjections, pizzicato violin, and fuzzy guitar. The title track, “Hellbent Daydream”, employs a more compact orchestration, balancing opaque textures with radiant projections.

Seabrook wields his banjo with flair on “Bespattered Bygones” and “The Arkansas Tattler”, infusing folk charisma and transporting listeners to an alternate, enchanting reality. “Bespattered Bygones” is gradually constructed from layered elements—terse violin phrasing, confident bow on strings turned groovy bass pizzicato, and flute-tinged synths—waltzing steadily before introducing a martial-like, hopping march interwoven with abstraction and improvisation. “The Arkansas Tattler”, rooted in Americana, begins with solo bass deliberation before swelling into a transcendent clamor.

The avant-garde burner “I’m a Nightmare and You Know It” bursts with mercurial guitar chords, soaring piano, and skittering motifs. The quartet engages in texture-defining interplay, evoking Afrobeat dances and psychedelic rock riots, seamlessly interwoven with ambient passages. This energetic yet controlled approach also defines “Existential Banger Infinite Ceiling”, a propulsive, unpredictable piece that nimbly alternates between rippling figures, Eastern-tinged lamentation, and the extreme tonal contrasts of bass and violin.

Seabrook closes the program with “Autopsied Cloudburst”, a wild, shredding exploration that finishes on a mysterious, open-ended note. Unafraid to shift backdrops and contexts, Seabrook confirms his position at the forefront of vanguard jazz, offering a spellbinding and consistently inventive aural journey.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Bespattered Bygones ► 04 - I’m a Nightmare and You Know It ► 05 - Existential Banger Infinite Ceiling

Russ Lossing - Proximity Alert

Label: Songs, 2025

Personnel - Russ Lossing: piano; Mark Helias: bass; Eric McPherson: drums.

Ohio-born, New York–based pianist and composer Russ Lossing is a devoted explorer of the piano trio format. Early on, he collaborated with bassist Ed Schuller and drummer Paul Motian, later forming a long-running trio with bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Billy Mintz, with whom he released Moon Inhabitants (Sunnyside) in early 2025. In 2020, Lossing probed yet another trio setting alongside bassist Mark Helias and drummer Eric McPherson, resulting in Mood Suite (Steeplechase). Those two seasoned musicians now serve as the structural backbone of Proximity Alert, an 11-track session whose music consistently calls for dialogue, awareness, and discovery.

“Incommunicado” opens with a theme that feels both epic in stance and lively in tone, revealing modern classical undercurrents. The improvisational passages, however, are defined by space and restraint. Allowing the music to breathe, the trio favors sparse, measured, and often scintillating gestures. “Boo-Da” is eloquent and expressionistic, yet Lossing’s taste for seductive ambiguity leads the piece down unexpected paths. McPherson injects the final head with a burst of snare-driven urgency.

“Apostrophe” unfolds as a modern chamber exploration, shaped by Helias’ resonant arco bass, McPherson’s shimmering brushwork, and Lossing’s perceptive melodic sense, all lending the piece a supple elasticity. It stands in contrast to the tightly synchronized, prog-rock-tinged muscularity of the title track, which revolves around a persistent seven-beat piano riff. Helias turns beautifully percussive in his bass dance, as the texture thickens into something simultaneously swinging, spongy, and fiercely swirling.

These richly layered tapestries stem from a narrative-minded approach that allows ideas to evolve patiently through close listening and precise execution. The playful, buoyant “Rhythmique” and the meditative ballad “Lamento” exemplify this balance. The former features crisp staccatos, a flowing swing at its core, and freewheeling rhythmic shifts, while the latter, more even-tempered but no less inventive, opens onto a deep and reflective emotional terrain.

“Relentless” is heated up by a crisp, power-precision figure in nine, finalizing the procedures with unshakable certitude, while “Silent Alarm”, a freely improvised piece, atmospherically fits in the classy whole.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Incommunicado ► 04 - Proximity Alert ► 06 - Rhythmique ► 07 - Lamento

Tomeka Reid Quartet - Dance! Skip! Hop!

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2026

Personnel - Tomeka Reid: cello; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Jason Roebke: acoustic bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

With the same creative spirit and responsiveness that have driven her previous records, cellist and composer Tomeka Reid releases Dance! Skip! Hop!, her fourth quartet album and a follow-up to the brilliant 3+3 (Cuneiform Records, 2024), continuing to build an enviable body of work. The album comprises five tasteful new compositions in which the group—Mary Halvorson on guitar, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums—carves out strong musical moments where commitment, brilliance, and substance render any unnecessary flashy gestures or pretentious stylization.

The quartet bursts out of the gate with the joyous title track, presenting a unison pizzicato cello-guitar riff over an accelerated brushed drum shuffle and a loosely swinging bass drive. There is catchy angularity without ever losing a sense of direction. The strong motivic focus and phrasal fluency of the solos lead to a firmly grounded final vamp in six that stimulates Fujiwara’s creativity.

The group not only boasts a distinctive sound, reinforced by its low-register depth, but also rewards listeners rooted in tradition as much as those with more adventurous ears. “a(ways) for CC and CeCe” begins with Roebke’s big, rounded tone upfront, unfolding into an ingenious collision of funk, world music, Latin influences, and avant-garde jazz. Its tightly coordinated passages involve shifting tempos and quirky mood changes. In turn, “Under the Aurora Sky” starts as a ballad, blending lightly elegiac and reflective tones with exploratory intensity. With bowed cello lamenting at its core, the piece ends in a crescendo through a surging vamp anchored by Roebke and Fujiwara’s robust foundation.

That same looseness and sense of abandon that make everything sound natural and interconnected also shape “Oo Long!”, a rugged, grooving piece with a funk disposition and well-calibrated, precise attacks across its exploratory sonic grid. Besides being dance-friendly, it features Halvorson’s guitar immersed in noise, pushing beyond the lines with explosive indie-rock influence. The album closes with “Silver Spring Fig Tree”, a contained serenade, soothing in character and pleasing to the ear, featuring synchronized interplay, counterpoint, and spontaneous release.

The masterfully executed material, marked by tight group interplay and bright solos born from impressive instrumental control, confirms Reid as one of the most creative voices in jazz. She and her peers carve a jagged line across influences, forming a dynamic, ever-expanding sonic network that fully showcases their collective strengths.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - dance! skip! hop! ► 02 - a(ways) for CC and CeCe ► 03 - Oo long!

Joel Ross - Gospel Music

Label: Blue Note Records, 2025

Personnel - Joel Ross: vibraphone, celeste (#1,11,17), mellotron (#17), glockenspiel (#1,11), drums (#11,12); Maria Grand: tenor saxophone; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone; Jeremy Corren: piano; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass; Jeremy Dutton: drums + Guests - Laura Bibbs: vocals (#11), flugelhorn (#17); Ekep Nkwelle: vocals (#12); Andy Louis; vocals, guitar (#13); Geoff Gallante: piano (#11); Brandee Younger: harp (#17); Austin White: electronics (#17).

Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross has been steadily reshaping the contemporary jazz landscape with his extraordinary mallet work. Inspired by faith, devotion to God, and gratitude, Ross—who was deeply involved in Chicago’s Black church—offers a sonic manifestation of love and hope with Gospel Music, his fifth album for Blue Note Records. This 17-chapter interpretation of the biblical story unfolds through a core sextet composed of his Good Vibes group, joined here by alto saxophonist Josh Johnson (standing in for Immanuel Wilkins), alongside a handful of distinguished guests appearing on selected tracks.

“Wisdom is Eternal (For Barry Harris)” opens the album with a vamp built on a nine-beat cycle, its chanting saxophones moving in unison to add texture and melodic shape. The exquisitely expressive “Trinity” follows, propelled by a lively odd-meter groove that supports bravura turns by Ross, Johnson, pianist Jeremy Corren, and tenor saxophonist Maria Grand. An undercurrent of buoyant swing paves the way here.

“Protovangelium” begins anchored by Kanoa Mendenhall’s deep arco bass before shifting to pizzicato, gradually growing more tender and intimate, and ultimately returning to its initial depth. Subtle tempo inflections and impeccable teamwork are evident here, as well as on harmonically rich, more urgent pieces such as “Nevertheless” and “Word For Word”. The former highlights intricate melodies delivered with natural ease, while the latter leans into blues-inflected phrasing, vibrant rhythmic motion, and passionately voiced personal statements.

“Hostile” is a post-bop burner, driven by inexorable lines and a crisp, propulsive rhythm section, while “Repentance” thrives on carefully coordinated energy and contemporary openness, unfolding through instinctive, challenging vamps. The material is varied, and the ensemble approaches it with virtuosic command and a sense of calm, purposeful development.

The anthemic “A Little Love Goes a Long Way” marks a turning point in the album and leads into three consecutive vocal pieces. Frank Schoen’s “Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ” features Ross’s wife, Laura Bibbs, who first introduced the song to him. Betty King Johnson’s “Calvary” is beautifully rendered by vocalist Ekep Nkwelle, with Ross subtly destabilizing the rhythmic flow through additional percussion. “The Giver”, with lyrics by James Baldwin, is arranged as an intimate duet, pairing Corren with singer-guitarist Andy Louis.

There are other surprises, like “Be Patient”, which carries a Kurt Rosenwinkel’s Next Step vibe but with piano; and “The New Man”, which brims an ecstatic New Orleans kind of vibe. The closing chapter, “Now & Forevermore”, cools things down with a richly textured palette that includes harp, electronics, celeste, mellotron, bowed bass, and vibes.

Abounding in sophisticated harmonic turns and thoughtful structural design, Gospel Music is an artfully realized statement. Deeply personal yet broadly resonant, it fits seamlessly into Ross’s catalogue, affirming both his spiritual vision and his growing musical authority.

Favorite Tracks:
07 - Word For Word ► 12 - Calvary ► 15 - Be Patient

André Carvalho - Of Fragility and Impermanence

Label: Robalo, 2025

Personnel - Andre Carvalho: double bass; José Soares: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Raquel Reis: cello; Samuel Gapp: piano; João Hasselberg: electronics.

Inspired by parenthood, a series of life changes that led to self-discovery, as well as memories of his own childhood, Portuguese bassist and composer André Carvalho releases Of Fragility and Impermanence, a collection of 12 tracks that firmly situates itself on the left side of the jazz spectrum. Throughout his career, Carvalho—who lived in New York for seven years—has consistently demonstrated his strengths as a composer, leader, and sideman. More recently, he has devoted time to film scoring, earning several awards in the process.

The fascinating “A Galope” opens the album, foregrounding electronics and shaping its ebb and flow through counterpoint and carefully paced motion. Rooted in contemporary classical music, jazz experimentalism, and the fertile space between them, the piece builds toward a vibrant rhythmic current before receding quietly. Carvalho’s trenchant arco work and Samuel Gapp’s expansive piano gestures are especially striking here. “Dentes de Leite” follows as a vaporous ballad whose poised elegance is matched by its sophisticated 3+3+2 pulse.

The quintet’s unconventional instrumentation serves the poignant “Dores de Crescimento”, an ambient piece grounded in cello legato, bass, and electronics, and crowned by serene piano lines and José Soares’ drifting, ethereal saxophone. Channeling modern classical figures such as Ives, Mompou, and Debussy, the piece also reflects a modal sensibility reminiscent of English saxophonist John Surman. “Echoes” leads us into a strange yet quietly magical realm, balancing serenity, ambiguity, and emotion, and evoking a cinematic surrealism through contrasting timbres and softly undulating waves of warmth.

“Infância” stands confidently on its own as a feature for bass and saxophone, their reciprocal dialogue lightly veiled by a thin haze of electronics. It recalls the classically inflected work of Tuxedomoon’s Steven Brown. “The Journey of Kanji Watanabe”—named after the protagonist of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru (1952)—unfolds with pure elegance, offering a minimalist, contemplative meditation on bodily fragility, illness, and death. A related sense of vulnerability permeates the floating chamber atmosphere of “Trica de Irmãos”, though expressed differently: here, a gentle tenderness emerges through measured restraint, carried by Soares’ lyrical bass clarinet and Carvalho’s sensitive bass solo. By contrast, “No Man Ever Steps in the Same River Twice…” adopts a more energetic stance, driven by contrapuntal and parallel lines and taut, staccato-laced passages.

Flawlessly arranged, Of Fragility and Impermanence is emotive and layered without becoming ponderous. The ensemble plays as a true collective, bringing Carvalho’s vision to life with honesty, musical depth, and imagination. It is an album to be discovered slowly, preferably in the quiet of the night.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Galope ► 03 - Dente de Leite ► 04 - Dores de Crescimento ► 08 - No man ever steps in the same river twice…

John Ellis & Double Wide - Fireball

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026

Personnel - John Ellis: tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet; Alan Ferber: trombone; Matt Perrine: sousaphone; Gary Versace: piano, organ, accordion, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer; Jason Marsalis: drums, whistling; Rogerio Boccato: percussion (#4).

Featuring eight originals, Fireball presents multi-reedist John Ellis at the helm of his Double Wide quintet, whose sound and dynamics uplift and surprise as the instruments dance together with an evocative sense of liberation. The music was inspired by a composition fellowship Ellis received in Santa Monica, California, as well as by his recent work for podcasts.

The playful, fanfare-inflected opener “Wash Ya Mouth Out” channels a strong New Orleans spirit through bluesy tones and a mix of honky-tonk and gospel inflections. Propelled by Matt Perrine’s powerful sousaphone—he also delivers the album’s first solo—and Jason Marsalis’ incisive drumming, the piece reaches its peaks when Ellis, on tenor, and trombonist Alan Ferber alternate bars with conversational logic and clarity. This same buoyant ethos animates “Clown Car”, a soul-stirring number steeped in cabaret-style expressiveness.

“Top Down” shifts toward a Brazilian groove, with Ellis on soprano and Ferber slyly interlocked in deep lyricism, while Gary Versace’s keyboard work projects poise and responsiveness, giving the piece a palpable sense of life. “Crocodile Tears” unfolds as a gospel-tinged ballad waltz, and the closer, “From the Ashes”, embraces a spiritual, modal openness that finds the group in sympathetic communion. Originating from a Marsalis drum loop, the piece allows him to recreate freely atop the tapestry woven by the rest of the band.

The spirit of discovery intensifies on the title track, “Fireball”, a danceable tune that elevates the album through complex rhythms rich in accentuation, keen melodies, and a progressive avant-garde urgency that grows increasingly suspenseful and dense. Marsalis’ elastic syncopations, combined with Versace’s accordion and Ellis’ soprano soloing, are particularly formidable. “Meat Pie” is another highlight, keeping the temperature high with its animated groove, compelling solos, and lingering keyboard beams that offer valuable harmonic guidance. Perrine’s magnetic sousaphone adds muscular gravity, while Marsalis unleashes on the toms with impunity.

Designed with harmonic and melodic maturity, Fireball stands at the intersection of post-bop boldness and accessible avant-garde, showcasing Ellis as a thoughtful composer and flexible musician with deep respect for both tradition and modernity.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Fireball ► 07 - Meat Pie ► 08 - From the Ashes

Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet - The Solastalgia Suite

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2026

Personnel - Kris Davis: piano, composition + Lutoslawski Quartet - Roksana Kwasnikowska: violin; Marcin Markowicz: second violin; Artur Rozmyslowicz: viola; Maciej Mlodawski; cello.

Commissioned by the Jazztopad Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, The Solastalgia Suite marks the first opus for piano and string quartet by the exploratory Canadian pianist and composer Kris Davis. The Lutoslawski Quartet helps give voice to compositions influenced by Olivier Messiaen and thematically centered on philosopher Glenn Albrecht’s term solastalgia, a word that defines a form of homesickness experienced while one is still at home.

The opener, “Interlude”, ushers the listener into the record’s distinctive world through a sequence of energetic, staccato-driven gestures, counterpoint, and improvisation. If this piece coheres and enchants, “An Invitation to Disappear” deepens the sense of contemplation and emotional pull, combining restless shards of strings with beautifully shaped, piano-centered passages.

In “The Known End”, modern classical and contemporary chamber elements generate suspenseful, cinematic cadences, punctuated by abrupt starts and stops and kinetic piano reflections. The string quartet’s broad range of attack yields sections that explore contrasting variations, combinations, and atmospheres, with Davis using dynamics expressively throughout. “Pressure & Yield” feels harmonically open, placing acerbic bowed cello and violin at the heart of an intriguing, tense dialogue.

Featuring prepared piano, “Towards No Earthly Pole” draws everything down to a hush, though its repetitiveness slightly dulls the impact. By contrast, “Degrees of Separation”, with its firm sense of direction, is whimsically structured, blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation through finely interlocking moments and responsive interplay. It proves more compelling than most of the preceding pieces, introducing a broader spirit of adventure, even in passages dominated by dreamy piano textures set against floating strings.

One might wish the earlier movements shared the same strength and dynamism as this closing statement. Still, despite a degree of unevenness, those inclined to find beauty in abstraction and creative risk will discover a rewarding experience in The Solastalgia Suite.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Interlude ► 02 - An Invitation To Disappear ► 08 - Degrees of Separation