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

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’

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

Miles Okazaki - Boomtown

Label: Pi Recordings, 2026

Personnel - Miles Okazaki: guitar; Jon Irabagon: tenor and soprano saxophone; Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flute; Caroline Davis: alto saxophone; Jacob Garchik: trombone; Kalia Vandever: trombone; Matt Mitchell: piano; Chris Tordini: bass; Hanna Marks: bass; Dan Weiss: drums.

Guitarist and composer Miles Okazaki’s ninth album as a leader, Boomtown Girl, showcases his progressive ideas and singular musical voice. Comprising 12 original compositions, the album derives its distinctive identity from the contributions of 10 exceptional musicians and improvisers who, while occasionally throwing a few upward jabs, always keep the collective spirit firmly in focus.

“Magic Hour” opens the album with a graceful sense of balance, its acoustic guitar-driven melody immediately palpable and its clustered harmonies intriguingly alluring. The horn players enrich the texture, helping transform the piece into a seductive, almost magical soundscape. This peaceful Threadgill-ish opening gives way to a markedly different mood on “Boomtown Girl”, which unfolds with a slow, dark-hued angularity as the horn section intertwines closely with Okazaki’s exotic guitar musings. Bassists Chris Tordini and Hanna Marks, together with drummer Dan Weiss, keep everything firmly within frame, and the piece gathers impressive improvisational momentum before arriving at an epic resolution.

Funk is not unfamiliar territory for Okazaki, who gradually shapes “Thermopolis” with crisp energy, stretching form and piquing curiosity through its interlocking parts. The groove, solidly anchored by bass and drums, is reinforced by the motivic interplay of Okazaki and pianist Matt Mitchell, inviting the horns to enter vibrantly in unison. Saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Caroline Davis engage in fleet-footed solo exchanges with Okazaki before the piece eases its intensity midway, embracing a more abstract impressionism. Circling in and out of focus, the soloists return with renewed force for a vigorous finale.

Trombonists Kalia Vandever and Jacob Garchik are granted ample improvisational space on “Diamondville” and “Bighorn”, respectively. The former is a poignant, atmospheric rubato ballad, while the latter is an odd-metered blowout built around a looping piano-guitar riff (giving its legato flow), fragmented drumming, and Irabagon’s multiphonic wails and moans on soprano saxophone.

Loose yet fluid, “Hole in the Wall” sparkles with guitar harmonics and pointillistic textures before opening into bluesy and funky terrain under a septuple meter. Saxophonist Anna Webber improvises with measured steps yet complete authority. “Devils Tower”, touting an outlandish fusion of modern creative jazz and alternative rock, demonstrates remarkable control of tempo, counterpoint, and texture. Like all the other pieces, it functions above all as a collective statement, despite the arresting solos by Davis and Okazaki.

As an original musical thinker, Okazaki continues to defy both established conventions and passing trends with something unmistakably his own. His hip phrasing and superb compositional craft are fully on display. The expertly sequenced material flows with irresistible momentum and quirky moods, offering layer upon layer of intrigue and wonder.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Magic Hour ► 02 - Boomtown Girl ► 03 - Thermopolis ► 07 - Bighorn

Alexander Hawkins - No Nation But Imagination

Label: Intakt Records, 2026

Personnel - Alexander Hawkins: piano, synthesizer, sampler; Rhodri Davies: harp; Hamid Drake: drums; Nicole Mitchell: flute; Matthew Wright: turntables, live sampling.

With No Nation But Imagination, British pianist and composer Alexander Hawkins delivers a radical and fascinatingly complex work that may leave listeners wondering how its intertwining layers of piano, synths, harp, flute, drums, turntables, and samples fit together so naturally. Yet Hawkins—already proven capable of leading large ensembles (Togetherness Music) and engaging in adventurous duos with cellist Tomeka Reid, saxophonist Evan Parker, and vocalist Sofia Jernberg—continues to push boundaries, reshaping the language of modern improvised music through another ambitious and experimental undertaking.

“Solo Way Far Gone” opens the album in a restrained glide, its slightly distorted synth waves evoking obscure Sun Ra recordings. The real enchantment begins with “Resolution Each and Every”, a hypnotic Afro-jazz-rock excursion driven by a tight backbeat, magnetic groove, and chant-like flute lines. Drummer Hamid Drake constantly reshapes the rhythmic terrain, at times merging hip-hop-inflected pulses with echoes of global musical traditions.

“Mirror No Border” thrives on incisive abstraction and staccato-driven attacks. Expansive in its instrumental convergences, the piece gradually intensifies into an electrifying sonic buzz. In complete contrast, “Circles in the Celestial Garden” unfolds as a serene meditation on beauty and spirituality, pairing Rhodri Davies’ harp with Nicole Mitchell’s airy yet resonant flute.

“Lullaby Much Further” layers eerie humming drones, piercing synth textures, resonant toms and cymbals, and dreamlike flute passages into a haunting soundscape. Similarly flamboyant in its balance of restraint and excess, “Hocket Fierce Peaceful” rests upon celestial drones before shifting into a fanfare-like mode, carrying the listener through a dizzying carousel of hallucinatory sounds where spectral keyboards and propulsive drumming eventually give way to an exuberant march.

On “Joy Beyond Blazing”, Davies’ harp takes on the ferocity of an electric guitar against a backdrop of vigorous piano harmonies and tireless flute flights. “Open Sea Boat’s Land” returns to a hip-hop-driven boom-bap groove with funk undertones, incorporating Matthew Wright’s live electronics—including a muffled electric bass effect—alongside Hawkins’ sweeping piano gestures. The album closes with “Coda Over the Fence”, a soulful, gospel-inflected finale radiating the spiritual warmth of Abdullah Ibrahim’s South African-inspired chants.

No Nation But Imagination sounds unlike anything else—an avant-garde manifesto steeped in postmodern experimentation, unusual melodic logic, singular textures, and meticulous post-production detail. Hawkins, one of the most imaginative keyboardists in contemporary jazz, once again demonstrates how advanced technique and fearless creativity can yield music that is both intellectually challenging and deeply substantive.

Favorite Tracks: 
02 - Resolution Each and Every ► 04 - Circles in the Celestial Garden ► 06 - Hocket Fierce Peaceful ► 08 - Open Sea Boat’s Land

Olivier Le Goas Ensemble Pulse - The Chaining Loops

Label: Double Moon Records, 2026

Personnel - Frédéric Borey: saxophones; Médéric Collignon; cornet, voice; Gueorgui Kornazov: trombone; Michael Felberbaum: guitar; David Patrois: vibraphone; Yoni Zelnik: double bass; Olivier Le Goas: drums.

Intrepid French drummer Olivier Le Goas reunites his Ensemble Pulse—a high-spirited septet formed during a creative residency in 2021—to perform five new original compositions. A devoted explorer of odd meters, animated rhythmic patterns, and kinetic grooves, Le Goas delivers exactly that on The Chaining Loops.

His compositional strengths become evident from the outset in the expansive, constantly shifting title track. Vibraphonist David Patrois introduces the piece with an enchanting prelude before an asymmetrical pulse emerges, opening space for trombonist Gueorgui Kornazov’s improvisation. Chamber-like guitar-sax passages soon give way to another sharply accented odd-meter section, this time supporting a nervy cornet solo from Médéric Collignon, followed by a more cerebral soprano saxophone statement from Frédéric Borey. The orchestration continuously evolves, and the ensemble remains tightly unified in both melody and rhythm before settling briefly into a slower 4/4 passage over which guitarist Michael Felberbaum stretches out. The piece ultimately circles back to its origins, once again centering the vibraphone.

Played with uncanny intensity, “Direction” rests initially on a stern bass pedal point and unfolds in septuple meter, at times recalling the warm, expansive feel of the Dave Holland Quintet. Each musician fits seamlessly within the framework, and the track offers especially compelling guitar and saxophone improvisations over a rich chain of harmonies.

The polyrhythmic “Friction” thrives on curious juxtapositions and shifting tonal centers, while “Fifteen Miles” maintains the album’s rhythm-driven spirit even if it initially appears more restrained. Gradually, the ensemble reignites the momentum through a sequence of nine-beat cycles and an accelerated section that highlights Collignon’s expressive scat singing.

“Light in the Sky” closes the album on an uplifting note. Jazz fusion allusions emerge through vigorous drumming and an excellent vibraphone solo, while a soulful, catchy melody bridges into the cornet improvisation before rock and jazz merge once again with infectious vitality. The piece reaches ecstatic heights during its final coda, only to dissolve through Le Goas’ playful decrescendo.

Le Goas is the kind of musician who is constantly shifting gears rhythmically and texturally. His hyperactive pulse not only supports the soloists but also fuels consistently engaging interplay. In perpetual transformation across layered rhythmic cells, The Chaining Loops may feel dense and flamboyant at times, yet it remains a stimulating album to explore.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Chaining Loops ► 02 - Direction ► 05 - Light in the Sky

John Hollenbeck's George - Looking For Consonance

Label: Out Of Your Head Records, 2026

Personnel - Anna Webber: tenor saxophone, flute; Sarah Rossy: synth, voice; Chiquita Magic: synth, voice; John Hollenbeck: drums, glockenspiel, composition.

Claudia Quintet’s founder, John Hollenbeck, a fierce, focused, and highly innovative drummer and composer who often seems a step ahead of jazz’s vanguard, returns with his second album from the ensemble George—named after George Floyd—Looking For Consonance. The electro-acoustic group features synth players and vocalists Sarah Rossy and Chiquita Magic, alongside the exceptional saxophonist and flutist Anna Webber.

Difficult to categorize, the music traverses a postmodern landscape shaped by elements of synth-pop, electronica, idiosyncratic rhythmic designs, and open improvisation. “Bounce” is a striking ride that lands somewhere between eerie prog-metal and hallucinatory rave textures. Synchronized vocal lines, Hollenbeck’s explosive rhythmic foundation, and Webber’s menacing multiphonics and driving melodic force converge before dissolving into an extended, sustained drone.

The mercurial “Lewis”—dedicated to trombonist George Lewis—embraces shifting meters, incorporating synth-pop-rock passages in five, nimble septuple meter dances, and other intricate rhythmic cycles where the flute takes a central role. In contrast, “Nassam Alayna-Lhawa”, a composition by the Lebanese Rahbani Brothers, offers a gentle, diasporic expression of peace, delivered with clarity and warmth through Rossy’s Arabic vocals.

The ensemble’s revolutionary spirit peaks with “Norma”, a dark experimental piece built on saxophone–voice unisons and assertive rhythmic accents, and “George and Dee”, where strands of alternative synth-pop, new wave, and electronica-inspired experimentation evoke the legacy of artists like Gary Numan and Kraftwerk.

Hollenbeck infuses the album with layered rhythmic complexity throughout. Check out his work on “Porter”, where he lays down treacherous, counterintuitive undercurrents while ethereal vocal chants stay afloat. “Johnson”—a tribute to George F. Johnson—radiates a buoyant, groove-oriented energy, offering a more accessible nu-jazz moment, while “Wayne Phase”—a nod to Wayne Shorter—explores shifting intensities and stylistic breadth with a deep understanding of the honoree’s musical language and eclecticism.

Richly detailed, Looking For Consonance, may prove challenging for casual listen. Still, the group’s fluid command of odd meters and genre-crossing expression ultimately feels organic, inviting listeners to yield to its intricate rhythmic and improvisational allure.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Bounce ► 04 - George and Dee ► 07 - Norma

Quinsin Nachoff - Patterns From Nature

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2026

Personnel - JC Sanford: conductor; Quinsin Nachoff: tenor saxophone; Roberta Michel: flutes; François Houle: clarinet; Sara Schoenbeck: bassoon; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; John Clark: french horn; Ryan Keberle: trombone; Matt Mitchell: piano; Carlo De Rosa: bass; Satoshi Takeishi: drums; Aaron Edgcomb: percussion; Gene Hardy: musical saw (#2) + Molinari String Quartet.

Cerebral New York-based saxophonist and composer Quinsin Nachoff aims high in his latest outing, Patterns From Nature, a singular musical journey that combines jazz and classical music, film, and physics in collaboration with physicist Stephen Morris and four filmmakers. The project also functions as a live multimedia performance, featuring a superb ensemble with gifted soloists.

Composed with considerable risk and conducted by JC Sanford, the album begins with the four-movement, through-composed suite Patterns From Nature. Unfolding through a refined chamber process, the music features pianist Matt Mitchell on “I. Branches”, a cinematic, tense odyssey marked by chromatic shifts, long tones, and multiphonics over cascading piano. A natural grace emerges from the piece’s technically assured geometry, while percussionist Satoshi Takeishi stands out with a fluid brushes-on-snare technique. His icy cymbal scratches and tonally precise percussion also distinguish the second movement, “II. Flow”, whose contemporary classical feel is reinforced by the Molinari String Quartet’s lachrymose ostinatos and magnetic suspensions.

“III. Cracks”, launched by bassist Carlo De Rosa’s opening statement, unfolds within a controlled, slightly turbulent atmosphere, with creative clarinetist François Houle contributing winding phrases over porous, layered ensemble motions. The final movement, “IV. Ripples”, features Nachoff and trombonist Ryan Keberle alternating passages before merging their sounds in a climactic section, preceded by shifts in pace and texturally intriguing segments. The suite concludes with drones and reverberant percussion.

The three-part Winding Tessellations, a saxophone concerto composed in 2017, follows with polychromatic textures, blurring written and improvised elements within a complex structure. On “I. Winding Paths”, intricate ensemble ornamentation allows Nachoff’s horn to slip into a murky middle register, unfolding in a forward-driven improvisation with deep emotional resonance. Equally vibrant is “III. Tessellations”, an unbridled exploration featuring coiled tenor saxophone lines over a variety of moody tapestries.

Having reached an enviable level of musical maturity, Nachoff demonstrates every facet of his compositional voice. Patterns From Nature is blessed with expert playing, standing as a major addition to the composer’s distinctive oeuvre.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Patterns From Nature: I. Branches ► 03 - Patterns From Nature: III. Cracks ► 05 - Winding Tessellations: I. Winding Paths ► 07 - Winding Tessellations: III. Tessellations

Adam O'Farrill - Elephant

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2026

Personnel - Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Yvonne Rogers: piano, synth; Walter Stinson: bass; Russell Holzman: drums.

With Elephant, trumpeter and composer Adam O’Farrill reaches a new artistic peak in modern jazz. Leading an exceptional quartet of rising New York musicians—pianist Yvonne Rogers, bassist Walter Stinson, and drummer Russell Holzman—O’Farrill performs in top form throughout, drawing listeners into intricate rhythmic and harmonic frameworks shaped by remarkable breath control and unconventional phrasing.

The program unfolds imaginatively with “Curves and Convolutions”, whose initially mechanical yet fluid motion opens into a fearless, genre-blurring language that incorporates modern classical, new music, and avant-garde influences. O’Farrill delivers a striking solo over a septuple-meter passage before the piece resolves collectively into a grounded, exquisitely layered vamp.

Eclecticism remains a constant, and the subtle use of effects lends the music a distinctive character. “Eleanor’s Dance” introduces a retro electronica vibe anchored by a soulful beat; Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Bibo No Aozora” emerges as a hopeful, open-minded infusion of ambient pop, soulful neo-classical, and thematic minimalism; while “Thank You Song” ventures into indie rock territory, highlighting O’Farrill’s expressionism and extraordinary range.

The quartet interlocks beautifully with fresh energy, and “Herkimer Diamond”—driven by Holzman’s kit intensity—moves from calm introspection to dynamic release, shaped by odd-metered cycles, a commanding trumpet solo, and Rogers’ synth outbursts. Inspired by Twin Peaks, “The Return” begins with a compelling drum statement before drifting through a rubato section and settling into a distinctive swing feel. O’Farrill’s nuanced control of attack, weight, and timing of phrasing are central, getting agile responses from Rogers and Holzman. The balladic, piano-driven passages here are filled with noble emotion.

The three-part Sea Tryptich further illustrates the group’s sensitivity to the composer’s vision. “Sea Tryptich Pt. 1 - Along the Malecon” surges forward with propulsive momentum; “Sea Tryptich Pt. 2 - The Three of Us, Floating” unfolds patiently through ethereal textures and extended techniques; and “Sea Tryptich Pt. 3 - Iris Murdoch” introduces a thrusting bass funkifying a scenario with interlocking trumpet and piano lines alongside firm, decisive drumming.

Making for an astonishing listen, O’Farrill’s Elephant is a sensational, revolutionary, and incredibly thoughtful work; a masterpiece of contemporary jazz that should not be missed.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Curves and Convolutions ► 03 - Sea Tryptich Pt. 2 - The Three of Us, Floating ► 04 - Sea Tryptich Pt. 3 - Iris Murdoch ► 07 - The Return

Michael Formanek - New Digs

Label: Intakt Records, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gabriel Vicéns - Niebla

Label: Clepsydra Records, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brandon Seabrook - Hellbent Daydream

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tomeka Reid Quartet - Dance! Skip! Hop!

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craig Taborn - Dream Archives

Label: ECM Records, 2026

Personnel - Craig Taborn: piano, keyboard, electronics; Tomeka Reid: cello; Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone, percussion, electronics.

Pianist and composer Craig Taborn, known for his shockingly powerful technique and his ability to traverse post-modern jazz, contemporary classical music, and indie electronics, moves fluidly between structure and freedom. The six tracks on Dream Archives—four originals and two covers—are smartly conceived, finding fresh sonic angles and probing inventive approaches to rhythm. Working in a trio format with cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer/vibraphonist Ches Smith, the colorfully chameleonic Taborn adds another compelling chapter to his already rich catalogue.

“Coordinates for the Absent” oozes lyrical introspection and nocturnal delicacy, captivating through carefully traced electronics, floating vibraphone, bowed cello, and a shimmering, cinematic pianism that often falls like raindrops. “Feeding Maps to the Fire” pushes the program forward with cello and piano locked into an enthusiastic, cadenced motion that gradually dissolves into an abstract exchange of free-form gestures and shifting tonal colors. Smith’s dexterity on the kit highlights his broad rhythmic vision and adaptability, as the piece repeatedly regains momentum after a cyclical figure in five threatens to fracture the flow.

The album reaches a clear apex with Geri Allen’s “When Kabuya Dances”, whose initial three-time piano motion opens into a rubato exploration. It unfolds as a progressive Afro-jazz dance marked by tension-fraught interplay and insistent pulses, alternating between seven and twelve-beat passages. Taborn’s respect for singular compositional voices continues with Paul Motian’s “Mumbo Jumbo”. With Smith alternating between drums and vibraphone, the piece achieves a floating sensitivity with bowed, low-register cello strokes and tactical piano mobility adding extra dimension.

The title track, “Dream Archives”, emphasizes synchronicity and counterpoint, prioritizing texture and atmosphere with a sense of freedom and abandon. The trio explores spacious, electronically inflected environments, poetic cross-cutting patterns, and deliberate sequences before settling into a challenging, odd-metered vamp. “Enchant”—a soothing balm—brings the album to a serene conclusion, with Taborn and Reid sustaining a quiet tension reinforced by Smith’s refined cymbal work. Throughout, there are striking moments of beauty, embodiment, and fluid motion. 

Smartly sculpted with a boundary-pushing ethos, Dream Archives showcases Taborn’s phenomenal musicality and wide-ranging sophistication. It will reward adventurous listeners and stands as one of the early highlights of contemporary jazz releases in 2026.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Feeding Maps To the Fire ► 03 - When Kabuya Dances ► 05 - Dream Archives

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

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

Donny McCaslin - Lullaby For The Lost

Label: Edition Records, 2025

Personnel - Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Jason Lindner: synth, piano, electric piano (except #7,8); Ben Monder: guitar (#1,3,4,7,9); Ryan Dahle: electric guitar (#4); Tim Lefebvre: electric bass, synth, electric guitar (except #3); Jonathan Maron: electric bass (#3); Nate Wood: drums (#2,3,6); Zach Danziger: drums (#1,4,5,7,9); Mark Guiliana: drums (#8).

Eclectic as ever, saxophonist and composer Donny McCaslin showcases the breadth of his talent on Lullaby For the Lost, his second release on Edition Records. Lushly produced, the album steps away from his usual electronics-heavy, groove-driven style to embrace a more rock-oriented approach. McCaslin is joined by longtime collaborators Jason Lindner on keyboards and Tim Lefebvre on electric bass, and reunites with guitarist Ben Monder, whose singular brilliance lit up earlier albums like Soar (2006) and In Pursuit (2007). As in Blow (2018), three drummers take turns behind the kit: Nate Wood, Zach Danziger, and Mark Guiliana.

The album begins with “Wasteland,” a darkly elegiac piece steeped in atmospheric guitars and sustained chords. Danziger lays down a polyrhythm-inducing pattern, while McCaslin’s saxophone moans with sorrow and erupts with indignation. The track eventually mutates into a storm of alternative rock and metal, Monder’s guitar seizing the spotlight before volume swells, flickers, and arrhythmic jolts lead it into disorientation. Rage Against the Machine comes to mind.

“Solace” surprises in an optimistic R&B vein, its radiant melody counterbalanced by reflective ambient backdrops. McCaslin delivers a memorable, soulful improvisation, while Wood drives the groove into funk-rock territory with effusive drumming. The vamp at the end recalls Red Hot Chili Peppers. Wood also anchors “Tokyo Game Show”, a contemporary fusion full of sharp turns, influenced by electronica, funk, hip-hop, and rock. Here, we find the bandleader sprinting gleefully into the altissimo register. “Stately”, meanwhile, is a tender ballad introduced by Jonathan Maron’s expressive bass double-stops. 

The energy spikes on “Blond Crush”, a punk-tinged anthem recalling Green Day, with Monder, Lefebvre, and Ryan Dahle’s guitars charging ahead and Lindner’s synth erupting in brief bursts. The title track, initially inspired by Neil Young’s Le Noise (2010), unfolds as a powerhouse ballad built on calm chromatic moves. “KID”, a trio performance with Lefebvre and Guiliana, feels like a hybrid of New Wave and alternative electronic music, growing brawnier as it surges forward.

Invigorated by a distinctly modern sensibility, Lullaby For the Lost is a bold, exploratory, and deeply satisfying work—another testament to McCaslin’s restless creativity.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Wasteland ► 02 - Solace ► 06 - Tokyo Game Show ► 07 - Lullaby For the Lost

Henry Threadgill - Listen Ship

Label: Pi Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Henry Threadgill: composition, conduction; Bill Frisell: acoustic guitar; Miles Okazaki: acoustic guitar; Gregg Belisle-Chi: acoustic guitar; Brandon Ross: acoustic soprano guitar; Jerome Harris: acoustic bass guitar; Stomu Takeishi: acoustic bass guitar; Maya Keren: piano; Rahul Carlberg: piano.

On Listen Ship, the one-and-only American saxophonist and composer Henry Threadgill continues to write for ensembles he conducts without featuring him as a soloist. Enlisting a striking lineup, he ventures into bold chamber instrumentation—four acoustic guitars, two acoustic basses, and two pianos— revisiting the knotted intervallic system first explored in 1994 with Song Out of My Trees. To satisfy his needs for a crisp acoustic guitar section, he turned to Bill Frisell, Miles Okazaki, Gregg Belisle-Chi, and Brandon Ross, who provide both precision and enigmatic tones.

The longer pieces prove more captivating. “H” carries a Latin, tango-like undercurrent that feels both exotic and astonishing. “L” begins with contemplative harmonics before yielding to a guitar solo—breathable yet complex—that seems in constructive disagreement with the lyrical fabric woven earlier. “R” takes the group through unconventional routes, wandering across heaven and earth with flexible intent. 

Strings drive much of the album. “B” bursts with animated riffs and counterpoint between guitars and basses, while “F” spirals through abstraction in a restless rhythmic flux. “D” finds the guitars in a quirky, slightly dissonant folk communion, supported by bass plucks that double as percussion. By contrast, “E” is dramatic and suspenseful, showcasing the pianists in cooperative dialogue.

Threadgill’s signature balance of intricate composition and intuitive improvisation challenges his players, who respond with tonal color and different shades. At 81, he remains undeterred in expanding his already monumental legacy.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - B ► 08 - H ► 10 - L

Trio of Bloom - Trio of Bloom

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2025

Personnel - Craig Taborn: keyboards; Nels Cline: 6-string and 12-string guitars, lap steel guitar, bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

The extraordinary artistry of keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore bears fruit in their new project Trio of Bloom, which also marks their debut recording together. The idea for the group came from producer David Breskin, who envisioned echoes of The Power Tools, the one-off late-’80s trio of Bill Frisell, Melvin Gibbs, and Ronald Shannon Jackson.

Appropriately, the album opens with a piece by Jackson, “Nightwhistlers”. In their freestyle approach, Gilmore unleashes kinetic, arrhythmic throbs; Cline layers firm ostinatos, distorted harmonies, and sharp trills; while Taborn grounds it with plodding synth bass, electronic flourishes, and flickering drones. The piece closes with Cline and Taborn echoing the same chant. 

Taborn contributes two striking originals. “Unreal Light” begins in an ethereal haze before shifting into an African-inspired texture, his synth emulating xylophone timbres. “Why Canada” is spiky and avant-garde, driven by persistent motifs and sinuous rhythmic patterns. Gilmore’s “Breath” emerges as an atmospheric ballad that later gains momentum through his crisp snare and cymbal work, while the shape-shifting “Bloomers”—a free improvisation influenced by electronic music—moves from playful beats to prog-rock intensity.

Cline leaves his stamp with pieces tinged by alternative rock and funk. “Queen King” finds him doubling on bass, laying a funk foundation that ignites once his guitar takes center stage. “Eye Shadow Eye” begins as a spacious ballad with solos from Taborn and Cline, the latter channeling a 1970s blues-rock vibe reminiscent of Cream. “Forge”, an ambient-rock 3/4 excursion pushed forward by Gilmore’s ebullient drumming, grows darker and denser before segueing into “Bend It”, Terje Rypdal’s 1974 piece, which Cline funkifies on bass guitar.

Thinking outside the box, Trio of Bloom binds grooves, atmospherics, and inventive improvisation into a vibrant new sonic whole. Their intersections feel urgent and luminous, defying genre preconceptions with boldness and imagination.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Nightwhistlers ► 07 - Eye Shadow Eye ► 08 - Why Canada ► 09 - Forge

Nils Petter Molvaer - Khmer Live in Bergen

Label: Edition Records, 2025

Personnel - Nils Petter Molvær: trumpet; Eivind Aarset: guitar, electronics; Jan Bang: live sampling; Pål «Strangefruit» Nyhus: DJ, MPC programming; Audun Erlien: bass; Per Lindvall: drums; Rune Arnesen: drums, percussion.

Serious-minded Norwegian trumpeter and composer Nils Petter Molvær has long stood at the vanguard of eclectic, experimental music, defying preconceptions through immersive, genre-bending soundscapes with a heavy emphasis on groove and ambiance. His new album with his revitalized band Khmer is a modernist reinvention of older works—most drawn from the group’s landmark debut Khmer (ECM, 1997)—performed live in Bergen.

“Song of Sand” floods the speakers with a hip-hop beat and sampling. A trance-like bass groove supports Molvær’s relaxed trumpet lines, modulated with synth effects, before guitarist Eivind Aarset steps forward, weaving moody textures, exploratory lines, and noise-rock ambiances. “Platonic Years” opens with rhythmic ebb and flow, evolving into a Beastie Boys–like beat that undergirds haunting atmospherics. The trumpet rises above melodic bass figures until a key change pivots the piece from ambient drift to fusion fire. At this point, Aarset’s wah guitar delivers irresistible funky chops.

The reflective “Kakonita” unfolds as a spiritual sonic canvas, balancing shadows and light, while “Ligotage” takes the form of an ambient dub exercise that thickens with time. “Vilderness” also channels dub through Audun Erlien’s fat bass lines, but its danceable quality stems from a New Wave energy, anchored by a propulsive Krautrock backbeat.

Equally dance-inclined, “Solid Ether” feels like a Pat Metheny crossover voyage, yet with funkier, more electronic inflections that push it into acid-rock psychedelia. The penultimate track, “Tløn”, traverses shifting gradients of density and abstraction, sculpted with experimental EDM designs.

Varied yet coherent, this music highlights the progressive vision of a band whose aural chiaroscuro remains impactful. Nothing here is dull—Molvær continues to spin wondrous, multilayered soundscapes for a modern, creative nu-jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Song Of Sand ► 02 - Platonic Years ► 05 - Vilderness ► 06 - Solid Ether