Emil De Waal Old News - Novelties

Label: April Records, 2026

Personnel - Emil De Waal: drums, percussion; Henriette Groth: clarinet; Gustaf Ljunggren: contra alto clarinet, viola, arco contra bass, guitars; Jacob Anderskov: piano, spinet; Randi Laubek: vocals (#3,7).

Danish drummer and composer Emil De Waal releases the fourth album with his brainchild group Old News. Formed in 2013, the band reunites for a new chapter that serves as a tribute to one of its former members, clarinetist and actor Elith “Nulle” Nykjær, who passed away in 2023. Novelties is informed by traditional elements, a strong sense of collective unity, and unrestrained improvisation.

“Hellen” opens the album with a conspicuous classical influence, waltzing gently in a mid-slow tempo. Gustaf Ljunggren contributes focused bass lines on contra-alto clarinet, while Jacob Anderskov caresses the piano with smooth, delicate gestures. De Waal’s understated brushwork provides gentle, flowing propulsion, and guest clarinetist Henriette Groth emerges with a velvety tone that perfectly complements the atmosphere.

The band is equally adept at navigating shifts when traditional American sounds come into play on “Scrap Rag” and “Last Millennium When We Were Young”. The former, countrified by Ljunggren’s guitar, develops an appealing Americana feel, while the latter is an elated tune steeped in positive nostalgia, where the tonal contrast between contra-alto clarinet and piano makes the entire piece glow.

Both “I Am Nobody” and “Forgotten Anne” feature Danish singer-songwriter Randi Laubek, whose luminous guitar chords blend beautifully with Groth’s clarinet on the former, a gentle folk ballad that gradually reaches an atmospheric emotional apex. She wrote the latter track for the cinematic adventure-platform game of the same name.

De Waal’s control of the toms is on full display on “Flod”, which feels ethereal on the surface yet remains firmly grounded at its core. “Lim”, surrounded by a bright aura in 3/4, evokes John Surman’s weightless voyages propelled by colorful brushed drumming, while “Tightrope” brings the immensity of Nordic soundscapes to the fore, featuring beautiful, erudite interplay between the clarinet players and a piano motif that, running diligently beneath them, defines the harmonic path. This piece is followed by “Forgotten, Not Forgiven”, which follows the same principle while intensifying the modal atmosphere through clever tonal shifts.

De Waal’s focused, well-delineated storytelling flourishes through sounds and textures that steadily draw us in. A signature stylist, he effortlessly creates an organic weave by retaining the most compelling elements of the past while giving them a fresh, atmospheric spin, allowing these compositions to unfold with a natural harmonic breath.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hellen ► 03 - I Am Nobody ► 08 - Tightrope ► 09 - Forgotten, Not Forgiven

Punkt Vrt. Plastik - Kompress

Label: Intakt Records, 2026

Personnel - Kaja Draksler: piano; Petter Elder: bass; Christian Lillinger: drums.

The modern creative European trio Punkt Vrt. Plastik — comprising Slovenian pianist Kaja Draksler, Swedish bassist Petter Eldh, and German drummer Christian Lillinger — releases its fourth album. All three artists contribute compositions, adhering to unyielding rhythmic intricacy and classical melodicism to shape music that bristles with provocative interplay, freedom, and heightened expressiveness.

Draksler's "Yogen" thrives on a half-step-shifting, mystery-inducing pulse. The pianist opts for motivic figures while the drummer moves from erratic fibrillation to deliberate syncopated fragmentation. This taut flow is regularly interrupted by pacifying jazztronica sections that contrast with the more Rage Against The Machine-inspired thrill of the opening. While Eldh's "Mariatorget 87" also takes a distinctly jazz path, Lillinger's "For Sybille" finds Draksler veering toward a modern classical direction, rich with intervallic friction.

The classical influence runs throughout the album but peaks with Eldh's arrangement of "När Världens Hopp Förtvinat Stod”, a Lutheran chorale written in 1589 by German clergyman and composer Johannes Rhau. Draksler's 4/4 minor-mode piano movements find perfect backing from bass and drums. The classical vein continues on "Mere Punkt”, co-composed by Draksler and Eldh, but shifts sharply for Lillinger's skittish “Vrt", which closes the album with a gallant composure.

Eldh's "Trip" is one of the most gripping pieces, unfurling an oblique groove under a defiant time signature. Despite the complexity, the trio locks together in a fantastic, hooked-up rhythmic flow charged with creative harmonic progressions and tension. If "EKV" sounds progressive and warped, "For A / Kompress" is lyrical, cyclic, and powerful, opening with a dreamy aura that, handled with a firm grip, gradually intensifies. Surprising is hearing the trio lean into a hard-swinging juncture on "Granular Navigation". Lillinger, unapologetic about his triplet-based ride cymbal patterns, wrote the piece; he also offers methodical snare buzz rolls that color a more abstract passage built from clustered chordal angularity.

Punkt Vrt. Plastik engages in absorbing conversations of rhythm and breath, threading in occasional head-nodding grooves that arrive with atypical shapes and feels. The trio continues to seek new perspectives on composition, taking a freewheeling approach throughout. Kompress even offers a wider lens, feeling thoroughly contemporary without burying its influences from other eras. It stands as a fine addition to the group's catalog of state-of-the-art albums.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Yogen ► 02 - Trip ► 07 - For A / Kompress ► 09 - När Världens Hopp Förtvinat Stod

Mats Gustafsson / Kimmo Pohjonen - Two Balls Are Enough

Label: Trost Records, 2026

Personnel - Mats Gustafsson: slide, tenor, baritone and bass saxophone, Ab clarinet, flutes, live electronics, harmonica, organ; Kimmo Pohjonen: electro-acoustic accordion, voice.

The music of Swedish multireedist Mats Gustafsson and Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen sounds like anything you’ve heard before. Combining folk music and free improvisation, the duo takes us by surprise with a sonically adventurous session that can be intense, raw, haunting, and beautiful all at once. Their collaborative debut, Two Balls Are Enough, showcases their extravagant experimentalism and effective chemistry.

“Ice Heaven” opens like an Indian raga wrapped in electronics paraphernalia and heavy beat. Gustafsson’s frenzied saxophone attacks have a magnetic effect over the undulating harmonic tapestry offered by his counterpart. “Magna” triggers hypnotic vibrations, adding mystery and emotional tension to shifting textures. Bathed in distorted electro-acoustic accordion, the piece reaches its climax toward the end as Gustafsson’s fierce growls find repose in Pohjonen’s fleet and flashing pneumatic swells. 

Gustafsson’s “Snow Linat” allows mysticism and deep reflection to emerge through airy flute and poignant harmonies. A gripping vamp welcomes meaty baritone lines and whirling accordion movements before unison lines and breathtaking flights of improvisational fancy take center stage over an electronic droning figure in 3/4. The duo then returns to sheer melody, exhaling emotional feelings within an undisturbed folk landscape.

Both the title cut and “Its Body Falls Open” sound highly experimental, generating strong visual suggestions that, in the case of the latter, feel like grotesque, noisy obfuscations. “Naga” is a highlight, relying on a zigzagging Eastern-like figure over terse accordion stabs and an exorbitant electronic rhythm. Curiously, Pohjonen’s voice infuses it with a candid, poignant touch. 

Inspired by experimental French writer Danielle Collobert, “Slow Down the Beating” stays true to its title, in a controlled soundscape with breathable spaces, tasteful electronics, and simmering interactions between flute and accordion. But it’s with the closing piece, “Backengrillen”, that the duo opens the skies and clears the horizon, pouring out a beautiful melody that cascades over a cyclic harmonic progression.

Gustafsson and Pohjonen found a mutual language that is groundbreaking and off the charts. Imbued with electro-acoustic collisions, folk echoes, and fearless improvisation, this imaginative session adds a fresh chapter to modern improvised music.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Magna ► 03 - Snow Linat ► 08 - Naga ► 09 - Backengrillen

Co Streiff / Russ Johnson Quartet - Oracle

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026

Personnel - Co Streiff: alto saxophone; Russ Johnson: trumpet; Christian Weber: double bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums.

Swiss saxophonist Co Streiff and American trumpeter Russ Johnson join forces once again on Oracle, a six-track date where both bring their imaginative, open compositions to the fore. 15 years after In Circles, the pair—backed by the cooperative rhythm team of bassist Christian Weber and seasoned drummer Gerry Hemingway (replacing Julius Sartorius)—is back in action. Despite the recording hiatus, the band got together in 2019, developing further ties that culminated in a 2023 tour.

Johnson’s “Horizontal Heartburn”, initially a vehicle for Hemingway’s balance of dry and wet toms and syncopated hi-hat pulsation, follows with dramatic shifts in urgency, tension, and release. A staccato-driven section pumped up with unison horn lines soon morphs into a lyrically conscious theme contoured by tone-center shifts. Johnson’s noble way of articulating phrases is substantiated over sturdy bass plucks, and the piece soon engages in marching steps, leading to a frantic final dance.

Streiff’s “Smithy Street” invites us to a funk-rock groove, perfectly suitable for measured avant-garde considerations. The saxophonist also contributes “Remember Little Feather”, a free-bop swing ride where she adds clever motifs, taking us to Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry. The tempo rises to double time for Johnson’s adrenaline-infused statement, with Hemingway stealing the spotlight at the end as he embarks on climactic rhythmic tapestries overflowing with interesting ideas.

While the final track, “Oracle”, offers a creatively bluesy atmosphere, Johnson’s “Sanguache” comes shrouded in a cool vibe enhanced by nonchalant parallel melodies and a strong, hi-hat-accentuated backbeat. This tune preserves its lyrical side even when the band makes a somewhat unexpected turn into rock. One of the strongest pieces consists of a combination of Streiff’s “In Circles”, first recorded on the previous album, and Johnson’s “Yellow Crane”. Warm bluesy colors, a breezy tone, and an uncluttered rhythmic texture emerge with a 3/4 feel. Weber’s excellent skills and attention to detail make the transition to the chamber-jazz painterliness of the second tune, which enters in reflection mode with foundational bowed bass maneuvers.

Oracle provides an effective sonic canvas, showcasing the distinctive chemistry between these two leaders and the depth of what they can create together.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Horizontal Heartburn ► 03 - In Circles / Yellow Crane ► 05 - Remember Little Feather

Linda May Han Oh / Melissa Aldana - Beneath Lifted Skies

Label: Biophilia Records, 2026

Personnel - Linda May Han Oh: double bass; Melissa Aldana: tenor saxophone.

Bassist Linda May Han Oh and saxophonist Melissa Aldana are two respected bandleaders and composers with different styles and approaches but common journeys in life. Oh was born in Malaysia to parents of Chinese heritage, was raised in Australia, and moved to New York for a brilliant career, having played with Pat Metheny, Vijay Iyer, Joe Lovano, and Dave Douglas, among many others. Aldana is a native of Santiago, Chile, and has lived in New York since 2009, after graduating from Berklee College of Music. For this session, the duo agreed to play standards, showcasing reverence for jazz tradition and influences while also allowing new possibilities to emerge from the arrangements. Yet Beneath Lifted Skies also includes three duo improvisations and three solo bass tracks.

Charlie Parker’s “Anthropology” comes out of the gate with a vibrantly swinging mood, swift unisons, and exciting exchanges infused with a richness of ideas. Yet it doesn’t beat the fantastic rendition of Bud Powell’s “Hallucinations”, where the duo is at its best. Impressive synchronization, great melody, and a grooving, energizing vibe are part of a breathtaking interplay that demonstrates Oh’s immaculate technique and Aldana’s fluid language.

Ballads where melody reigns, such as Charles Mingus’ “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love” and Sammy Fain’s “I’ll Be Seeing You”, make a great pair. Aldana’s quick-witted, arpeggiated sequences à la Charles Lloyd put a smokiness in the air. In turn, pieces by jazz giants Wayne Shorter (“Dance Cadaverous”) and John Coltrane (“26-2”) didn’t impress me as much. One that really gets under the skin is Gigi Gryce’s “Social Call”, a graceful, easy-rolling tune expressed with joyful hookiness.

Of the three improvised pieces, “Infinite” is the one that caught my ear instantly, relying on droning pedals and searching melodies to take us to a progressive yet atmospheric place. “Resolve”, which ends with a pedaling bass figure, also makes for a compelling abstract sonic painting.

Oh absolutely excels on her solo reframing of Herbie Hancock’s “The Sorcerer”, where edginess and roundness go together, creating an almost subliminal pulse. The bassist also tackles Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child”, delivered as a protest against child abuse, and introduces a new composition, “Winter”, where she employs expert pulses and slides to add novelty.

Demonstrating a quick-witted rapport, Oh and Aldana are two kindred spirits in conversation. They’ve already found their own voices in jazz, but together, they manage to offer a very enjoyable album with varied rhythm, groove, and breath. While old standards can sometimes feel stale, creative reinvention transforms them into a thrilling experience. Beneath Lifted Skies is an excellent case in point.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Hallucinations ► 03 - Improvisation: Infinite ► 06 - The Sorcerer ► 10 - Social Call

Henry Threadgill Zooid - Cut You Where You Was

Label: Pi Recordings, 2026

Personnel - Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flute, bass flute; Liberty Ellman: acoustic guitar; Jose Davila: tuba, trombone; Christopher Hoffmann: cello; Elliott Humberto Kavee: drums.

I dig Henry Threadgill’s type of sound, how he orchestrates modern classical, progressive chamber jazz, and avant-garde opaqueness using layers that unfold with meticulously planned coherence and originality. Threadgill’s prominent presence on the contemporary avant-garde landscape has a strong association with Zooid, a tight quintet that has never felt so loose as in Cut You Where You Was. Threadgill is not heading into a new direction here, but the album has plenty to discover and enjoy.

On “Fluoroscope”, we notice intervallic leaps within a highly contrapuntal environment, which is so characteristic of the saxophonist’s style. With a tight focus on arrangement and composition, the piece also counts on mystifying solos by Threadgill, who uncorks atypical melodies, and guitarist Liberty Ellman, whose acoustic patterns sound just right over the textural oddities generated by cellist Christopher Hoffman, tubist José Davila, and drummer Elliott Humberto Kavee.

The three-movement chamber piece “Bingo” explores a variety of exquisite feels and moods: “Bingo Part 1” sets elated flute flights against tuba wails, low-key guitar specifications, and somber cello; “Bingo Part 2” features Ellman’s bluesy slide technique as flute and trombone contribute to the exotic, picturesque landscape; and “Bingo Part 3” thrives on motivic alto sax and enthralled mallet drumming.

“Red Admiral Red Moon Rising” is the album’s centerpiece, clocking in at more than 12 minutes. What begins as a mournful dirge with plenty of delightful detail quickly evolves into a captivating, quirky groove that has its own imaginative way of swinging. Only Threadgill can come up with these rhythmic jaw-droppers, and his dissonant solo here resonates within that narrative thrust. His ability to go against structural norms and jazz conventions is also mirrored on “Off And On What Happened”, where the inventive, unaccompanied Kavee shines. Counterpoint and fragmented cadences are injected before the skillful drummer finishes what he had started.

“Lightnin’” is another miniature gem, with sax and guitar declaring curious lines in unison and a deliciously offbeat groove underpinning Ellman’s clear yet nonconformist statement. Passion and openness are present throughout the album, and the final result is simultaneously haunting and bewitching.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Bingo Part 3 ► 05 - Red Admiral Red Moon Rising ► 07 - Off And On What Happened ► 08 - Lignin’

Ayumi Tanaka / Thomas Morgan / Thomas Strønen - Windflower

Label: ECM Records, 2026

Personnel - Ayumi Tanaka: piano; Thomas Morgan: bass; Thomas Strønen; drums.

Japanese-born, Oslo-based pianist, composer, and improviser Ayumi Tanaka presents a new trio with in-demand American bassist Thomas Morgan and Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen. Until now, Tanaka had released two albums—Memento (2016) and Subaqueous Silence (2019)—as a leader with her former trio, featuring Christian Meaas Svendsen on bass and Per Oddvar Johansen on drums, and she’s been a wild card in Strønen’s chamber-jazz group Time Is A Blind Guide. The new trio first played together in 2024 at Oslo’s Victoria, Nasjonal Jazzscene, and Windflower consists mostly of improvised music.

The album opens with the title track, which enchants with the enveloping, organic sound that stems from continuous impressionistic pianism, sophisticated bass lyricism, and the rich embrace of percussion. It is followed by “La Source”, an achingly beautiful ballad wrapped in idyllic contemplation. This is the only piece written by Tanaka and reveals her maturity, intelligent restraint, and fragile melodicism. Morgan brings his hypnotic bass to the fore, while Strønen injects occasional snare fluxes, deviating attention from his light-footed toms-and-cymbals maneuvers. The piece gets intriguingly layered by the end.

A gentle pulse takes over “From Us, To You”, enhanced by muted piano hits. A tranquil aural construction flits by expertly measured brush strokes and an elucidating, supportive bass drive. This is the kind of trio that loves to let things flow naturally and spontaneously, unattached to tempo or rigid structure. The threesome integrate their sounds as a breathing whole, and that’s noticeable on the concise “The Sea Is Still”, introduced by Strønen’s impeccably tuned kit and unfolding with Tanaka’s shapeless fidgeting and Morgan’s unmistakable bass foundation. It’s a shame it ends so fast.

“Spring” is another example of graceful delicacy, while “Driftwood” is imbued with loose freedom yet flows with a more familiar swing vibe and pace, fusing modern classical and chamber jazz elements with refined taste.

Tanaka’s concept of intent anchors the ensemble’s creative abstraction. Morgan and Strønen help her flesh out atypical yet non-discordant ideas as they share their own musical perspectives. The modern, often introspective chamber textures on Windflower bring tranquilizing comfort.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Windflower ► 02 - La Source ► 06 - The Sea Is Still

Charles Lloyd - Sangam and Friends

Label: Blue Note Records, 2026

Personnel - Charles Lloyd: tenor saxophone, flute; Zakir Hussain: tabla, percussion; Eric Harland: drums; Vijay Prakash: vocals; Rakesh Chaurasia: bansuri; Sabir Khan: sarangi; Niladri Kumar: electric sitar;  Ranjit Barot: keyboards.

Everyone knows that Charles Lloyd’s music is a sea of authenticity that lifts the spirit and awakens the senses. Most of the tracks on Sangam and Friends, his new album serving as a homage to the late tabla player Zakir Hussain, were recorded live in Mumbai in 2009 for an album that was never released. Drummer Eric Harland is the third side of the triangle that composes Sangam, yet this date is enriched by a rotating lineup of standout Indian collaborators that includes vocalist Vijay Prakash, bansuri player Rakesh Chaurasia, sarangi player Sabir Khan, sitar player Niladri Kumar, and keyboardist Ranjit Barot.

As expected, the new album traffics in an outgoing blend of world fusion, avant-jazz, and post-bop that attains emotional peaks on “Bharati’s Dance, Tempo Divine” and “Sam on the Ganges”, a sprightly reimagining of Lloyd’s memorable tune “Sombrero Sam”. The former piece showcases Lloyd in top form, blowing impulsively and fabulously over Hussain’s entrancing tabla patterns and Harland’s smart drumming. This Indo-jazz breeze is also felt on the latter piece, where Barot’s keyboards reinforce the texture, paving the way efficiently for bansuri and tenor discourses. Carrying soulful, transcendental energy, both the sarangi and electric sitar contribute rich flavors to a delicately spicy whole.

The beautiful vocal work of Prakash is featured on the meditative introductory “Clear the Dust” and “The Blessing”, where Lloyd evokes “Tone Poem” in his mystic chants. “Jai Ganga”, a traditional piece drawn from the group’s archives, is a vivid, celebratory marching dedication to the sacred Ganges river, while “Tagore”, featuring Lloyd on flute, is a premium Carnatic output with a lingering melody and mesmerizing rhythm, recorded live in Santa Barbara, CA, in 2014. In turn, “Eternal Dreaming”, using a sustained chord as a drone, reflects a meditative temperament.

With the rhythm team put to excellent use throughout the recording, Sangam and Friends shares multicultural stories, keeping Lloyd’s distinct style front and center.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Blessing ► 05 - Bharati’s Dance, Tempo Divine ► 07 - Sam on the Ganges

Anggie Obin - Luz

Label: UnderPool, 2026

Personnel - Anggie Obin: flute; Bill McHenry: tenor saxophone; Miguel “Wiwi” Garcia: piano; Masa Kamaguchi: double bass; Estefania Chamorro: drums.

Rising Panamanian jazz flutist and composer Anggie Obin, who attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and is based in Barcelona, gathers a first-class quintet—American saxophonist Bill McHenry, Cuban pianist Miguel “Wiwi” Garcia, Japanese bassist Masa Kamaguchi, and Spanish drummer Estefania Chamorro—for a wonderful debut album that honors her musical mentors and her late great-grandmother. Luz was titled after the latter, an important pillar in her life. 

“For Mr. G” begins the album in warm modal complicity, with saxophone and flute beautifully interlocking through contrasting timbres. The piece, dedicated to saxophonist Carlos Garnett—with whom Obin first recorded professionally—features her wandering freely, choosing exquisite, breathy notes with spotless intonation that makes us search as much as she does. There’s also catchy melodic input from McHenry, who captures Coltranean vibes in his solo, while Kamaguchi showcases the foundational sophistication for which he is known.

“Flash of the Spirit”, a grateful nod to versatile bassist Santi Debriano, evolves with playful hard-bop flair, bluesy chops, and hints of Monk’s music. The quintet swings and grooves, revolving around freshly introduced ideas and a modern jargon that still drinks from the wells of tradition. Here, Obin is highly conversational in her statement, sounding as radiant as she does on “Luz”, where a delicate rubato introduction takes an emotional turn into a charming 3/4 drive. Obin’s expression is remarkable, Garcia’s measured piano playing comes wrapped in modal alchemy, while McHenry navigates abstract alleys of his own imagining.

“La Eucaristia” exudes solemnity and dark contours through its leaping angular melodies, featuring an exchange of rapid motifs between Obin and McHenry. If the that piece was inspired by experimental multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxton’s work, then the mercurial “Ballot or the Bullet” is a blues inspired by human rights activist Malcolm X’s speech. Obin kills it with soulful tones and brilliant technique.

Recorded live at Estival de Jazz d’Igualada in Spain, Luz emphasizes the elasticity and potential of each composition, leaving a lasting impact. Obin’s highly attuned quintet cuts through modal post-bop and Panamanian roots with superb fluidity, providing an immersive listening experience.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - For Mr. G ► 02 - Flash of the Spirit ► 04 - Luz

DoYeon Kim - Wellspring

Label: AUM Fidelity, 2026

Personnel - DoYeon Kim: 25-string and 12-string gayageum; Mat Maneri: viola; Henry Fraser: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

The gayageum—the ancient Korean zither—is not a frequent sound in jazz, but Brooklyn-based DoYeon Kim is poised to change that, blending her Korean roots with structured avant-garde and free-improvised momentum. For her debut album, Wellspring, Kim gathered a resourceful group of New York musicians, including violist Mat Maneri, bassist Henry Fraser, and acclaimed drummer Tyshawn Sorey.

“The Beats of Distant Thunder” provides an absolutely thought-provoking opening, drawing on a rich, centuries-old Oriental texture that feels highly cinematic as it is infused with both emotional ache and occasional humor. The flowing stream of dotted gayageum figures and enchanting viola plucks runs atop the tessellated foundation of bass and drums. At times, it feels as though we are watching a film by Zhang Yimou, Im Kwon-taek, or Chen Kaige. Rich in depth and complexity, the piece evolves magnificently in texture, eventually centering on Sorey, who delivers a head-snapping spectacle on toms and cymbals.

“Walking in a Dream” is no traditional lullaby, seeming more suited to dramatic puppet theatre as it grows increasingly intense and thunderous. Kim uses her powerful voice here, reaching explosive heights on “Sun Shower”, where rambling, heavy rhythms give way to beautiful viola melancholy supported by kaleidoscopic drum colors. Toward the end, a circular viola riff intertwines with the gayageum runs before dissolving together with the rest of the band.

Eschewing elaborate harmonic feints, “Whispers Among Dawn” and “Diffraction” are two spontaneous improvisations that place Kim firmly in the spotlight. Here she plays the 12-string gayageum (all the other pieces feature the 25-string version), the latter benefiting from Fraser’s tangible bass anchor.

The album is a call for society to come together, and the extended “Linear System”, which clocks in at 15 minutes, seems to evoke ritualistic practices of boisterous intensity in pursuit of that goal. It features ghostly vibes, supernatural forces, and buzzing sequences that seem out of this world before gradually settling into meditation as Kim begins to vocalize. The cutting-edge “Calculus of Our Souls” leans on musical intelligence to break through boundaries, bringing us something truly special. It culminates in a gut-wrenching finale that appears to blend avant-garde, Korean tradition, and punk rock all at once.

Kim’s microtonal pitch inflections and assured voice speak to the modern world, leaping out of the speakers with freedom and originality. The quartet’s kinship is evident throughout, but without Kim’s artistic vision and leadership, the music wouldn’t have resonated so deeply.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Beats of Distant Thunder ► 04 - Sun Shower ► 07 - Calculous of Our Souls

Bryan Murray - Wolf

Label: Shifting Paradigm Records, 2026

Personnel - Bryan Murray: tenor saxophone; Adam Linz: bass; Dan Monaghan: drums.

Boasting a catchy sound and enjoying genuine freedom within the structure, saxophonist and composer Bryan Murray leads a supple chord-less jazz trio featuring bassist Adam Linz and longtime associate drummer Dan Monaghan. With friendship and collaboration at the center of Wolf, Murray—who also leads the peculiar avant-garde-meets-country band Bryan and the Haggards, is a member of Moppa Elliott’s Unspeakable Garbage, and has performed with David Byrne and St. Vincent outside the jazz sphere—explores his own music, radiating energy and abandon in a way that keeps listeners fully engaged.

“Bombs” kicks off with hooky, motivic saxophone firepower over agile drums and sturdy bass, channeling David S. Ware and the reed language of Threadgill’s Air over the tight-knit rhythmic web spun by Linz and Monaghan. Post-bop and avant-garde walk hand in hand here, while “Curtain”, delivered with a sensitive balladic touch, brings forth Monaghan’s mallet work and shimmering cymbal washes. There’s pensive lyricism cutting through the open spaces, and Murray’s cautious melody is closely shadowed by Linz.

Evoking childhood memories in West Virginia, “Dirtslide” displays an irreverent, hard-bop-inflected elegance over a full-throttle swing that is briefly suspended to accommodate the conversational interaction between Linz and Monaghan. Tactical bass mobility and crisp drumming dominate until Murray’s return, his playing abounding in ideas, supported by a firmly grounded and energetic rhythm section. The folksy theme of this piece contrasts with the pure modal jazz of “Buell”, a passionate prayer that recalls the spiritual hymns of John Coltrane and Billy Harper.

“Cloud Shapes” is anchored by Linz’s impeccable bass guidance, while Monaghan’s cymbal work and mallets transport us to distant worlds. Murray’s narrative gift is unmistakable here. The title track, “Wolf”, achieves an air of mystery through a simple yet relentless bass ostinato. Deliberately measured, it unfolds in a lugubrious 3/4, while the closer, “Fill Taker”, embraces avant-garde elasticity, with Murray’s authoritative presence enhanced by well-delineated lines and motifs over a vibrant rhythmic foundation.

This is stirring, serious sax-bass-drums work, resulting in a contemporary jazz album well worth digging into.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Bombs ► 03 - Dirtslide ► 05 - Buell ► 08 - Fill Taker

Nebbia / Muruaga / Bäckström / Mustonen Quartet - Freefalling Latitude

Label: Self released, 2026

Personnel - Gon Muruaga: electric guitar; Camila Nebbia: tenor saxophone; Jonathan Bäckström: double bass; Teemu Mustonen: drums.

Gon Muruaga is an Argentinian guitarist and composer based in Helsinki, Finland. Unafraid of taking risks, Muruaga plays with open forms and fragmentation in a mix of aural explosions and quietly composed atmospheres, joining forces with fellow countrywoman Camila Nebbia on saxophone (a prominent figure in the free-improvisation scene) and the Finnish rhythm section of bassist Jonathan Bäckström and drummer Teemu Mustonen.

Freefalling Latitude opens with “Latifall”, where Nebbia’s tenor descriptions trace geometric figures and sharp angles. Loose drums and bold guitar accompaniment support her unconditionally, while the bass enters late yet confidently. Muruaga pushes the electronic side of his instrument to the fore, employing delay effects while exploring skronky, clustered sounds.

“Fogradient” has ethereal guitar waves contributing to the initial ambient texture, yet we can hear Bäckström’s bass lines pulsating in the background. There’s uncertainty within a spatial mist and formless void, but things gradually build toward a roaring climax. This alternation between rumination and eruption is a constant throughout. If “Gyroslip” features jarring, rusty guitar attacks, swift saxophone runs, and a lumpy, tribal-like groove underneath, “Paralaxial” and “Isoplex” investigate balmy sonic possibilities, whether through finespun percussion and unyielding yet mysterious harmonic contours or saxophone overtones and non-abrasive atmospheric friction.

These are musicians who listen closely to one another, and “Nebulode” brings them together to unearth new sounds as part of the quartet’s exploratory aesthetic. Out of a maze of fragmentation, the band finds a raw connection through clattering percussion and inharmonic collisions. Its wry experimental vision remains engaging, keeping our ears wide open. Curiously, there’s something invigorating about this quartet, but also the lingering feeling that it is capable of achieving even more.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Latifall ► 04 - Gyroslip ► 05 - Nebulode

Victor Vieira Branco's Bark Culture - The Giant is Awkward

Label: Temperphantom, 2026

Personnel - Victor Vieira-Branco: vibraphone; Sam Yulsman: piano; John Moran: double bass; Joey Sullivan: drums.

Playing the vibraphone with a relentless sense of urgency and intent while displaying a strong, distinctive compositional identity, Victor Vieira-Branco is a name to reckon with in contemporary jazz. Rooted in Philadelphia, Bark Culture is Vieira-Branco’s creative brainchild, where intriguing sonic forces feel at once dark and lyrical, sometimes effusive yet always fresh and compelling. For this date, the core trio—with John Moran on double bass and Joey Sullivan on drums—is expanded into a harmonically richer quartet with the addition of pianist Sam Yulsman.

The Giant is Awkward, Bark Culture’s sophomore record, opens with “Palace”, whose lush theme, rhythmically vivid drive, and hip arrangement command our attention from the very first minute. The bandleader’s rolling liquidity blends seamlessly with sweeping keyboard gestures and the vibrant tangle woven by bass and drums. Sullivan does an intricate, actively propulsive job throughout, fueled by alternative-rock stamina and responsive fills. Yulsman’s “Farce”, the only piece not written by Vieira-Branco, is kinetic, asymmetric, and daring in its construction, pervaded by a thrilling sense of uncertainty and a fair dose of arcane postmodern psychedelia.

“Willow” holds a powerful and consistently engaging backbone that is unafraid of odd meters and metric modulation. Impeccably framed by Yulsman’s off-kilter piano (which sounds great despite being slightly out of tune) and Vieira-Branco’s hallucinogenic vibraphone, the piece climaxes into an unpredictable, stratospheric concentration of sound. On a different register, “Panic” gives silence an important role, developing with a balladic feel that favors spacious atmospheres.

The album closes with “Spectrum”, where the beauty of the instrumentation creates ebbs and flows through intricate accentuation that feels simultaneously startling and exhilarating. There’s space for drum talk before the tension mounts through authoritative bowed bass, nebulous vibraphone streams, dreamy piano sequences, and jittery drumming.

With each member focused on injecting energy and emotion, Bark Culture pushes the envelope, reinventing itself as an experimental group that strikes a perfect balance between written material and open improvisation. Vieira-Branco steps forward impressively on The Giant Is Awkward, and it’s remarkable to think these pieces were recorded at the last minute while still in sketch form.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Palace ► 02 - Farce ► 03 - Willow

Otomo Yoshihide / Kei Matsumaru - Shutsumin

Label: Trost Records, 2026

Personnel - Otomo Yoshihide: guitar, turntable; Kei Matsumaru: alto and soprano saxophone, electronics.

It was hard to connect with this experimental free-jazz duo release by Japanese guitarist Otomo Yoshihide and saxophonist Kei Matsumaru, a native of Palau New Guinea. The album, Shutsumin (a Japanese term referring to the transitional state between sleep and wakefulness, often accompanied by hallucinations and other abnormal sensations), traffics in otherworldly sounds and may well put anyone to sleep, starting with a cold blizzard of cosmic, radioactive pollution that arises from the electronic manipulation of guitar and turntable—emanating torrents of feedback and distorted granularity—alongside piercing, strident saxophone spirals that can be a strain on the ears.

Scattered rattling noises and directionless saxophone whirls convey the sensation of standing amid dozens of rusty industrial machines at work. Expect buzzing nuisances, intensifying guitar noise, and heavy, blurring distorted fluxes in a sort of machine language that overwhelms more than it enchants. These fearless explorers take us to uncertain soundworlds charged with labyrinthine, cluttered passages, coordinated overtones, firework-like bursts, and anxious apprehensions.

The last three tracks on the album had a more positive effect on me, showcasing a few compelling atmospheres while taking a more substantial and less repetitive, if still abstract, line of action. Folksy melodies begin to surface from Matsumaro’s saxophone over blaring mosaics in the background; cyclic cadences evolve from ambient textures into chaotic clamor before receding into confused murmurs. Things become more interesting and gripping with a stronger harmonic context—thanks to Yoshihide’s hypnotic chords—rather than relying on plain, unceasing buzzing noise.

I’m a big fan of Yoshihide’s quintet albums ONJQ Live (2002) and Tails Out (2003), some of his work for Tzadik Records—Flutter (2001) and Dreams (2002)— as well as his inventive, fantastic take on Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch (2005). Matsumaru is a new discovery for me. As a duo, they show considerable promise and are unafraid to push the envelope, but ultimately deliver less than expected. Despite its unevenness, Shtsumin may be considered by curious audiophiles with an inclination for sound manipulation.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Utatane ► 07 - Oneiric ► 08 - Meisekimu

Jeff Parker ETA IVtet - Happy Today

Label: International Anthem / Nonesuch Records, 2026

Personnel - Jeff Parker: guitar, electronics; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone, electronics; Anna Butterss: bass; Jay Bellerose: drums, percussion.

Chicago-based guitarist and bandleader Jeff Parker, a member of the post-rock band Tortoise and the Chicago Underground Trio as well as a sought-after sideman—having worked with Rob Mazurek, Joshua Abrams, Makaya McCraven, and, more recently, Flea—returns with his ETA IVtet project, featuring saxophonist Josh Johnson, bassist Anna Butterss, and drummer Jay Bellerose. Recorded live at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles, Happy Today features two long-form improvised tracks where the group demonstrates unfailing communication while organically exploring well-structured, static spaces.

“Like Swimwear” starts off with a 16-beat-cycle guitar riff and patiently expands through understated bass maneuvers, micro-detailed saxophone fluctuations that evolve into spiritual Coltrane-like staccatos, and delicate, never obtrusive drum work. Parker designs chromatic figures up and down the fretboard, while Bellerose shifts the rhythmic feel, drawing positive reactions from the audience. Johnson responds with circular movements on his effects-drenched saxophone. A few minutes later, Butterss sets a new groove, and Parker responds with a long-toned, flickering chord that supports the ambient if grooving atmosphere. By the end, the band injects a bluesy feel, gently fusing soul-jazz sensitivity with affable psychedelia.

Immersed in these grooving atmospheres, the group eschews outbursts in favor of circularity and speech-inflected long tones, keeping their ears wide open and making decisions in the moment. This is especially noticeable on the title track, “Happy Today”, where they seep into the listener’s consciousness with a sustained chord, sparse bass commentary, and soaring saxophone lines before adding tumbling toms, rattling percussion, and shimmering cymbal washes. A six-beat groove is topped by a guitar riff, with Bellerose opting for a backbeat-driven pulse over which Parker’s snake-charmer-like phrases unfold until they exhaust their possibilities. It all ends with a fine pulse in five outlined by Johnson.

Happy Today’s low-key charm is rewarding for those willing to cool down in its waters.

Favorite Track:
02 - Happy Today

Jay Matharu - Disillusion

Label: Self released, 2026

Personnel - Jay Matharu: guitar, keys; Erik Brandell: tenor saxophone; Christine Lanusse: bass guitar; Jacob Johnson: drums.

Jay Matharu is an eclectic British-born guitarist and composer living in Uppsala, Sweden. His bold sound reflects a strong connection to metal—he’s a member of the band Liv Sin—but Disillusion marks a turning point in his solo career, weaving prog-rock, fusion, jazz-funk, and R&B into a patchwork of influences shaped through carefully crafted arrangements. Each member of his quartet—tenor saxophonist Erik Brandell, bassist Christine Lanusse, and drummer Jacob Johnson—recorded the album’s eight original compositions remotely. The music emerged from Matharu’s Master’s research in Music Performance.

“Atrophy” is introduced in waltz time by Matharu, who is soon joined by Brandell as the music pivots into a 4/4 funk excursion. Both musicians splash a multitude of colors across the fluid rhythmic tapestry before returning to the opening 3/4 meter. “Bare” keeps the ternary feel alive, aligning saxophone and guitar in stimulating parallel lines. Brandell’s solo, imbued with adventurous melody, eloquence, and energy, invites us into compelling jazz fusion territory.

“Cog” reveals classical influences within a theme receptive to subtle tempo shifts. Johnson’s snappy drum fills carry a prog-rock attitude, pairing naturally with Lanusse’s popping bass grooves. The piece is fueled by Matharu’s chromatic runs in a thought-provoking meeting point between Joe Satriani and Rez Abbasi. The Indo-jazz-rock thread runs even deeper in “Chalo”, a kaleidoscopic mosaic unfolding through ten-beat cycles and paying tribute to Matharu’s late mentor, sitar player Pandit Sanjay Guha.

While “Deluge” features a memorable theme, a touch of Latin elation, and the bandleader’s metal-inflected soloing, “Butterflies” is a rewarding odd-metered exercise driven by throbbing bass lines and strong melodic development. The blazing guitar solo unfolds over a septuple-meter backdrop before launching into a metal-jazz romp fueled with high-octane energy. Throughout the album, Matharu and his band periodically reinvigorate the proceedings, with the closing “Bittersweet” standing as another fine example of dramatic shifts in rhythm and mood, moving from R&B soulfulness to jazz-funk audacity while leaving ample room for the drummer to stretch out.

Although the ideas on Disillusion emerged from improvisational exploration, the whole outshines the parts. Matharu is following a promising path.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Atrophy ► 02 - Bare ► 07 - Butterflies

Christopher Dammann - Dead Words

Label: Shifting Paradigm Records, 2026

Personnel - Jon Irabagon: stritch; James Davis: trumpet; Jim Baker: piano, ARP 2600 synth; Christopher Dammann: double bass; Mike Reed: drums.

Chicago-based bassist and composer Christopher Dammann has a very limited discography as a leader, but that shouldn’t discourage you from checking out his latest work, Dead Words. On this album, five spiritual contrafacts are reimagined by Dammann’s cohesive and highly synergistic quintet, featuring the incomparable talents of saxophonist Jon Irabagon, trumpeter James Davis, keyboardist Jim Baker, and drummer Mike Reed.

With stately grandeur, “Montrose B” is an assertive opener, a pure post-bop piece that dazzles and invigorates. Following a magnetic bass introduction, the attractive theme is brought to the fore by the horn players, who exchange ideas freely under the spell of the swinging vibrancy coursing beneath them. Characteristically outgoing on stritch, Irabagon takes the first solo with the force of nature—he has a special edge to his playing—followed by Baker, whose delicate lyricism unfolds through dreamy sonorities, and then Davis, who, eschewing unnecessary flourishes, relishes the fleeting Latin-inflected passages woven into the swing.

Interesting enough to keep you fully engaged, the Sunny Murray-inspired “Untitled” is a hymn to avant-garde expressionism, shaped by the spacious, woozy, electronics-infused glitches and feedback of Baker’s semi-modular ARP synthesizer. Dammann’s constantly probing bass supports cyclical saxophone bursts interspersed with terse trumpet commentary and incisive synth textures. “Two Themes for Improvisation” also features Baker’s asynchronous synth transmissions and Irabagon’s spontaneous saxophone interjections, yet it is Dammann who takes the lead with his resonant arco work. Reed’s thoughtful snare and tom patterns stand out as the group navigates an abstract limbo, moving between climactic peaks and serene atmospheres with equal assurance.

If the two previously described pieces showcase the group’s indifference to orthodoxy in favor of freer experimentation, “White Gladis”, with Dammann’s haunting bow sweeping across the bass strings, returns the music to earth, finding its footing through counterpoint. Its lilting, blues-inflected modal mood bears resemblance to works by Sam Rivers, Charles Tolliver, and Stanley Cowell. Yet the tune was inspired by bassist Paul Chambers. Irabagon’s timbral flamboyance finds the perfect foil in Davis’ more restrained yet perfectly articulated phrasing. Both are also prominently featured on the closing track, “This Is an Unraveling”, where Dammann beautifully states the melody after introducing it with a catchy bass figure.

Dead Words offers propulsively swinging, muscular music delivered with an ideal balance of discipline and freedom, feeling simultaneously nostalgic and forward-looking. The equilibrium achieved is masterful, leaving us hoping Dammann returns soon with more music of this caliber.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Montrose B ► 03 - White Gladis ► This Is An Unraveling

Willber Sunlight - Willber Sunlight

Label: Endectomorph Records, 2026

Personnel - Kevin Sun: tenor saxophone; Max Light: guitar; Simón Willson: bass; Aaron Seeber: drums.

Willber Sunlight is the recently formed quartet of saxophonist Kevin Sun, guitarist Max Light, bassist Simón Willson, and drummer Aaron Seeber. The album, which celebrates jazz tradition and the friendship between these New York-based artists, features one original composition by each member alongside four thoughtfully selected covers, showing that the band can illuminate the music of masters such as Thelonious Monk, Robert Schumann, and Horace Silver. 

Sun’s swinging romp “Belong, Sonny”, whose title is an anagram of Benny Golson’s name, is a contrafact of his classic “Stablemates”. Rhythmically defiant, the piece is anything but static, featuring impish soloing by Light and Sun. The latter’s improvisation unfolds with pitch-perfect articulation, inventive motivic development, and a soulful expressive quality.

Willson’s “Easy Listening” develops with cool assurance, bringing together elements of pop, rock, and jazz. Light and Sun alternate solos with a solid mutual understanding, engaging in a communicative musical dialogue. Light’s “Bagel” embraces a relaxed pace and unaffected demeanor while revealing subtle details that showcase not only his compositional adroitness but also the quartet’s cohesion.

The band puts a fresh face on “Tea For Two”, played with confident uptempo drive, and Schumann’s “Des Abends”, whose gentle cross-rhythms and jazz-inflected arrangement make it feel like an entirely new creation. Monk’s “Locomotive” is an earworm that favors propulsion over abrasion, swinging lusciously from beginning to end.

Following Horace Silver’s celebrated ballad “Peace”, anchored by Seeber’s thoughtfully sizzling brushwork and Willson’s illustrative bass foundation, the album concludes with Seeber’s bop-infused “Teranga Bounce”, a joyful tribute to Charlie Parker that sounds as though it could have come straight from the bebop era.

Willber Sunlight invites enjoyment without necessarily lingering in the memory. It is an engaging listen—an unambiguous ode to jazz tradition and its enduring vitality.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Belong, Sonny ► 04 - Bagel ► 05 - Des Abends

Mat Maneri Quartet - Mist

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026

Personnel - Mat Maneri: viola; Lucian Ban: piano; John Hébert: bass; Randy Peterson: drums.

Avant-garde violist and composer Mat Maneri is known for blending fragility and crisp friction within a subtly discordant, microtonal approach to music. Mist is the final installment of a trilogy that includes Dust (2019) and Ash (2023), continuing its exploration of heavy, noir-like textures that evoke grief and misery. His quartet features longtime associates: pianist Lucian Ban—who contributes four of the album’s eight compositions—bassist John Hébert, and drummer Randy Peterson.

The new album, unrelentingly gloomy, unfolds through a free-flowing discourse, with capriciously oblique gestures creating a sense of erudition and intimate vulnerability. Maneri’s “Through a Mist Darkly”, whose title nods to Ingmar Bergman’s emotionally complex drama Through a Glass Darkly—and also recalls the piece of the same name that Maneri recorded on the 1996 album Three Men Walking with his father, saxophonist Joe Maneri, and bassist Joe Morris—is wrapped in a melancholic veil. This pensive, lyrical meditation extends into his shadowy and grief-stricken composition “Achlys”, which references the Greek goddess of misery and mist. Here, Maneri injects greater tension and movement into his playing while Ban explores dreamy atmospheres before expanding into imaginative avant-garde flourishes.

Ban’s “A Piece of God” emanates a grateful serenity, revolving around a recurring thematic phrase over which Maneri’s tearful viola tremolos pierce the heart with quiet forlornness. The pianist also contributes “Mist”, an elusive tone poem anchored by Hébert’s spacious bass figure and Peterson’s understated drum colors, and “Paul Motian”, an abstract, floating, and exploratory homage to the late drummer, opening with bass and drums alone. Curiously, Maneri—who has long shared an affinity for Motian’s singular musical language—had already included a composition titled “Motian” on Dust.

Mist takes listeners out of their comfort zone as the quartet glides seamlessly between pitches with remarkable impressionistic finesse. Its main weakness lies in its unwavering devotion to a single atmosphere, offering too little contrast over the course of a slow-burning, 50-minute meditation that demands considerable patience from the listener.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Achlys ► 04 - Mist ► 08 - Missed

Tom Teasley feat. Dave Ballou - Inner Play

Label: Self released, 2026

Personnel - Tom Tasley: drums, percussion, bass melodica, hand pan, electronics; Dave Ballou; trumpet, flugelhorn.

Remarkable chemistry, an urge to incorporate diverse musical traditions into a style of their own, and a rich narrative sense are among the defining qualities of Inner Play, the second duo outing by percussionist and cultural diplomat Tom Teasley and trumpeter Dave Ballou. The follow-up to the spectacular Lunch Break (2025), comprises twelve pieces that strike a balance with utmost grace, as Teasley—whose keen ear for texture and timbre is evident throughout—designs impactful foundations that seem to amplify Ballou’s ability to develop expressive melodic ideas with exceptional clarity and precision.

“Electric Embers” kicks off with an entrancing contemporary effect generated by the electronic A-frame drum. Teasley, channeling the bass sensibilities of Jaco Pastorius and Victor Wooten, anchors the pulse while Ballou swirls around a thematic motif, part of whose melody recalls Coltrane’s “Impressions”. “Woodpecker’s Dilemma” displays a noteworthy combination of timbres, curious rhythmic patterns, and muted trumpet chants that resonate with rapid insight. The rhythmic framework then incorporates terse cymbal pulsations as the trumpet becomes increasingly motivic and playful.

The luminous “Where the Ocean Meets the Sky” is openly spiritual and beautiful. Teasley’s mastery of the Rev Vast Drum provides harmonic context for Ballou’s deep reflections on flugelhorn. If the duo quietly transcends here, they join forces more energetically on the excitable “Elephant Dance” and “Outside Inn”, the latter becoming tense, conversational, and yet remarkably direct in its juxtaposition of Max Roach-inspired drumming and piccolo trumpet.

Eastern flavors permeate both the deeply emotional “Matador’s Lament”—another hypnotic treat—and “Memories of Muscat”, where communication becomes a universal language expressed through polyrhythmic percussion—riqq and darbuka—and unfaltering, graceful lines delivered with warmth and enthusiasm.

“Prelude and Interplay” stands out for its distinctive sound, initiated by Teasley’s bass melodica and gentle cymbal smears, which invite Ballou into an uncommon musical dance. The drum set gradually expands the sonic landscape, yet the music remains free, spontaneous, and incisively focused. “Anticipate the Good” outlines a conspicuous thematic statement within a tangible chamber-jazz setting. Its percolating rhythm is wonderful, while the brass lines fit like hand in glove, unifying everything into a cohesive whole.

With versatility and creativity, Teasley and Ballou require very little to make their improvisational journey compelling. It all sounds as natural as breathing and as good-natured as a conversation between two seasoned travelers.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Where the Ocean Meets The Sky ► 05 - Prelude and Interplay ► 09 - Matador’s Lament