Label: Irabbagast Records, 2025

Personnel - Jon Irabagon: alto saxophone; Russ Johnson: trumpet; Clark Sommers: acoustic bass; Dana Hall: drums.

A love letter to Chicago, Someone to Someone marks the debut of PlainsPeak, a finely tuned acoustic quartet led by saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon. The album features six Irabagon originals, brought to life by seasoned artists deeply connected to Chicago and fully in command of their authentic selves: trumpeter Russ Johnson—reuniting with Irabagon 17 years after appearing on his debut Outright!—bassist Clark Sommers, and drummer Dana Hall. The project was conceived after Irabagon relocated to his hometown of Chicago, where he was born and raised, following nearly two decades in New York.

The title track, a love song dedicated to Irabagon’s family, opens the album in balladic, rubato mode with bowed bass as main support. Sommers holds the spotlight for thirty seconds before horns and drums join him. Then, it’s Hall who forges a dynamic, swampy corridor over which Johnson and Irabagon roam freely.

The frontline, whether threading chain-linked ideas or conjuring fervid, polyphonic near-cacophonies that delight the ear, radiates contagious energy. Both “Buggin’ the Bug”, an old blues march revitalized with swinging motion and emphatic melodic punctuation, and the awesomely coordinated “Malört is My Shepherd” showcase this spirit. The latter, referencing the traditional wormwood-based digestif with deep roots in Chicago, is elevated by Irabagon’s alto saxophone stretch, where he skillfully explores multiple sonorities of the instrument.

Cooked hot with shifting meters, the thought-provoking “At What Price Garlic” rides on magnetic grooves from the tightly interlocked bass and drums. Melodic crescendos and stirring solos strike a fine balance between tension and release. “Tiny Miracles” turns inward, carrying elliptical intensity, while “The Pulseman”, a snappy tribute to Hall and Chicago drummers, brings the album to a climactic close through playful staccatos and agile runs.

Irabagon is one of those amazing musicians and gifted composers with a broad interest in styles and sounds. Whether leading an A.I.-inspired nonet (Server Farm, 2025), engaging in exploratory duets (Blue Hour, 2024), or celebrating the vibrancy and lyricism of Chicago jazz—as he does here—he never fails to captivate.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Someone to Someone ► 02 - Buggin’ the Bug ► 04 - At What Price Garlic

Label: Sunset Hill Music, 2024

Personnel - Benjamin Deschamps: alto saxophone; Frank Lozano: tenor saxophone; Sébastian Pellerin: bass; Louis-Vincent Hamel: drums.

Montreal-based alto saxophonist and composer Benjamin Deschamps, with a background in classical music, fronts his No Codes jazz quartet in an exhilarating sophomore album titled Usual Suspects. The group’s uncluttered yet inventive arrangements are propelled by bold rhythmic interplay from bassist Sébastian Pellerin and drummer Louis-Vincent Hamel, supporting Deschamps and tenor saxophonist Frank Lozano. The horn players share a flexible, eloquent vocabulary that lends the album consistency of mood as well as thematic cohesion.

“The Quest” opens with some ambiguity in the theme before transitioning into a forceful swing, riling up the horns into flying solos. Deschamps and Lozano are adept of energetic exchanges, and their assertive articulation and fluid phrasing are also mirrored on the title track, “Usual Suspects”, where a muscular bass groove and driving drums bring evoke the alternative rock band Morphine. The track’s progressive take on jazz, with staccato horn accents creating palpable tension, leaves a lasting impression.

In “Dog Days” the frontline saxes navigate sweet melancholy melodies over a palpable harmonic progression, briefly interrupted by a thoughtful bass solo from Pellerin, with Hamel maintaining the time and groove. The bassist introduces “Sokushinbutsu” with airy pizzicato and hammer-ons, allowing space to breathe before shifting into a ternary rhythm. The track culminates with a final vamp that sets the stage for Deschamps’ intricate solo.

“Hyperstitions” and “Emit Time Item” are standout moments. The former charges by in a giddy delight, with sharp staccato strikes, angular deflections, and an extravagant rhythm giving it avant-garde coloration, while the latter is a wild, vertiginous track delivered with the fiery energy of Ornette Coleman. Here, you can feel not only the force of the drums and overall dynamics, but also moments of quietude craving saxophone multiphonics and moaning howls. In opposition, “Fiend Zone” shifts direction, with funk undertones and danceable modern jazz vibes, eventually dipping into Latin territory. Here, bassist and drummer lay down muscular bass nods and a jaunty pulse complemented by bustling drum spurts, respectively.

Usual Suspects is a consistently engaging and adventurous album, blending tradition and modern elements with passion. Hence, it’s not surprising that the quartet's acoustic riches come with personality, dedication, and creativity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Usual Suspects ► 04 - Hyperstitions ► 06 - Emit Time Item