Ohm! - The Architects

Label: Shifting Paradigm Records, 2025

Personnel - Dan Bruce: electric and acoustic guitar; Jordan McBride: electric bass; Gabe Jones: drums + Jason Kush: tenor saxophone (#1); Reggie Watkins: trombone (#10); Nathan Douds: keyboards (#10), programming (#2,4,6,9); Nadine Douds: vocals (#5).

Cleveland-based guitarist Dan Bruce, a former fixture of the Chicago scene, stakes a strong claim for versatility with this powerhouse trio project alongside bassist Jordan McBride and drummer Gabe Jones. His Ohm! trio welcomes several guests along the way, engaging in a creative exchange where the musicians communicate closely across a variety of frameworks. Modern jazz, indie rock, and fusion languages coexist here.

The group reaches a peak of inspiration right from the start with “The Architects”, featuring guest tenor saxophonist Jason Kush, whose beseeching horn takes center stage atop a dense rhythmic flow. The rhythm section initially lays down a punkish rock drive—odd guitar riffery, punchy bass lines, and crisp drumming—before shifting gears into an electric funk-jazz groove, where Bruce’s and Kush’s lines generate magnetic polyrhythmic currents. The music circles back to its opening wave before jumping straight into “Eh?”, a track whose blues-rock instincts are refreshed by charming, if enigmatic, jazz harmonies.

“Glimpse” unfolds as a ballad with alternative-rock leanings, with the trio having no problem in intensifying and thickening its texture. This number’s explicit song form contrasts with the freer posture of “Major_Chord”, the only piece not written by Bruce, previously appearing on his Beta Collective album Earthshine (2017). Although its composer, keyboardist (and drummer) Nathan Douds, does not perform in this tightly wound three-way conversation—driven by a syncopated modern beat—he remains a key presence as the programmer behind four short interludes titled “Incidentals”.

Douds also appears on keyboards on the distinguished closer “Rare Birds”, joined by trombonist Reggie Watkins. This buoyant fusion piece opens with crisp staccato energy and remarkable ensemble synchrony. A propulsive funk groove soon provides an inviting platform for Bruce’s explorations—his attack forceful, his phrasing resolute. The transitions are seamless, never feeling disjointed.

“Ice” brings a distinct atmosphere of its own, marked by Bruce’s acoustic guitar, an odd-meter flow, and the alluring voice of singer-songwriter Nadine Douds. Here, McBride and Jones are given ample space to shine: the former delivers a simpatico solo, while the latter expands his rhythmic vocabulary across an energetic vamp.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Architects ► 05 - Ice ► 10 - Rare Birds

Chad Taylor Quintet - Smoke Shifter

Label: Otherly Love Records, 2025

Personnel - Bryan Rogers: tenor saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Victor Vieira-Branco: vibraphone; Matt Engle; bass; Chad Taylor: drums.

Smoke Shifter marks the sixth release as a leader by sought-after drummer and composer Chad Taylor, currently based in Philadelphia. He enlists three other Philadelphia-based musicians—all of them contributing compositions—saxophonist Bryan Rogers, Brazilian-born vibraphonist Victor Vieira-Branco, and bassist Matt Engle, forming the core of his quintet. The exception is New York–based trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, who orbits this nucleus with magnetic peripheral radiation. Together, they blaze new trails with an unbridled sense of freedom, anchored in both traditional jazz idioms and improvisation.

The album opens with Rogers’ “Broken Horse”, a danceable 6/8 piece incorporating an electrifying pulse and contemporary jazz elements. The saxophonist explains that it was written specifically for this group, and that the robust bass line that sustains it just popped up into his head. With Taylor behind the kit providing a stalwart anchor, the group keeps the music vital and in constant motion.

Engle’s “Avian Shadow” lifts off with soulful openness, initially driven by cross-stick propulsion and a six-beat bass figure that supports the emerging harmonic consonance between horns and vibraphone. Finlayson’s authoritative solo sparks bright responses from Vieira-Branco, while Rogers moves from unpretentiously probing to openly expansive in his narrative.

Taylor, whose musical energy acts as a catalyst for the group’s cohesion, contributes two pieces of his own. The immaculately layered “Waltz For Meghan”, dedicated to his wife, emanates exotic hues in a grand, flowing stream, creating a distinctive atmosphere that fuses chamber jazz with an African-tinged pulse. Under Taylor’s astute brushwork, Engle sounds strikingly melodic, while Rogers delivers an emotionally attuned and impactful statement. The drummer’s other composition is the title track, “Smoke Shifter”, whose affable character and odd meter draw the horn players together with shared commitment and joy, revealing a keen instinct for counterpoint and collective interplay during the theme exposition.

The album closes with two demanding pieces by Vieira-Branco. Moving at a slow 4/4 pace, “October 26th” is grounded by the composer’s hypnotic vibraphone work in perfect communion with bass and drums. Casting a magnetic spell akin to Bobby Hutcherson and Andrew Hill, they later have sax and trumpet reinforcing the enchantment. “Paradise Lawn/October 29th” shifts meters, beginning in a suspended, abstract mode before Taylor’s magnificent drumming bridges into the waltzing smoothness of the second section, which includes a finely shaped solo by its composer.

Smoke Shifter is packed with surprise, openness, and spirit—a cliché-free session that thrives on first-rate, forward-looking melodies hovering over admirable rhythmic tapestries.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Broken Horse ► 03 - Waltz For Meghan ► 04 - Smoke Shifter ► 06 - Paradise Lawns / October 29th

Akira Sakata - Hyperentasis

Label: Defkaz Records, 2025

Personnel - Akira Sakata: alto saxophone, clarinet, vocals, bells; Giovanni Di Domenico: piano; Giotis Damianidis: electric guitar; Petros Damianidis: double bass; Aleksandar Škorić: drums; Paal Nilssen-Love: drums; Tatsuhisa Yamamoto: drums.

This double album pairs the unnerving Hiroshima-born free jazz saxist Akira Sakata—doubling here on clarinet—with two different lineups. The first LP features the group Entasis, a quintet with piano, guitar, bass, and drums; the second LP, marking Sakata’s 80th birthday, keeps the Damianidis brothers (on guitar and bass) and brings in two muscular drummers—Norwegian Paal Nilssen-Love and Japanese Tatsuhisa Yamamoto—for another forceful quintet. Both live sessions honor Sakata’s longstanding connection to Thessaloniki, where the performances were recorded.

The title of the opening track, “Collision Path”, says much about the music. It begins with regular ebbs and flows shaped by intermittent guitar colorations, insistent low piano notes, and enigmatic saxophone tones. Aleksandar Škorić’s drumming intensifies as the piece unfolds, and Petros Damianidis’ resilient bass eventually cuts through with full vitality. Controlled chaos quickly settles in, and the quintet thrives on the rising fervor. “Atsumori No Saigo / Kaigara-Bushi” resembles a poignant Japanese lament, narrated by Sakata’s raucous voice and delivered with a theatrical weight. Fatalistic agony and concentrated rage ooze through the track, with Sakata later firing off clarinet zigzags over cascading piano, understated guitar, and a loose but persistent bass-and-drums current.

“Learning Hydra” rests on a dreamlike piano motif, with subtle electronics murmuring beneath. The rumination, initially directionless, gains focus once Sakata’s agile clarinet takes flight over piano staccatos and wavy textures anchored by gruff arco bass. Violent sonic spirals emerge, propelled by Italian pianist Giovanni Di Domenico’s bombastic clusters and dense rhythmic tangles. The first LP ends with “Symposium”, a shocking, explosive outburst that peaks with tremendous force.

The second LP unfolds across three tracks. “Part I”, marked by cymbal eruptions, opens space for Giotis Damianidis’ acerbic guitar chords and chromatic jabs—his noise-rock incursions take center stage while the two drummers stay ferociously engaged without overshadowing. “Part II” eases the intensity a bit and offers a few more distinct motifs, while “Part III” evolves into a funky, dance-like drive, culminating in a spunky, staccato-fueled finale.

For free jazz devotees only, Hyperentasis neither disappoints nor transcends. It’s a tough listen—due largely to its sheer duration (I strongly recommend not taking both LPs in a single sitting), its relentless, eloquent agility, and its near-total disregard for melodic grounding.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 (LP1) - Collision Path ► 04 (LP1) - Symposium ► 03 - Part III (LP2)

Camila Nebbia / Gonçalo Almeida / Sylvain Darrifourcq - Hypomaniac

Label: Defkaz Records, 2025

Personnel - Camila Nebbia; tenor saxophone; Gonçalo Almeida: double bass; Sylvain Darrifourcq: drums.

The explorative trio of Argentine tenor saxophonist Camila Nebbia, Portuguese bassist Gonçalo Almeida (Rodrigo Amado’s The Attic), and French drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq (Joachim Kühn, Eve Risser) provides a raw, immersive experience rooted in ingenious improvisation and a remarkable sense of connectedness. Helmed by Nebbia—who has steadily built a reputation through numerous standout collaborations—the trio behaves as a single organism, favoring heavy, incantatory gestures over mere displays of shifting or chaotic dynamics. Recorded live at Thessaloniki’s Mikri Skini during the Greek label Defkaz’s Take 2 Festival, the four long improvisations are titled after their durations, but every minute proves essential as the trio’s structural intuition and deep chemistry steer the music toward something singular.

“19:45” thrives on Almeida’s distortion-saturated bass plucks, which hint at heavy-rock contours throughout. Darrifourcq’s loose yet unwavering drumming sprinkles spiky fills into the texture, while Nebbia’s astonishing vocabulary and distinctive timbre affirm her as one of the most compelling new voices on the free scene. The trio gradually fortifies the intensity, shaping textures that grow fleshy and dense before transitioning halfway into an arresting blend of saxophone multiphonics (later sharpening into trenchant shrills), long-pedaled bowed bass tones, and misty hi-hat dispersions. It all concludes on a mystical note, with cymbal intensification guiding the piece into hypnotic ecstasy.

Emphasizing mood over sheer force, “8:17” unfolds with a raw, industrial-like pulse and ringing metallic resonances that evoke machine work. Nebbia ventures through odd overtones and trilling vibratos, heightening the track’s stark, tactile atmosphere. The third piece, “8:59”, sustains that dark and mysterious aura, transmitting sensations of apprehension and restless suspension. It inhabits a musical limbo spanning references from Roscoe Mitchell to Bill Laswell, with passing nods to Wadada Leo Smith’s otherworldly explorations.

The fourth track, “11:30”, begins as an asymmetric three-way conversation: fragmented tenor phrasing, a harmonic bass line that is steady yet whimsically shaped, and active, muscular drumming that supports both movement and grounding. At one point, the rhythm section delves into a fuzzy, math-like abstraction before Nebbia returns in full angular force, pushing the trio toward a thrilling climax.

Hypomaniac emerges as an irresistibly compelling strain of free jazz, capturing Nebbia, Almeida, and Darrifourcq in their rawest forms and at their highest level of mutual trust. In the process, they forge a triumphant identity all their own.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - “19:45” ► 04 - “11:30”

Yuhan Su - Over the Moons

Label: Endectomorph Music, 2025

Personnel - Yuhan Su: vibraphone; Anna Webber; tenor saxophone, flute; Alex LoRe: alto saxophone, flute; Matt Mitchell: piano; Yingda Chen: guitar; Marty Kenney: bass; James Paul Nadien: drums; Shinya Lin: electronics.

New York–based Taiwanese vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su fronts a superb octet of outstanding musicians and improvisers on her new outing, OVER the MOONs, a collection of eight original compositions that probe the boundless potential of collective and individual creativity. Bristling with virtuosity yet marked by graceful elegance, the album finds Su expanding her sonic palette through effect pedals, modernizing the vibraphone’s voice and channeling a style of jazz—angular melodies, kaleidoscopic harmonies, and free improvisation at its core—that feels fully alive and thriving. 

“Pieces Piece” throws the instruments into a puzzling collage of fragments and motifs, a droning, dancing swirl that is both playful and acutely constructed. The swift, tightly coordinated vibraphone-and-keyboard runs land squarely on the chest, propelled by the energizing rhythmic engine of Marty Kenny’s bass and James Paul Nadine’s drums. Pianist Matt Mitchell unleashes a torrent of ideas in an expansive solo, followed by tenor saxophonist Anna Webber, who darts in and out of a more rock-tinged foundation. “Tomorrow”, with its gradually accelerating theme and featuring superb electronic work by Shinya Lin, explores avant-garde terrain with agile rhythmic mutations. Webber soloes fearlessly, opening the door to a collective exploration with protuberant guitar adornments by Yingda Chen in the background, and Su’s impulsively chromatic vibes driving the flow.

Tension is part of the appeal here, but so is mystery. “Two Moons” materializes as a recondite chimera, its delay-coated vibraphone intro softened by flutes from Webber and Alex LoRe, along with Chen’s ethereal guitar tendrils. Contemplative yet exploratory, the piece reflects Su’s lived navigation between cultures and languages. The ecstatic, distorted vibraphone effects on “Roaring Houses” evoke Wyoming’s powerful winter storms—conditions she experienced while writing much of the album during a 2024 residency. The rhythm section shines in punchy, knotty counterpoint, while the soloists—Mitchell, Chen, and Su—steer through meter shifts and rhythmic entanglements with precision and verve.

Playful and staccato-driven, “Genius and Dumb” incorporates Su’s Mandarin words processed electronically, producing a groovy machine-like energy enhanced by sharp digital manipulation and a vibrant tenor solo bursting with color and possibility. The album closes quietly with “Too Much Time Marching Clouds”, an impressionistic, near-edenic reverie featuring haunting guitar textures and absorbing saxophone exchanges.

Whether whispering or erupting, Su’s music remains consistently engrossing. She stands here as a truly inspired artist with a bright future ahead.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pieces Piece ► 02 - Tomorrow ► 04 - Roaring Houses ► 06 - Genius and Dumb

Yako Trio with Harris Lambrakis and James Wylie - Woven

Label: FWF Records, 2025

Personnel - Leandros Pasias: piano; Vangelis Vrachnos: double bass; Giorgos Klountzos Chrysidis: drums + Harris Lambrakis: ney; James Wylie: saxophone.

Yako Trio’s eclectic instincts are fully on display on their latest album, Woven, an even-keeled exploration of genre-bending ambiences filtered through the group’s distinctive lens. The Thessaloniki-based trio—pianist Leandros Pasias, bassist Vangelis Vrachnos, and drummer Giorgos Klountzos Chrysidis—expands into a quintet here with two guest woodwind players: New Zealander saxophonist James Wylie and Athens-born flutist Harris Lambrakis.

This highly listenable session opens with “Mr. McCoy”, a tribute to pianist McCoy Tyner and the invigorating energy of his playing. Written by Pasias, the piece centers around a rich harmonic riff while Coltranean lines surge from the frontline. Swinging underneath with liberating force, it features ecstatic improvisations from each member and vividly evokes Tyner’s ‘70s post-bop. Vrachnos’ “Ghostly Wind” follows, unfolding like an Eastern dance with groovy bass figures, catchy melodicism, and a gently lilting rhythmic flow.

Pasias reveals an interesting, broad compositional vision throughout, contributing some of the album’s most gripping pieces, including “Kloutzoa” and “Impromptu”. The former—a breezy, soulful tune written for Chrysidis and recalling Kamasi Washington’s soul-jazz pulse—rides on a nicely chilled beat from the drummer; while the latter feels as if McCoy Tyner had teamed up with Mulatu Astatke in a modal post-bop/world-fusion crossroad, with flute-and-sax juxtapositions reaching a spiritual sensitivity. Pasias also composed “Myrtilo”, a soothing, luminous ballad.

Chrysidis’ “Speaking Voice” begins with cymbal magnification before settling into a seductive, R&B-inflected piece that nods to fusion through bouncing electric piano textures and skittering hi-hat patterns. The album winds down in a relaxed atmosphere with Vrachnos’ ballad “Sweet Lotus”.

Woven, named for its interlacing of musical idioms, showcases Yako Trio’s global sensibilities and captures the ear through the clarity and cohesion of their musical craft.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Mr. McCoy ► 03 - Kloutzoa ► 04 - Impromptu

Bill Ware and the Club Bird All Stars - Martian Sunset

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2025

Personnel - Bill Ware: vibraphone, melodica; Rez Abbasi; guitar; Matt King: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Taru Alexander: drums.

Martian Sunset is the latest album from American vibraphonist and composer Bill Ware, who, over a three-decade career, has carved his path across a variety of ensembles including The Jazz Passengers, Groove Collective, the trio Vibes, and Rez Abbasi’s Acoustic Quartet. The ten original compositions were written anew—though initially conceived as part of his pandemic-triggered 1k Song Project—for The Club Bird All-Stars, the long-running vehicle for his prolific creativity, formed in 1993 after a three-month engagement at the beloved Japanese venue Club Bird. The group’s new iteration features adventurous guitarist Rez Abbasi, seasoned bassist Jay Anderson, and unsung drummer Taru Alexander, with pianist Matt King remaining in the lineup.

From the opening bars of “Around The Horn”, it becomes immediately clear that Ware is a multi-genre-infused musician. Slightly funkified and strikingly groovy, the piece draws on R&B colors and is buoyed by exciting, fluid solos from Abbasi, King, and Ware. “That Dirty Road” swings mildly, though its head isn’t particularly memorable, while the uptempo “Happy Bird” opens with lively drumming and moves with an easy fusion feel, featuring Ware on melodica.

The album begins to open up more fully from this point on, heating itself toward a steady crescendo. Inspired by Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra, the title cut throbs with tension and collective synchronization, while giving the soloists plenty of space for spontaneity—including Alexander, who closes the track with rock-like muscularity. In jaw-dropping fashion, “In a Spiral”—assembled from favored fragments of earlier compositions—unfolds with purpose, assuming a luscious modal tone and dancing enchantingly after Anderson’s double-stop-rich introduction. Abbasi scrawls astute phrases with dazzling delay effects, and Ware supplies harmonic depth before a polished vamp ushers in the drummer.

“Don’t Take Me Wrong” maintains its post-bop exploratory drive with contemporary freshness, especially through King’s contributions. Powering things along on the album’s outlier, “Hangin’ at Rez”, are Abbasi on acoustic guitar and Ware on melodica; under their spell, the tune moves as breezily as a lighthearted spring diversion. The album closes with “All the Way Down”, a loping, sumptuous jazz-funk number wrapped in warm hues. 

Covering a considerable range of moods without drifting from Ware’s stylistic core, Martian Sunset feels distinctly contemporary and offers a generous share of surprises.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - In a Spiral ► 07 - Don’t Take Me Wrong ► 08 - Hangin’ at Rez

Orè - Matter Antimatter

Label: Trytone, 2025

Personnel - José Soares: alto saxophone; Miguel Petruccelli: guitar; Pedro Ivo Ferreira: bass; Onno Govaert: drums.

Brazilian double bassist and composer Pedro Ivo Ferreira has long been a fixture in Amsterdam, where he’s been based since 2014. Leading his quartet Orè with determination, Ferreira takes chances and earns admiration with Matter Antimatter, his third outing fusing Brazilian roots, free improvisation, and modern composition. The European/South American ensemble features Portuguese altoist José Soares, Uruguayan guitarist Miguel Petruccelli, and Dutch drummer Onno Govaert, all currently living in Amsterdam.

The concise, self-assured “Murphy’s 11th Law” opens the album with a free-spirited bass groove, followed by tight melodic coordination between sax and drums. Govaert’s soft brushes anchor Ferreira’s resonant, conversational improvisation. “Ode” moves from a capoeira-like hustle—with a berimbau sample by Mister Dendê Mukumbi, sax squeaks, and wet, rebounding percussion—to energetic, shape-shifting avant-jazz cycles.

This hybrid approach yields a different effect in “Free Wheel”, where Govaert’s tambourine steers a melodic, groovy bossa pulse that once again mutates into avant-garde agitation with urgency and efficiency. Its exquisite deconstruction even veers toward anthemic rock by the end. The quartet’s capacity for shifting rhythms and moods is fully displayed, while “Pastor”—a lumbering, circumspect, and reflective piece tinged with mournful tones—enters in quiet exploratory mode, its atonal alto flutters and understated drum work deepening the somberness.

“Trilemma” marches combatively with snare fluidity, cymbal regularity, and resolute bass steps, while Soares’ magnetic alto spins a few striking motifs, drawing intelligent, immediate responses from Petruccelli’s active guitar. “Uncertain Principle” and the title track employ similar formulas—elaborate themes and a punkier edge fused with avant-garde maturity—at times suggesting Tim Berne under a groove spell. The former features Soares articulating with angular bite before giving way to Petruccelli’s spasmodic electric shards, while the latter unfolds with natural counterpoint and a sharply punctuated conversation between sax and guitar.

“Curious and Inhuman” erupts as a rampant, tumultuous collective roar, while the remaining five pieces provide individualized opportunities for each musician to speak: “Gravel” (Ferreira), “Foreword” and “Nadir” (Govaert), “Overpass” (Petruccelli), and “Provenience” (Soares).

The album’s greatest strength lies not only in the well-tempered hybridity of Ferreira’s compositions but also in the sheer sense of play the quartet finds while exploring his music.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Ode ► 04 - Trilemma ► 07 - Free Wheel ► 09 - Uncertain Principle

Dave Liebman / Billy Hart / Adam Rudolph - Beingness

Label: Meta / Defkaz Records, 2025

Personnel - Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone, wooden flutes; Billy Hart: drum set; Adam Rudolph: handrumset (kongos, djembe, tarija), piano, thumb piano, keyboards, gongs, dakha de bello, live electronic processing, percussion.

Saxophonist Dave Liebman and percussionist Adam Rudolph have collaborated in trio settings with several drummers over the years. For this session, recorded live at The Stone in 2023, they were joined by master drummer Billy Hart—called in at the last minute when Tyshawn Sorey became unavailable. Liebman first played with Hart on Miles Davis’ On the Corner (1972), while Rudolph, long fascinated by global rhythmic traditions, becomes a new creative partner as the trio explores intriguing sonic spaces with enviable confidence and ease. According to Rudolph’s liner notes: Beingness is the source of inspiration which moves silence towards its manifestations as form in sound.

“Unfolding” thrives on bi-directional rhythms that complement one another. Hart’s cymbal colors and geometric tom-tom patterns welcome Rudolph’s hand percussion—he later shifts to electronic processing—while Liebman narrates with bold intervals and spiky phrases wrapped in delay. “Intent” reveals an exciting, forward-thinking interplay, alive with mantra-like drum fluxes that support soprano ascents drawn in angular, asymmetric shapes.

Liebman’s inventive melodicism flows and punctuates with maturity on “Pathways”, whose swinging post-bop inflections and rousing percussion carry an energy ready to burst. The percussion duo savors the moment with reassuring heartbeats, shimmering cymbals, and juxtaposed rhythmic currents that translate into free, galvanizing locomotion. The Art Ensemble of Chicago comes to mind as the piece evokes forest dances, celestial praise, and tribal exultation. “Remembering the Future” places the trio in complete communion, laying down motifs and drones and combining them with long cymbal lines and supplicant horn moans.

The haunting “Transparent to Transcendence” features the chameleonic Rudolph on piano. He also sends synth waves echoing through the air and injects opportune electronics. Mystery and inquiry are reinforced by Liebman, who roams on soprano with expressive diction and tone. The piece ends in profound stillness, drawing the listener into its gravitational center. “Mystique” closes the album on a perplexing note, with nearly shamanic opacity in its rhythmic overtones.

Oscillating between passionate intensity and meditative restraint, this chordless trio bravely constructs a mix of consonant and dissonant polarities in an experimental voyage that feels as adventurous as it is spiritual.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Intent ► 04 - Pathways ► 05 - Transparent to Transcendence

Julius Gawlik - It's All in Your Head

Label: Unit Records, 2025

Personnel - Julius Gawlik: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Evi Filippou: vibraphone; Phil Donkin: bass; Jim Black: drums.

Emerging German saxophonist Julius Gawlik, a member of the prestigious NDR Big Band, has been developing his voice through several groups, including Jim Black & The Shrimps, Evi Filippou’s inEvitable, and the Jochen Ruckert Trio. Having already made a mark on the Berlin scene with these projects, it was more than time for Gawlik to release his debut album as a leader—fronting a tight yet open-minded quartet with Filippou on vibraphone, Phil Donkin on bass, and Black on drums. These bandmates help him sharpen the breadth of his stylistic palette.

“There Are No Ugly Dogs” begins in a quiet, nearly whispered mode, with saxophone and vibraphone fused in heady melodicism over an understated bass–drums pulse. The sound progressively expands as Black injects inventive, often displaced beats that generate a sense of sophisticated bemusement. After an energizing vibraphone solo, Gawlik narrates both inside and outside the changes, orbiting tangentially and weaving his well-developed language like a spider spinning its web. The piece culminates in a multiphonic-psyched vamp.

“You Wish” is more contemplative yet mysterious in tone—evoking the atmospheric aura of Andrew Hill—with Donkin’s bass work coming to the fore in the final third. “Glow” touches abstraction, propelled by brushes and melodically defined by clarinet, whereas “Chicago” maintains a constant fluidity following a stop-start motion that shapes its opening.

Shape-shifting with extraordinary complexity, “Fuchs” launches a rampant swinging drive with polyrhythmic impact. Despite the uptempo convergence, Gawlik’s tenor improvisation remains focused, lucid, and indisputably rousing. Navigating transitions with dexterity, the quartet slips into an alternative-rock posture that calls for some of Black’s most exuberant kit work. The enchanting closer, “TSCH”, carries an almost balladic touch—harmonically rich and melodically alluring. Gawlik first moves in tandem with Filippou before departing into a high-flying solo that is both riveting and affecting.

Gawlik’s music is to be taken seriously—rooted in creative idioms and supported by an accomplished tone on both saxophone and clarinet. His narratives are unpredictable, full of intriguing turns as he and his bandmates search for contemporary musical frameworks. It’s an outstanding debut.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - There Are No Ugly Dogs ► 03 - Fuchs ► 06 - TSCH

Billy Hart - Multidirectional

Label: Smoke Jazz Sessions Records, 2025

Personnel - Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Ethan Iverson: piano; Ben Street: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Serving as a celebration of his upcoming 85th birthday (November 29), the incomparable master drummer Billy Hart—whose musical sensibilities continually surprise regardless of context—releases his first live album with his esteemed quartet: tenorist Mark Turner, pianist Ethan Iverson, and bassist Ben Street. Multidirectional was recorded at NYC’s Smoke Jazz Club, featuring previously recorded material—including originals from three members of the quartet and a cover—that gains fascinating new perspectives and colors in an ode to both discipline and freedom.

Hart’s “Song For Balkis”, written for his daughter and originally included on the album All Our Reasons (ECM, 2012), begins with the drummer’s tom-tom prowess before shaping into a lyrical tone poem. Under the spell cast by the rhythm section, Turner unfolds a logical narrative, followed by a solo piano moment in which Iverson induces placid, dreamlike states with a sky-falling sequence of notes. The mood darkens slightly, and Turner returns with another inspired improvisational discourse. The piece is subtly reconfigured at the end with sophisticated, classical-leaning alignments. Hart also brings “Amethyst” to the lineup, taking a rubato, balladic orientation from the outset before crossing into abstract modal jazz and avant-garde territories, with Turner leading the charge. Iverson responds astutely over a stirring bass-and-drums chain.

The group drives listeners to many unexpected places, and their take on Coltrane’s classic “Giant Steps” is another prime example. Iverson’s intriguing introduction signals that they intend to approach the tune from a new angle—and they do. The dancing groove created by Street and Hart can either hold in pedal points or swing forward, and Iverson’s motivic structures and outro are remarkable.

Turner and Iverson each contribute a composition. The saxophonist wrote “Sonnet For Stevie” for Stevie Wonder, and the quartet’s rendition of this 2013 piece delights both collectively and through each individual statement, swinging and grooving with its own distinctive character. The pianist’s “Shoedown”—the opening piece of the quartet’s previous album Just (ECM, 2022)—is a strikingly beautiful ballad played at a comfortable tempo, with everyone performing from a place of deep conviction.

With musicianship running in their veins, the Billy Hart Quartet radiates elegance and wisdom at every turn. The drummer’s vital energy, unconventional technique, and refined taste remain nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Giant Steps ► 03 - Sonnet For Stevie ► 04 - Amethyst

Jeremy Rose - Infinity II

Label: Earshift Music, 2025

Personnel - Jeremy Rose: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, effects; Novak Manojlovic: keyboard, synthesizers; Ben Carey: modular synthesizer; Tully Ryan: drums.

Sidney-based saxophonist Jeremy Rose, founder of the chilled-out, eclectic band The Vampires and the Earshift Music label, releases his second album with the Project Infinity, a live-recorded and fully improvised set of urban-lite grooves and bright horn licks that sound anything but academic. Rose’s 26th release as a leader is a meditation on time, motion, and memory, fusing ambient and electronic in a post-jazz setting.

Teamed with keyboardist Novak Manojlovic, modular synth artist Ben Carey, and drummer Tully Ryan, Rose presents the first three tracks as a panoramic sweep. “Full Moon” sets the tone with a suspenseful, minimalistic interplay comprising rattling noises, terse yet throbbing bass sounds, elongated synth vibrations, and late-arriving fluttering saxophone lines. “Futures” operates in both contemplative and exploratory modes with firm drumming and surging waves of energy from the saxophone. “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa” thrives on motivic electronic loops and Ryan’s compulsively syncopated drum work. The rhythm team weaves a spacious, emotion-rich ambient texture over which Rose unfolds blistering saxophone narratives.

“Resonance” nods to hip-hop through its beat, adding colorful synth beams and passionate bass clarinet wails. At times, bass notes take the lead with a straight-eight feel, but Ryan disrupts it through rhythmic displacement. He gradually pushes the groove into more complex patterns as extra synth layers accumulate. “Perpetual Motion” lives up to its title but with nuance in the flow. Delivered with full-tilt abandon and driven by a thrilling pulse, the piece moves in fusion fashion, partly due to warped effects and the instinctive grit of the sax improvisation.

There’s room for playfulness and curiosity, and Infinity II never sounds clinical. On “Tides”, the earthy tones of the bass clarinet dominate over glitchy tapestries and punctuated, elliptical constellations of sound. The jagged, punchy drumming heightens the vitality. “From Now On” closes the album on a relaxing note, gently propelled by a crisp backbeat.

Rose and his quartet layer sounds in ways that reveal emotional truth. Even the most fragile moments carry understated currents that prevent them from drifting into the merely ethereal. Infinity II, attentively mixed by recording engineer Richard Belkner, is a competent and exploratory ambient outing for this era.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - The Great Wave Off Kanagawa ► 06 - Impermanence ► 09 - Tides

John Scofield / Dave Holland - Memories of Home

Label: ECM Records, 2025

Personnel - John Scofield: guitar; Dave Holland: double bass.

American guitarist John Scofield and British bassist Dave Holland, two jazz heavyweights with a tremendous shared oeuvre, join forces for their first duo record, join forces for their first duo record, Memories of Home. Recorded after extensive touring together, the album its something to stick with, as they refine and hone abundant musical ideas in nine old and new compositions—five by Scofield and four by Holland. In the past, they spread their talent in projects by pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Joe Henderson, and co-led the quartet ScoLoHoFo with saxist Joe Lovano and drummer Al Foster.

The album couldn’t have a better start than with Scofield’s “Icons at the Fair”, a phenomenal piece inspired by Hancock’s arrangement of “Scarborough Fair” on The New Standard (Verve, 1996). Its catchy American sound—rooted in blues and folk—is quintessential Scofield. Mastering his octaves technique, he begins with a crisp single-note narrative before infusing rich chords over Holland’s driving, athletic lines. The bassist follows with a hyper-articulated solo, eventually trading phrases with his musical partner before redirecting to the tune's theme. 

The following three pieces, all penned by Scofield, show these singular artists in top form, revealing their deep understanding of the material and elevating it through their craft. “Meant To Be”, a mesmerizing 3/4 post-bop classic from 1991, is played here with warmth and stylish finesse. “Mine Are Blues”, a new composition, brings expressive synchronicity to its main melody, swinging unabashedly until its glorious finale. “Memorette”, another 3/4 tune, relies on Holland’s bass dances and melodic insight.

Of Holland’s four previously recorded compositions, three gained notoriety through his quintet. Both “Mr. B”, a dedication to bassist Ray Brown that swings as sharp as a tack, and the groove-centered “Not For Nothing”, which retains its original 5/4 meter and features Scofield’s amazing comping, were first recorded with Holland’s famed vibraphone-equipped quintet. In turn, the straight-ahead “You I Love”—packed with invigorating walking bass and bluesy guitar chops—first appeared with a different quintet, Holland’s earliest, featuring a three-horn frontline with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, altoist Steve Coleman, and trombonist Julian Priester. The album closes with the title track, a ballad with a pronounced country feel.

Scofield and Holland push each assertively into groovy territory. No matter what they play, they always find a way to pull focus and draw you in. This joint effort is a must-have for any jazz lover.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Icons at the Fair ► 02 - Meant To Be ► 03 - Mine Are Blues ► 08 - You I Love

Aaron Parks - By All Means

Label: Blue Note Records, 2025

Personnel - Ben Solomon: tenor saxophone; Aaron Parks: piano; Ben Street: acoustic bass; Billy Hart: drums.

The work of pianist and composer Aaron Parks has long earned recognition for its lyricism, inventiveness, and balance between modernity and tradition. On By All Means, featuring seven tuneful originals—some newly penned, others revisited—Parks reunites with his Find the Way (ECM, 2017) trio mates, bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart, expanding the lineup into a multi-generational quartet with the addition of rising saxophonist Ben Solomon, a former member of Wallace Roney’s band. 

Leaning toward the introspective, the album opens with the harmonically sophisticated rubato ballad “A Way”. Hart’s expert brushwork, Street’s abstract yet groovy commentary, and Parks’ sculpted piano textures create an intimate, hovering atmosphere. Keith Jarrett often comes to mind here, particularly as Solomon’s supple saxophone tone glides over the trio’s musing rhythmic fabric with striking emotional range.

“Park’s Lope”—a self-portrait of sorts—flows with post-bop elegance, beginning with a magnetic pulse that eases into a lilting, lightly propulsive cadence supporting heartfelt solos from both Parks and Solomon. The pianist’s phrasing and harmonic sense reveal hints of Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, yet he remains unmistakably himself. 

Unlike Parks’ Little Big project, which leaned toward indie and electronic textures, By All Means stays closer to the jazz tradition, exploring song form and improvisational depth with unhurried focus. Two family tributes provide emotional anchors: “For Maria José”, dedicated to his wife, unfolds as a mid-tempo 4/4 ballad of gratitude and grace; while “Little River”, written for his eldest son Lucas, takes shape as a stately 3/4 tune with a flowing melody and gently breezing harmonic progression. Parks’ lyrical soloing feels effortlessly expressive, and Solomon’s follow-up brims with the spiritual warmth of Coltrane and the intense vibration of Sonny Rollins.

Composed when Parks was still a teenager, “Anywhere Together” receives an invigorating treatment from the rhythm section—its swinging vitality testifying to both elegance and maturity. Hart’s drumming, marked by deft cymbal accents and impeccable dynamic sense, remains a highlight throughout. In turn, the laid-back closer, “Raincoat”, inspired by electronic artist Baths, settles into a sultry Latinized groove, with Street and Hart providing a supple, understated foundation.

By All Means would catch on a general audience as this well-connected quartet offers a deeply-felt set of sympathetic jazz music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Way ► 02 - Park’s Lope ► 06 - Little River

Igor Lumpert Quartet - Resistance of the Earth

Label: ears&eyes Records, 2025

Personnel - Igor Lumpert: tenor and soprano saxophones, accordion; Leo Genovese: piano; Drew Gress: acoustic bass; Damion Reid: drums.

For his new quartet album, Resistance of The Earth, Slovenian saxophonist and composer Igor Lumpert assembles a formidable crew: sought-after pianist Leo Genovese, seasoned bassist Drew Gress, and dynamic drummer Damion Reid. Partly inspired by natural disasters and environmental decline, and partly a family tribute, the record turned out remarkably well for something captured in a single day after just one rehearsal. The music channels the modal spirit of John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner, while embracing modern composition and cross-cultural influences.

The title cut, “Resistance of the Earth”, opens with an assertive drum statement, soon joined by vocal chants and Lumpert’s fervent saxophone lines, enveloped in a modal aura reminiscent of Tyner and Billy Harper. The latter—alongside drummer Chico Hamilton and bassist Reggie Workman—was one of Lumpert’s mentors at New York’s New School. Lumpert’s solo brims with clarity and imagination, followed by a fiery turn from Genovese, who thrives in this setting. The pianist’s rhythmic elasticity also shines on “Sures”, an exciting piece with an intricate relationship with tempo and accentuation.

Among the album’s more athletic tunes, “High Peaks” begins in a controlled Coltranean post-bop frame before bursting into ecstatic avant-garde interplay, while “Mediterranean Samurai”—inspired by birdwatching and nature—unfolds with a 3/4 piano riff and martial snare fluxes beneath Lumpert’s fluid, cutting tenor lines.

The sophisticated ballad “Underwater Snow” cools the mood with soft textures and a chilled backbeat, serving as a touching tribute to Lumpert’s wife. His solo follows the tune’s emotional logic with poise and passion. “Choir Song”, asymmetrical and harmonically rich, channels a Wayne Shorter vibe and features Lumpert on both accordion and soprano sax. In “Panonian”, set in seven, sax and piano move with synergistic coordination, while the closer, “Blues for Code Talkers”, offers a disciplined, spiritual homage to the Native American soldiers who used tribal languages to transmit coded messages during WWII. The Coltrane/Tyner’s synergy is evident throughout this piece. 

The album’s cohesion stems from the quartet’s deep rapport and shared sense of purpose. Lumpert’s writing and playing strike a balance between intensity and intellect, and his bandmates respond in kind. Free of pretense or artifice, Resistance of the Earth stands as a solid, thoughtful statement of originals.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Resistance of the Earth ► 02 - Sures ► 03 - High Peaks

Sara Serpa / Matt Mitchell - End of Something

Label: Obliquity Records, 2025

Personnel - Sara Serpa: voice; Matt Mitchell: piano.

Portuguese singer Sara Serpa and American pianist Matt Mitchell are inquisitive, creative artists unafraid to venture into challenging terrain. End of Something, their first duo recording, meditates on introspective themes with timbral fluidity and lyrical melodicism. The album features compositions by both artists, along with a thoughtful interpretation of Messiaen’s “Les Bergers”, the second movement from his La Nativité du Seigneur (1935).

Serpa’s “News Cycle” opens magnificently, immediately sparking curiosity as it evolves from insistent, grounding motifs into a reflective rubato passage shaped by abstracted piano reveries and simmering tension. “The Future”, first appearing on Serpa’s trio album Close Up (2018) and featuring Virginia Woolf’s somber quote (“the future is dark…”), is rendered with a delicate, Satie-like harmonic poignancy.

The album is far from celebratory, sustaining a pervasive sense of desolation across several pieces. Mitchell’s “Hyper-Pathos” crawls with melancholy and restrained gloom; “Diction” unfolds slowly and cautiously, Serpa’s voice weaving through its contemplative expanse; and Serpa’s “Carry You Like a River”, with text from a haiku by American poet Sonia Sanchez, stands out as a technically brilliant, plaintive lament. Its ebb and flow radiate mystic overtones through Mitchell’s attentive playing and Serpa’s assured, graceful delivery.

Sung in Portuguese and drawn from a poem by Sofia de Mello Breyner Andresen, Serpa’s “Ar e Vento” carries subtle folk undertones, while “Dead Spirits” assumes the form of a solemn chorale, setting a text by Belgian-born French feminist philosopher Luce Irigaray. The album concludes with Mitchell’s “Hypo-Bathos”, a spacious, brooding piece where incisive vocal gestures hover above sparse, lugubrious chordal variations.

The narratives unfold patiently—some imbued with vibrant color, others with a subdued austerity. The mood, more blue than bright, mirrors our uncertain times, balancing complexity with quiet resolution. Listeners must be open to its intimate, deeply contemplative world.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - News Cycle ► 04 - The Future ► 08 - Carry You Like a River

Thomas Morgan - Around You Is A Forest

Label: Loveland Music, 2025

Personnel - Thomas Morgan: WOODS, bass (#1); Dan Weiss: tabla (#2); Craig Taborn: keys (#3); Gerald Cleaver: drums (#4); Henry Threadgill: flutes (#5); Ambrose akinmusire: trumpet (#6); Bill Frisell: electric and acoustic guitar (#7); Immanuel Wilkins; alto saxophone (#8); Gary Snyder: voice (#9).

The open-minded, in-demand bassist Thomas Morgan takes an unforeseen and ambitious path in his highly conceptual debut as a leader, Around You is a Forest. At once intimate and spellbinding, the album features one solo performance and eight duets with a distinguished lineup of guests. What makes this project so remarkable is Morgan’s invention of WOODS—a programmed virtual string instrument that fuses characteristics of West African lute-harps, Asian zithers, cimbalom, and marimba. He pioneers this technique with sophistication and restraint, providing exotic yet organic foundations that inspire his collaborators to become co-narrators in sound.

The title track opens the album with Morgan alone, offering a breathtaking bass meditation that leads us into a vividly imagined forest. His resonant tone paints an enchanted landscape from which one has no desire to return. “Eddies”, featuring drummer Dan Weiss on tabla, is a rhythmic delight evoking Afrobeat and electronic music; its circular motion mirrors the flow of water around rocks in a stream.

“Dream Sequence”, with keyboardist Craig Taborn, unfolds like an experimental film score, layered in eerie dual-synth polyphony. “In the Dark” welcomes composer Henry Threadgill into a noir-ish soundscape of restless mystery, his flute and bass flute intertwining with Morgan’s textures. The 16-minute “Through the Trees”, with the resourceful drummer Gerald Cleaver adding color and vibration behind the drum kit, explores shifting loops and hazy atmospherics, building from enigmatic reverie to thunderous intensity. On “Murmuration”, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins floats in and out of focus through eight layered lines above a ngoni-like texture. This is the closest to jazz you can get—even if sometimes it sounds like an off-beat chorale of sorts.

Among the album’s highlights are “Assembly of Beings” and “Rising From the West”. The former, featuring trumpet master Ambrose Akinmusire, enchants with beautifully intoned notes, terse staccatos, and poignant outbursts over a drone-inflected steel-string zither tapestry. The latter, a luminous collaboration with guitarist Bill Frisell, takes us to another dimension within its spacious atmosphere. Melodious guitar fillings are discreetly shaken by electric distortion at some point, in a genuine communion between New York-based musicians who grew up in the West Coast. The album closes gracefully with “Here”, a poetic coda featuring Gary Snyder reciting his own verse in a calm, transfixing voice.

Still absorbing its many layers, I have no doubt Around You is a Forest is the work of a visionary—distinct, immersive, and profoundly original. Each piece feels self-contained yet essential to the whole. Traditionalists may balk, but this may well be the year’s most imaginative and best debut.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Around You is a Forest ► 04 - Through The Trees ► 06 - Assembly of All Beings ► 07 - Rising From the West

Webber / Morris Big Band - Unseparate

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2025

Personnel - Angela Morris: tenor saxophone, flute, conduction; Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flute, conduction; Jay Rattman: alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute; Charlotte Greve: alto saxophone, flute, clarinet; Adam Schneit: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Lisa Parrott: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Nolan Tsang: trumpet; Ryan Easter: trumpet; Jake Henry: trumpet; Kenny Warren; trumpet; Tim Vaughn: trombone; Zekkereya El-magharbel: trombone; Jen Baker: trombone; Reginald Chapman: trombone; Yuhan Su: vibraphone; Dustin Carlson: guitar; Marta Sánchez: piano; Adam Hopkins: bass; Jeff Davis: drums.

Tenorists, flutists, and composers Anna Webber and Angela Morris return with their co-led 19-piece big band, taking listeners on an imaginative journey through their creative lens. Unseparate, their second album in five years, showcases a viscerally contemporary sonic palette that reaffirms their adventurous yet cohesive orchestral brilliance. Building on the promise of their debut Both Are True, this new outing is even more assured—filled with bright ideas, expressive tonal textures, and rich harmonic depth that epitomize their progressive aesthetic.

The album opens with Webber’s four-part Just Intonation suite for big band. “Unseparate 1” casts long, deep wavelengths into perceptual focus; “Pulse” bursts forth with kinetic energy, its counterpoint and electronic music-inspired pulse framing a trumpet duel between Brian Easter and Nolan Tsang, as well as vibraphonist Yuhan Su’s graceful melodic touch. “Timbre” sets the leaders’ saxophones in motion, with Morris stepping into the spotlight over a carefully woven tapestry that grows ever more radiant. “Metaphor” follows with a blend of yearning and resolution, highlighted by Tim Vaughan’s magnetic trombone solo and deft trumpet interjections. The piece escalates into delicious cacophony before Su ushers in a glowing, timbrally rich new cycle.

Morris’ “Mist/Missed” begins broodingly, with drones, counterpoint, and striking rhythmic accentuations that culminate in a bustling conclusion. Webber’s “Unseparate 3” takes a more direct path—melodically and harmonically accessible, yet full of vivid color, particularly in Charlotte Greve’s luminous alto improvisation. Morris’ “Microchimera”, inspired by parent-child connections, soothes the soul through an enveloping sound bubble that breathes deeply. Its nuanced rhythmic design, ingenious horn writing, and innovative spirit stand out, evolving through dynamic sections that feature guitar and vibraphone together, and then flute (a stunning turn from Webber) and piano. This is followed by deep drone infusion and rigorous counterpoint.

The thrills don’t stop here, and both Morris’ inventive “Habitual”—featuring Marta Sanchez on piano and Lisa Parrott on baritone sax—and Webber’s punchy, starkly contrapuntal “Spur 7: Metamorphosis”—with solos from bassist Adam Hopkins, altoist Jay Rattman, and guitarist Dustin Carlson—takes us to radical joy.

Unconventional, gripping, and consistently inspired, Unseparate surpasses the duo’s previous big band outing, pushing boundaries while deepening the success of their remarkable collaboration.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Pulse ► 04 - Metaphor ► 05 - Mist/Missed ► 07 - Microchimera

Otherlands Trio - Star Mountain

Label: Intakt Records, 2025

Personnel - Stephan Crump: bass; Eric McPherson: drums; Darius Jones: alto saxophone.

Bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Eric McPherson, two of jazz’s most forward-thinking rhythmists, form the core of the Borderlands Trio alongside pianist Kris Davis. After three acclaimed albums with that group, the pair decided to continue their collaboration, this time summoning powerhouse alto saxophonist Darius Jones—a central figure in New York’s avant-garde scene known for fusing modern expressiveness with old-school improvisational spirit. Together, they form Otherlands Trio, an improvisation-centered ensemble whose elliptical and sectional journeys yield revelatory musical discoveries. Star Mountain, their debut, features five tracks—two expansive (of approximately 15 minutes) and three concise explorations.

“Metamorpheme” opens with a spiritual, modal energy—you can call it whatever you want: prayer, lament, supplication, or invocation—that immediately reaches the heart and uplifts the spirit. Crump’s commanding arco and pizzicato work resonates with depth, unfolding in double-stops, pedal points, and supple grooves. McPherson, deeply attuned to the music’s pulse, crafts a flowing tapestry of rhythmic dialogue, while Jones emerges as an instinctive explorer, often shaping tension in the form of motivic discussions. The trio’s rhythmic shifts captivate throughout, and the piece concludes in a dance-inflected flourish.

McPherson’s deft cross-stick work animates both “Lateral Line” and “Diadromous”. The former concludes in with multiphonic mode complemented with bass bites and pitched saxophone squeaks for an abstract atmosphere; the latter pulses with athletic bass funkiness, propelling Jones into high-flying solos that, by turns, channel Coltrane, Fred Anderson, and Dewey Redman.

On the shorter “Instared”, Jones tests the upper limits of his horn while Crump anchors the sound with earthy resonance and McPherson envelops it all in hypnotic percussion. “Imago” glows with the trio’s spontaneous chemistry—martial snare attacks, impeccably harmonized bass fluxes, and the saxophone climbing and descending mountainous phrases with an authoritative sequence of notes. The trio engages in an accelerando, creating a wonderful sense of displacement before returning to the modal avant-garde context. It ends with rippling bass oscillations and loping drums.

Each member of Otherlands Trio brings a fully realized musical identity to the group, united in a collective pursuit of freedom that transforms raw improvisation into vivid, finely textured sonic canvases.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Metamorpheme ► 03 - Diadromous ► 05 - Imago

Anne Mette Iversen's Ternion Q Expanded - Marbles

Label: BJU Records, 2025

Personnel - Silke Eberhard: alto saxophone; Julius Gawlik: clarinet, tenor saxophone; Percy Pursglove: trumpet, flugelhorn; Geoffroy De Masure: trombone; Morris Kliphuis: french horn; Anne Mette Iversen: bass; Roland Schneider: drums.

Danish bassist and composer Anne Mette Iversen began her musical career in New York City before relocating to Berlin in 2012. Her acclaimed Ternion Quartet—with altoist Silke Eberhard, trombonist Geoffroy De Masure, and drummer Roland Schneider—has now evolved into a pliable septet capable of handling, with aplomb, both the discipline and freedom that her matured compositions demand. The music on Marbles, which evokes systems in motion, emerged from a lengthy creative process and serves as an ideal showcase for Iversen’s intricate yet ravishing juxtapositions and cohesive group sound. The expanded lineup features rising clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Julius Gawlik, trumpeter Percy Pursglove, and French horn player Morris Kliphuis. 

Iversen’s compositional prowess is evident from the outset. “Double Arches” begins as a mournful dirge pierced by cacophonous horns before leaping into a swing pace that inspires quick-witted improvisations from De Masure and Eberhard. “TBQE (To Be Questioned Eventually)” initially thrives on chamber-like classical finesse—thanks to Gawlik’s velvety clarinet—before bass and drums inject a lively polyrhythmic feel. The group ultimately coalesces into a funk strut in a musically rich piece that highlights both multi-directionality and commitment.

“Square Root of a Dream” unfolds over a thoughtful seven-beat bass pulse before waltzing freely in its middle section. Pursglove’s agile trumpet work stands out, later joining a horn-only chamber passage of striking poise. His melodic flair also colors “Tenacious Mind”, a relaxed, gently brushed piece stirred by subtle cross-rhythms toward its conclusion.

“Marble for Minor” moves boldly in 11/8, spotlighting a conversational exchange between Gawlik’s clarinet and De Masure’s trombone, while the latter also shines on the crisp 3/4 tune “Threefold”, delivering an irresistibly soulful statement. “Inverted Structures” opens tentatively before launching into Gawlik’s vigorous tenor stroll over bass and drums, later probing darker hues as sculptural layers accumulate with confidence. The album closes with “Two Twisted Spires”, where post-bop hooks infused with avant-garde flair provide a final surge of energy—a feast for the horns.

Iversen continues to carve out a distinctive place among Europe’s foremost modern jazz composers. Marbles glistens with imagination and balance, bridging contemporary exploration with deep reverence for the past and a clear eye toward the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Double Arches ► 02 - TBQE ► 05 - Marble For Minor ► 06 - Threefold