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

Fieldwork - Thereupon

Label: Pi Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Steve Lehman: alto saxophone; Vijay Iyer: piano, Fender Rhodes; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

Fieldwork, a hard-charging contemporary jazz trio of ingenious, top-tier musicians, improvisers, and bandleaders, returns with its fourth album. Alto saxophonist Steve Lehman dazzles with tidal attacks that shift in and out of focus; pianist Vijay Iyer sculpts into the open field with vaulting textures and patterns in his deep-focus comping; and drummer Tyshawn Sorey powers the music forward like a rhythmic engine, keeping everything on the edge.

Iyer’s “Propaganda” opens with raw inspiration, driven by the tart angularity of fragmented saxophone lines and propelled by intricate, accelerated drum work. The piano’s agility shines across registers. Also penned by Iyer, “Evening Rite” thrives with buoyant gaiety and a magnetic pulse, while “Fire City” brims with feral lyricism and saturated sound, its bittersweet dissonances ultimately resolving into melodic consonance. 

Each piece rivets, with the trio pouring sweat-filled, bruising passion into music that disrupts traditional jazz forms. Perplexing mathematical tangles surface in Lehman’s “Embracing Difference”, where the saxist works closely with Iyer while Sorey grooves with rampant impulsivity. Odd meters and hectic lines create a sound at once pugilistic and balletic. “Domain” follows enigmatic paths of cinematic grandeur, with Lehman soaring into the upper register with laser-like precision over fertile, odd-metered terrain.

Iyer adds Rhodes on two selections: Lehman’s “Fantóme”, which tests the trio’s improvisational powers, and his own “The Night Before”, a rare reprieve from cathartic intensity—melodic, harmonically radiant, and ballad-adjacent. Between them sits the high-wire “Thereupon”, where shifting meters and speed variations play a central role. 

Fieldwork’s advanced musical language continues to carve out a singular path of boundless creativity. Probing the enigmatic edges of groove, their inventive oddities reward close listening, where febrile detail emerges at every turn. Like its predecessors, Thereupon is a must-have.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Propaganda ► 02 - Embracing Difference ► 05 - Domain

Jacob Garchik - Ye Olde 2: At The End of Time

Label: Yestereve Records, 2025

Personnel - Jacob Garchik; trombone; Brandon Seabrook: guitar; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Jonathan Goldberger: guitar, baritone guitar; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums + Ava Mendoza: guitar; Sean Moran: guitar; Miles Okazaki: guitar; Josh Dion: drums.

Trombonist and composer Jacob Garchik returns with his eccentrically futuristic, hard-nosed collective Ye Olde, a guitar-centric sci-fi jazz act featuring two quartets - Ye Olde and Simulacrus (the resurrected version of the former) - inspired by the Omega Point, Spinal Tap, fascinating concepts in science and sci-fi, and Hungarian contemporary classical composer György Ligeti. Ye Olde 2: At The End of Time arrives a decade after the release of Ye Olde (Yestereve, 2015), prompting a smile of wonderment as it channels a distinctive compositional style that feels entirely unique.

“One Can Only Go Up” opens the album in scalar form, with a rising two-octave scale played on on Barndon Seabrook’s 12-string electric guitar. Multiple layers accumulate with both power and logic, and Mary Halvorson solos over a rock-driven backbeat. This is fusion in the truest sense—drawing on Mahavishnu Orchestra, contemporary classical, and avant-garde jazz. Garchik closes the piece with an abrasive improvisation. A similar concept drives “Omega Point”, only this time the scale moves downward. This singable, euphoric 8-beat sequence later stretches by an extra beat, following scorching solos from Miles Okazaki and Ava Mendoza over two contrasting textures.

The masterful harmonic turns of “Transcending Time” take shape through the pointillistic regularity of Seabrook’s acoustic guitar and Garchik’s delayed trombone tremolos. It unfolds as a 10-beat cycle, a medieval folk-rock meditation that recalls King Crimson and Jethro Tull, but heavier. It reaches a climax in heavy-metal fashion, with Jonathan Goldberger’s baritone guitar executed with unswerving tenacity. “Exo Microbiology” boasts a punk-like theme that is both complex and danceable. Seabrook and Goldberger improvise, the former with energetic atonality, the latter with jagged, shredding force.

Embracing a glorious chill-out transformation, “Dyson Spheres” is anchored by Vinnie Sperrazza’s syncopated, downtempo rhythm, with Halvorson’s sparse chords layered above. The delivers a solo that proves it’s not only about technique and effects but also about emotion. Before the funk-rock vibes of the Zappa-esque “Ye Olde vs Simulacrus”, where the two quartets interact in battle, there is still room for 16th-century Italian composer Giorgio Mainerio’s “Caro Ortolano”, a stubby church music piece reimagined here as a rock fanfare.

Forging experimental and transformative paths in modern music, Garchik takes risks and wins, achieving new heights of both virtuosity and imagination. Ye Olde 2: At The End of Time is a revolutionary album that lifts us out of this world and into an adventurous future realm.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - One Can Only Go Up ► 02 - Transcending Time ► 05 - Dyson Spheres ► 07 - Omega Point

Dan Rosenboom - Coordinates

Label: Orenda Records, 2025

Personnel - Dan Rosenboom: trumpet, piccolo, flugelhorn; Jake Vossler: guitar; Jerry Watts Jr.: electric bass; Caleb Dolister: drums; Katisse Buckingham: flutes (# 5); Gavin Templeton: alto and baritone saxophone (#2,6,7); Nicole McCabe: alto saxophone (#3); Brian Walsh: contralto clarinet (#3,8); Jon Stehney: bassoon (#4, 8); Laura Brenes: horn (#5,9) Katie Faraudo: horn (#5,9) Ryan Dragon: trombone (#3,5,9) Steve Suminski: trombone (#5,9) Steve Trapani: bass trombone (#5,9) Doug Tornquist: tuba (#5,9); Wade Culbreath: vibraphone, marimba (#3,5,7,9); Gloria Cheng: piano; Jeff Babko: Fender Rhodes (#2); Joshua White: piano (#7); Petri Korpela: percussion; Jacquline Kerrod: harp (#4); Lauren Elizabeth Baba: viola (#6); Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: 5-string electric violin (#7); Michael Valerio: contrabass (#4) + The Lyris Quartet; strings (#4,9).

Following the quintet album Polarity, a contemporary masterpiece released in 2023, Coordinates marks another remarkable outing from trumpeter and composer Dan Rosenboom whose commitment to breaking boundaries in jazz expands here through a powerful and cohesive aggregation of 28 players drawn from the LA jazz scene and Hollywood film recording studios. Taking four years to write and produce, the album—shaped by numerology—ventures across multiple genres and meter signatures. 

Over the course of “Coordinate 1: Many Worlds, Many Dances”, the ensemble dives into funk territory, allowing an enthralling groove to unfold orgamnically. Horn consonance gives way to a trumpet solo that feels both conversational and expansive, framed by coordinated passages and buoyed by incisive drumming. “Coordinate 2: Apophis” opens with Brian Walsh’s resonant contralto clarinet and Jake Vossler’s protean guitar, building toward rhythmic agitation against a defiant metal backdrop that shifts with each soloist.

“Coordinate 3: Syzygy” highlights Katisse Buckingham’s flute in the foreground. It’s a rock-driven piece delivered with muscular punch, epic scope, and fierce resolve. Rosenboom responds with an obliquely thoughtful solo over a dense, hard-bitten texture. The band’s carefully coded sound turns darker on “Coordinate 5: Hyperion”, a moody chamber spell whose structural dynamism is etched with strings courtesy of The Lyris Quartet.

Alongside the five ‘coordinate’ works, four additional compositions broaden the palette. Standouts include “Josephine’s Dream”, a delicate waltz featuring gracefully arpeggiated harp and strings, and “Oracles”, a funk-rock excursion powered by pianist Joshua White’s outside playing over an odd-metered prog-rock foundation.

Rosenboom’s return brims with fresh-start urgency, charting a course through environments alive with rhythmic jabs and stabs. Through open platforms—sharply informed by funk, rock, jazz, and metal—he unveils a host of new tricks up his sleeve. 

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Coordinate 1: Many Worlds, Many Dances ► 03 - Coordinate 2: Apophis ► 07 - Oracles

Jim Black & The Shrimps - Better You Don't

Label: Intakt Records, 2025

Personnel - Asger Nissen: alto saxophone; Julius Gawlik: tenor saxophone; Felix Henkelhausen: bass; Jim Black: drums.

Highly influenced by alternative rock, avant-garde jazz, and electronic music, American drummer Jim Black has explored countless group configurations alongside a wide range of artists. His 12th recording of original songs, Better You Don’t, is his second with The Shrimps—a sharp, eruptive Berlin-based trio featuring Danish altoist Asger Nissen and German musicians Julius Gawlik on tenor saxophone and Felix Henkelhausen on bass.

The buoyant “The Sheila” captures Black’s subversive knack for rock-inflected textures, channeling raw energy and spontaneity. These qualities come alive through a motorik-like rhythm that heightens kineticism, a sturdy, funky bass groove, and loose, creative saxophone lines that may align briefly before splitting apart to interact freely. “Better You Don’t” and “Backtracks” follow a similar path—indie rock-leaning tracks powered by muscular drumming and energetic solos that never lose sight of melody.

“OK Yrself’ is an expressive, communicative ballad shaded by cymbal restraint. Black extends that sophistication across the kit, crafting a chamber jazz mood steeped in mournful tones before opening toward hope in the final saxophone improvisation. “Cane Di Male”, introduced by dark bass-and-drum contours, arrives with plenty of saxophone obliqueness, evolving into a punk-rock demeanor marked by sturdy bass lines, nimble drum fills, and occasional kick-drum surges.

While “Stone Placid” unfolds conversationally within an open framework— its ending enlivened by phenomenal percussion under sustained horn drones— “Actually Probably Matters” thrives on jostling horn interplay, with the saxophonists soaring in playful upper-register zigzags. Occasional multiphonics emerge before Nissen and Gawlik consolidate the melody over a robust swinging rhythm.

Always thought-provoking and firmly contemporary, Jim Black and his Shrimps show how their rapport has deepened through mutual dedication to the music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Sheila ► 04 - OK Yrself ► 06 - Cane Di Male ► 09 - Actually Probably Matters

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (Exit) Knarr - Drops

Label: Sonic Transmissions Records, 2025

Personnel - Karl Hjalmar Nyberg: tenor saxophone, electronics; Amalie Dahl: alto saxophone; Marta Warelis: piano, electronics; Jonathan F. Horne: guitar; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: bass; Olaf Olsen: drums; Mette Rasmussen: alto saxophone (#1); Veslemøy Nervesen: drums (#1).

Free-spirited Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten returns with his remarkable (Exit) Knarr project, whose lineup has shifted multiple times since its 2022 debut. On the group’s third studio album, Drops, the now-stable sextet sees a few changes from Breezy (2024), with altoist Amalie Dahl and pianist Marta Warelis replacing Mette Rasmussen and Oscar Grönberg, respectively. He has also removed trumpet from the instrumentation, incorporating heavier doses of electronics to achieve an overwhelming realization of his experimental, post-modern jazz vision. Graphic scores—an unconventional notation learned from Mats Gustafsson and Anthony Braxton—were also introduced.

The opene, a thought-provoking deconstruction of Wayne Shorter’s “Deluge”, expands the group to an octet with the return of former members Rasmussen and drummer Veslemøy Nervesen. The piece brims with the methodical, slashing guitar chords of Jonathan F. Horne, who layers jarring harmonies over a vibrant rhythmic mesh of bass and drums. Coiled saxophone extemporizations fill the spaces left from the main idea, leading to a tense, abstract passage marked by chromatic bass motion and daring piano gestures. Buzzing swarms of sound, squeaking and growling reeds, and primal drumming emerge, with electronics lending a stratospheric dimension that lingers until the fade-out. 

If that rendition surprises, the closer, “Austin Vibes” (Håker Flaten has been based in Austin, Texas, since 2009), is a quirky yet catchy fusion of electro-avant-jazz tweaked by tenorist and electronic artist Karl Hjalmar Nyberg. Together with Dahl, he fires scorching blasts before the piece concludes with the swagger of a triumphant march. In contrast, the title track, “Drops”, feels like slow-mo chamber music, subtly stirred by Warelis’ fleet-footed piano notes falling in the background.

The richly textured “Kanón”, written for drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, opens with percussion turned persistent snare ruffs and long sax notes reworked with flickering motions. A central figure emerges from bass and guitar, while drummer Olaf Olsen answers the call with equal precision. Nyberg’s saxophone improvisation is both acrobatic and forceful, though the mood softens into moments of serenity underscored by walking bass and understated drumming. At this juncture, Horne and Dahl are free to explore while Warelis drifts in and out, releasing stylish cascades of notes. The swing intensifies, shifting into an odd-metered vamp before the final electro-punk rave that closes out the piece.

Håker Flaten orchestrates with a singular touch, displaying an exquisite sense of form. Drops is one of those albums better absorbed than analyzed—yet unquestionably essential for adventurous jazz listeners.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Deluge ► 03 - Kanon

Silke Eberhard Trio - Being-A-Ning

Label: Intakt Records, 2025

Personnel - Silke Eberhard: alto saxophone; Jan Roder: bass; Kay Lübke: drums.

German saxophonist and composer Silke Eberhard reunites with her simpatico Berlin-based trio—featuring Jan Roder on bass and Kay Lübke on drums—to deliver ten melodically intricate trialogues built on agile rhythmic ideas. Formed in 2006, the trio navigates lucid structures with both precision and intuition, each member deeply attuned to their instrument while keeping an ear open to the others. Being-A-Ning is her fifth album with the trio.

The trio’s rigor and quick-reacting interplay are evident on the frisky, intricate opener, “What’s in Your Bag”, fruit of countless hours playing together at a virtuosic level. Lübke’s shuffling drums bears a hand to the exclamatory statements jointly unleashed by Eberhard and Roder. A four-note saxophone riff initially underpins the drum solo, while a tensile bass figure shifts the momentum toward the close. With its distinctive tone, “Sao” offers a feast of staccato delineation over exotic rhythms and gentle rattles, evoking the atmosphere of a  near-tribal African ceremony.

The sole piece not penned by Eberhard is “Hans im Glück”, a Lübke’s composition whose motivic transparency and well-crafted metric framework unfold with rich intuition. “New Dance” pulses with frantic enthusiasm, an electro-funk oddity featuring a dazzling Eberhard improvisation, intriguing effects, and a measured drumbeat.

Swinging with eloquence, “Being-A-Ning” nods to Thelonious Monk not only in its title but also in its sound, while also carrying shades of Steve Lacy and Ornette Coleman. It includes an invigorating bass solo and trades with the drummer, who also shines on “Lake”, a freebop-inflected piece that makes us think of Oliver Lake, intentionally or otherwise. “Rubber Boots”, another dance-like number crafted with a firmly established groove and plenty of outside venture, brings the album to a close.

Technically capable and ever in search of fresh possibilities, Eberhard infuses Being-A-Ning with masterful collective articulations and improvisatory flights that celebrate the free spirit.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - What’s in Your Bag ► 05 - New Dance ► 07 - Being-A-Ning

Three-Layer Cake - Sounds the Color of Grounds

Label: Otherly Love Records, 2025

Personnel - Brandon Seabrook: guitars, banjos, tapes; Mike Watt: electric bass, vocals; Mike Pride: drumset, marimba, glockenspiel, dumbeks, bongos, organ; Jonathan Moritz: tenor saxophone (#8).

Sounds the Color of Grounds, the sophomore album by the progressive trio Three-Layer Cake, is full of surprises, oozing a rebellious sense of freedom and energy that is unmistakably the group’s own. The trio consists of adventurous guitarist/banjoist Brandon Seabrook, bassist Mike Watt, and drummer Mike Pride. The group made its debut in 2021 with Stove Top (RareNoise), recorded remotely as an incendiary response to the pandemic. This new album follows the same approach—with the curious detail that Watt, who lives in California, has never met Seabrook or Pride in person. They plan to get together soon at Pride’s studio in Chester, NY, to record their upcoming third album.

“Deliverdance” channels the punk rock spirit of Minutemen—Watt’s former band—but adds complex banjo ornamentation atop the muscular bass and drum texture. Watt’s spoken word here and on a couple other tracks were written for visual artist Raymond Pettibon, designer of the punk band Black Flag’s logo. “From Couplets to Crepuscles” unfolds with altered jazzy guitar chords, loose bass lines turned methodical, steady rhythmic steps, and effervescent drumming.

Pride drums with jaunty mischief on “The Hasta Cloth”, a piece firmly grounded in a bass groove, featuring bold guitar incursions and tinged with funk-rock and New Wave influences. Another lever fusion of funk, rock, and reggae is on display in “Tchotchkes”, where Seabrook adds unexpected crunch to the rhythmic architecture. The sound evokes Marc Ribot and The Lounge Lizards.

In an album that embodies the passion and fire of creative rockers, there’s space for a brushed, groovy jazz piece - and yet “Occluded Ostracized and Onanistic” is delightfully warped by eccentric melodies. “What Was Cut From the Negative Space” begins as a downtempo journey—thanks to Pride’s irresistible rhythm— before evolving into noise-rock territory with fusion hints, having Seabrook’s banjo attacks and distorted guitar simultaneously woven into cathartic ferocity. Studio overdubs were handled by Pride, whose inexorable tom-tom rumbling on “Lickspittle Spatter” perfectly accommodates the Oriental flavors emanated from Seabrook’s bowed banjo. There’s also funk and electronic music influence here.

Moving through pitches and timbres with passionate drive, Three-Layer Cake has crafted an uplifting, hooky-filled album that forges a distinctive style by distilling the best of its eclectic influences.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - From Couplets to Corpuscles ► 04 - What Was Cut From the Negative Space ► 07 - Tchotchkes

Mary Halvorson - About Ghosts

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2025

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar, pocket piano (#1,2,3,8); Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone (1,2,4,5); Brian Settles: tenor saxophone (#1,2,5,8); Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Jacob Garchik: trombone; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Nick Dunston: bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Produced by Deerhoof’s John Dieterich, About Ghosts allows another worthy journey into the musical imagination of one of contemporary jazz’s most creative minds. Groundbreaking guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson presents eight originals, impeccably arranged for her widely praised Amaryllis sextet, plus two guest saxophonists: Immanuel Wilkins on alto and Brian Settles on tenor. Her remarkable talent is on full display throughout the album, where she also plays pocket piano on four tracks.

“Full of Neon” exhibits an exquisite, route-defining navigational pulse, across which unison melodies traverse unflaggingly. Jacob Garchik’s adventurous trombone solo sparks spontaneous reactions from Halvorson, while Settles’ tenor excursion unfolds over a distinct, snare-charged drum flow crafted by Tomas Fujiwara. “Carved From” opens and closes in a chamber jazz mode—horns up front—before entering a rich, uptempo waltz over which Halvorson’s atonal, provocative solo captures the ear and imagination. This is followed by Wilkins’ magnetic discourse.

“Eventual”, a somber ballad infused with mournful solemnity, spotlights vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, while the title track, “About Ghosts”, evokes an Ellingtonian movement reimagined with a 21st-century vision. Still, “Polyhedral”, with its angular, snappy theme delivered at a dazzling tempo, makes an even stronger impact. It’s a two-minute collective effort rather than a showcase for individual soloing.

Wilkins offers another improvisational blast on “Absinthian”, weaving long and fragmented phrases. This highly inventive piece, which blurs boundaries between indie electronic, alternative rock, and avant-garde jazz, stands out through its driving propulsion and fascinating counterpoint. Trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, in his eloquent yet sharply discerning style, also reveals outstanding melodic sensibility. The album concludes with “Endmost”, a 4/4 sonic mission featuring Settles and closing with Fujiwara’s drum solo over synth.

The material is unmistakably Halvorson’s. She and her constellation of superstars explore vast sonic territories without compromising accessibility, constructing intricate textures and bridging sections with both logic and audacity.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Full of Neon ► 02 - Carved From ► 04 - Absinthian

Ches Smith - Clone Row

Label: Otherly Love Records, 2025

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar; Liberty Ellman: guitar; Nick Dunston: bass, electronics; Ches Smith: drums, electronics, vibes.

Ches Smith, a tremendously gifted drummer and composer who’s unafraid to embrace the ingenious intricacies of postmodern music, leads a fantastic new quartet featuring two exceptionally creative guitarists—Mary Halvorson and Liberty Ellman—and the sturdy bassist Nick Dunston. Clone Row, the follow-up to Laugh Ash (Pyroclastic, 2024), opens up a new level of musical experience, pulling us into hip sonic realms tied to contemporary hybridity. 

The album starts by pushing boundaries in all different directions with “Ready Beat”, an electrifying piece that incorporates elements of alternative electronic music, rock-infused swagger, and a motorik-like rhythmic drive. The two guitarists—whether working with the same ideas or taking alternative paths of their own—sound almost too good to be true, delivering tightly coordinated passages and adventurous improvised segments. “Abrade With Me” emerges with guitar shredding and bilateral harmonic currents, supported by agile bass lines and syncopated drum kit attacks. The quartet’s synergistic impact gives rise to countermovements and undercurrents that merge progressive rock, EDM, and even hip-hop aesthetics.

“Clone Row”, composed using a twelve-tone row and contrapuntal methods, glows with an entrancing beat and nu breaks, eventually settling into a vamping 12-beat cycle. Meanwhile, “Heart Breakthrough” features parallel guitar-vibraphone activity, drum machine, ringing tones, and deft guitar runs. Its layered sonic world channels an African sensibility through the inclusion of vibes, all surrounded by a cloud of tasteful electronics.

“Play Bell (For Nick)”, a rock number in five with a zany intro, is similarly rich in electronics, while “Sustained Nightmare” has a few forces pulling it apart, with shifting arpeggiated chords set against a tardy flow of bass notes. This creates an intelligent soundscape of experimental art-rock fused with groovy trip-hop ambiance.

Something truly clicks between these four musicians - their advanced musicality, precision, and interplay are fundamental to the album’s success. Unleashing greatness in his drumming style, Smith crafts off-kilter yet locked-in grooves that serve as the propulsive engines of his compositions. His music grows increasingly adventurous and inventive, even when anchored in simplicity. Clone Row is a gem of modern creative music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ready Beat ► 02 - Abrade With Me ► 05 - Heart Breakthrough ► 06 - Sustained Nightmare

Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet - Sound Remains

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Rez Abbasi: acoustic guitar; Bill Ware: vibraphone; Stephan Crump: bass; Eric McPherson: drums; Hasan Bakr: percussion.

Known for bringing a fresh and edgy vibe to any ensemble he commands or joins, Pakistan-born American jazz guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi—here playing exclusively acoustic with a dry, warm tone—releases his third album with his working quartet. The group features vibraphonist Bill Ware, who adds additional harmonic color, and a core rhythm team who know each other well as the pillars of Borderlands Trio, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Eric McPherson. For the guitarist’s 17th recording, Sound Remains, the quartet expands into a quintet with the addition of percussionist Hasan Bakr. The album is dedicated to Abbasi’s mother, who succumbed to kidney disease two years ago.

Postmodern sensibilities and fusion stylings emerge immediately in “Presence”, where a 12/8 groove, initiated by Abbasi and matched by Crump, leads to rhythmic mutations and adaptable vamping sequences that unify the piece. Ware and Abbasi deliver pulsating solos, and the piece concludes with a brief 7/4 section. The majestic “You Are” opens with a 12-beat cycle vamp that feels intuitive and unforced, eventually landing on a consistent 3/4 tempo subtly propelled by McPherson and Bakr. This melodically engaging piece also features a fine bass solo.

The harmonious guitar/vibes duet “Folk Song” takes the form of an impressionistic poem and is dedicated to Abbasi’s mother, while the gospel-tinged “Purity” closes the album with a compelling backbeat and a sense of hope. Crisp melodicism and open space arrive result from Ware and Abbasi’s intercalated confab as well as Crump’s thoughtful statement. Guitarist and vibraphonist also exchange ideas on “Spin Dream”, another Abbasi original steeped in polyrhythmic stimulation, exalting in rhythmic accents and lilting movements seasoned with touches of Latin and Eastern influences.

Covers of Keith Jarrett’s “Questar”, which blends folk and jazz elements with a fresh perspective, and John Coltrane’s “Lonnie’s Lament”, a poignant minor-mode ballad performed on fretless guitar, reflect Abbasi’s attentive arranging skills. While he remains a boundary-pushing presence in contemporary jazz, his new compositions reflect exploration of presence, mindfulness, and the dissolution of ego-driven attachment.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Presence ► 02 - You Are ► 05 - Spin Dream

Dan Weiss Quartet - Unclassified Affections

Label: Pi Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Peter Evans: trumpet; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Miles Okazaki: guitar; Dan Weiss: drums.

Dan Weiss, a versatile drummer of unhinged creativity, gathers an ensemble of first-tier New York-based players—vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, guitarist Miles Okazaki, and trumpeter Peter Evans—and releases an eight-track album of intelligently composed music specifically envisioned with these brilliant artists in mind. Unclassified Affections follows the equally striking Even Odds (Cygnus Recordings, 2024), with its title drawn from Virginia Woolf’s novel.

Following a simple form, the title track opens with delightful vibraphone melodies that outline a perceptible chord progression. This texture is gradually enriched with acoustic guitar plucks and ethereal voicings, tear-streaked yet pulsating trumpet phrases, and ride cymbal swells, ultimately pared down by a snare-driven arrhythmia. In contrast, “Holotype” erupts with complex, viscerally vibrant rhythmic interplay as staccato phrases dart across a ceaseless cymbal gallop. Evans and Brennan engage in a dazzling parallel motion, held aloft with the precision of a gravity-defying juggler. The thrilling avant-garde aesthetic gives way to a solo drum passage that highlights Weiss’s rhythmic ingenuity before the piece returns conversationally to its hypnotic head.

“Perfection Loneliness” unfolds slowly in 5/4, imbued with a balladic quality following an enchanting vibraphone intro. The largely through-composed “Existence Ticket” delves into contemporary experimentalism, evoking a 21st-century take on Miles Davis fusion.

“Mansion of Madness” suggests a rock foundation through Okazaki’s distorted guitar but quickly evolves into something fractured, almost manic. The piece tapers into reflective abstraction, exuding boldness without fully igniting. Evans shines with pressure-cooked phrasing in a segment that flirts with electronica, and the piece closes with a heavy metal-like propulsion. “Consoled Without Consolation” offers polyphony and polyrhythmic insight with a formidable, occasionally syncopated drum beat running in the back, getting darker and denser during Evans and Okazaki’s conjoint crusade, and then quite poetic during Brennan’s solo statement. 

Weiss’ greatness and versatility are categorically displayed in tracks like “Plusgood”, a vibrant excursion into African rhythms subtly tinged with Brazilian flavor—Evans even seems to mimic a cuíca—and the closer, “Dead Wail Revelry”, an astutely structured journey through shifting grooves and moods, steeped in the breath and depth of modern jazz language.

The closer you listen, the more exquisite detail emerges from the quartet’s interaction. Viewed in the context of his entire body of work, it’s clear that Weiss stands among the most compelling drummer-composers on the contemporary scene. Unclassified Affections is here to prove it.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Unclassified Affections ► 02 - Holotype ► 04 - Mansion of Madness ► 07 - Plusgood

Patrick Zimmerli - Songs of Innocence

Label: EMP, 2025

Personnel - Patrick Zimmerli: soprano saxophone; Kevin Hays: piano; Satoshi Takeishi: percussion.

American saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli has long given jazz aficionados solid reasons to regard him as a masterful composer and arranger. Following the spectacular quartet album Clockworks (Songlines, 2018), eight of his compositions from a 2014 suite were interpreted by the Joshua Redman Trio alongside the string ensemble Brooklyn Rider on the album Sun on Sand (Nonesuch, 2019). In 2020, he released Book of Dreams on Newvelle Records with longtime collaborators, pianist Kevin Hays and drummer Satoshi Takeishi. This same trio reconvenes for Songs of Innocence, channeling their creative energies into five original pieces partly inspired by British poet William Blake. 

Zimmerli’s rhythmically knotty tendencies come through in the edgy 11/8 tempo of “60 Morningside”, a piece referencing the red-brick house of Columbia University’s president, seen during his morning walks. His mellifluous soprano sax feels spiritually expansive during the theme and high-flying while improvising. It concludes with a folk-inspired vamp that effectively breaks up the abstraction. “Crow or Dove”, inspired by a line from a Shakespeare’s sonnet, is smooth and meditative, veiled in a warm ambience.

The festive “Wedding Song” varies in intensity, beginning with hand claps before transitioning into a rhythmically intricate medium-fast tempo. Folk and contemporary classical elements are frequent in Zimmerli’s work, also surfacing in “Torsion”, a twisty, odd-metered number with a natural flow and corkscrewing melody, entering a rhythmically vibrant nine-beat vamp before returning to its eloquent theme.

“Dreamscape”, marked by an additive septuple meter {3+4} and crashing rhythmic accents, showcases an impeccable integration of low-register piano work and percussion. It stands out as a vivid reflection of the strange, often unsettling nature of the subconscious, reaching a climax during a vamping 14-beat cycle sequence. At this juncture, Zimmerli’s soprano burns with intensity and urgency.

Zimmerli’s trio balances flowing melodies, intricate rhythms, and kaleidoscopic harmonies within clear structures. Hinting at experimental curiosity, his compositions remain consistently compelling.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - 60 Morningside ► 04 - Dreamscape ► 05 - Torsion

Adam O'Farrill - For These Streets

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2025

Personnel - Adam O’Farrill: trumpet, flugelhorn; Kevin Sun: tenor saxophone, clarinet; David Léon: alto saxophone, flute; Kalun Leung: trombone, euphonium; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Tyrone Allen: double bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Brooklyn trumpeter and composer Adam O’Farrill reaches new heights of passion, drama, and urgency with his latest album, For These Streets, a tribute to the literature, film, and music of the 1930s, drawing inspiration from Henry Miller, Virginia Woolf, Stravinsky, and Otavio Paz. Leading an all-star octet, O’Farrill crafts inventive musical arrangements with skewed angles, supported by rising saxophonists Kevin Sun and David Léon, trombonist Kalun Leung, acclaimed guitarist Mary Halvorson, recently lauded vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, bassist Tyrone Allen, and notable drummer Tomas Fujiwara. The ensemble is conducted by Eli Greenhoe.

The album’s opener, “Swimmers”, absolutely stuns, unfolding fluidly through dynamic passages. It begins in rubato mode with sparse guitar chords and bass pointillism before seamlessly transitioning into agile trumpet phrasing and propulsive drumming. Brennan and Halvorson—sought-after accompanists and improvisers appearing in numerous projects—provide harmonically rich counterpoint, a contrast-colored technique that recurs throughout the album. Jarringly catchy vamps and intricate collective movements are laid over odd-metered rhythms, enhancing the music’s unpredictability.

“Nocturno, 1932” moves with a mournful, waltzing cadence, its velvety flute and chamber texture infusing an airy spaciousness before the horns engage in contrapuntal brilliance in quintuple time. Also packed with counterpoint in support of O’Farrill’s wailing trumpet is “Speeding Blots of Ink”, but not before Halvorson shines with labyrinthine melodic trails, staccato harmonies, and mesmerizing effects. A subtle funk underpins the rhythm, culminating in a woolly saxophone-driven passage marked by an elegant, romantic touch.

“Migration” is soulfully intoned yet layered with solemnity and necessary gravitas, most of them coming from Allen's bowed bass. Brennan, marking every 10-beat cycle, meanders freely before a final woodwind-infused chamber passage concludes the piece. In “And So On”, the horns swoop and soar above a smoky 3/4 rhythmic tapestry, chewing up the scenery with gritty delight, while “Late June” radiates optimism with key changes, expert textural nuance, and a soothing saxophone statement.

“Streets”, an inebriating duet between O’Farrill and Halvorson, merges the balladic lyricism of Enrico Rava with the expressive depth of Ambrose Akinmusire, setting poignant trumpet lines against warped guitar trajectories. Meanwhile, “Rose” has the instruments counterbalancing one another, also exploring sections of cathartic avant-garde and rock-infused energy.

O’Farrill’s angular drive never forsakes melodic intent, making his music feel simultaneously exploratory, airy, disciplined, and often gently expressive. Designing charts with intricate cross-hatched lines, he stands at the peak of his compositional prowess.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Swimmers ► 05 - Speeding Blots of Ink ► 06 - Streets ► 10 - Late June

Nels Cline - Consentrik Quartet

Label: Blue Note Records, 2025

Personnel - Nels Cline: guitar; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor saxophone; Chris Lightcap: bass; Tom Rainey: drums.

In his latest album, Nels Cline—an astoundingly skilled guitarist and composer— leads a formidable new quartet featuring saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, bassist Chris Lightcap, and drummer Tom Rainey. Consentrik Quartet, their self-titled release, is a testament to the strength of each musician’s abilities, and includes original compositions inspired both by the pandemic and the exciting improvisational Brooklyn music scene. 

The vanguard side of Cline’s compositions blossoms into new vistas. “The Returning Angel” unfolds in a rubato form, layering enigmatic guitar arpeggios, brushed snare textures, scintillating cymbal work, and poised saxophone melodies. At a key moment, the bass locks in with the guitar, shifting into a slow 6/4 time feel before segueing into “The 23”, a fantastic amalgamation of rich tones and deftly chosen notes. Lightcap’s addictive bass groove casts a spell, Laubrock weaves through inventive trajectories, and Cline infuses mesmerizing harmonic colors, embracing jazz, rock, and blues with openness and fluency. 

“Surplus” begins with sax and guitar in seamless communion before transitioning into odd-metered passages brimming with rhythmic intent. Cline’s phenomenal chordal sequence hints at a bluesy funk inclination, enhanced by a smeary overdrive effect. He repeats the feat on “Satomi”, written for bassist/singer Satomi Matsuzaki of the band Deerhoof, in a playful yet provocative avant-jazz-meets-post-rock setting that culminates in a less impetuous, chamber-like passage tinged with mournful tones.

“Slipping Into Something” hits all the right pleasure nodes, beginning with a hypnotic intro before settling into an unfaltering 15-beat cycle groove. Over this foundation, Cline and Laubrock exchange rapid-fire notes in a gripping dialogue, all laced with a sturdy rock feel that seamlessly carries over to “The Bag”. Written for Rainey, this piece showcases his drumming mastery—whether delivering intricate conversational textures, charging forward with a swinging drive, or providing sole support for Laubrock’s quick-witted improvisation. Eventually, Cline’s nimble guitar phrasing and Lightcap’s assertive bass conduction join the mix, reinforcing the piece’s momentum.

“Allende” suspends itself in an ethereal space, sprinkled with shimmering sonic particles, while “House of Steam” navigates an array of exciting meter signatures and rhythms. “Question of Mark” boils with plenty of noise, and “Time of No Sirens” offers a soothing counterpoint, imbued with emotional depth. No Matter the source of inspiration, Cline and his ensemble infuse the music with a fearless sense of perspective.

Consentrik Quartet is a truly collaborative ensemble, approaching music from unexpected angles and delivering an exhilarating listening experience. This album is a gem that should not be missed.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The 23 ► 03 - Surplus ► 04 - Slipping Into Something ► 09 - The Bag

Ambrose Akinmusire - Honey From a Winter Stone

Label: Nonesuch Records

Personnel - Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Kokayi: vocals; Sam Harris: piano; Chiquitamagic: synths; Dustin Brown: drums + Mivos Quartet.

The inimitable trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire stands among the most creative and ambitious musicians of his generation. His new outing, Honey From a Winter Stone, is a visionary collection of originals inspired by the work of composer Julius Eastman. Here, Akinmusire channels the fears and struggles of Black men, striving to deepen emotional expression while adhering to well-constructed frameworks.

The album’s five original compositions are vivid and powerful, fusing elements of jazz, classical, and hip-hop to forge an authentic style where ethos and cohesion take center stage. “Muffled Screams” evokes a near-death experience Akinmusire survived, beginning with Sam Harris' plaintive piano lines, supported by Justin Brown’s cymbal colorations and tom-tom eruptions. Akinmusire balances texture and color, crafting a shimmering lyricism whose elongated tones intensify both melancholy and primal cries.

“Bloomed” opens with the Mivos Quartet fully commanding a modern classical exploration, eventually morphing into a groovy, hip-hop-infused jazz atmosphere that highlights Akinmusire’s expressive phrases. “MYanx” features fleet, intricate drumming, ominous synths by Chiquitamagic, Kokayi’s commanding spoken word, and rhythmic, motivic string gestures. These elements converge with sharp, piercing trumpet lines that amplify and expand the tonal landscape.

A fat, rounded bass synth and an entrancing hip-hop beat permeate “Owled”, one of the album’s most captivating pieces. The Mivos Quartet and Kokayi shine here, delivering their grippiest performance, but there’s also an ambient middle section with soaring vocals before the piece concludes with piano, strings and cymbals finding common ground. 

Headed in an intriguing direction, “s-/Kinfolks” is a 29-minute odyssey traversing avant-garde ambient textures, free funk downtempo, and outlandish free jazz improvisation with the same penchant for experimentation. Akinmusire plays with élan and explores extended techniques. His performance becomes more melodic during a delicate passage softened by introspective piano and crestfallen strings. A hip-hop groove underpins Kokayi’s authoritative rap before culminating in two captivating duologues: trumpet over strings and piano over drums.

This engaging, honest session reveals Akinmusire’s musical versatility and essential message, offering a remarkable showcase of his exceptional artistry.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Bloomed ► 04 - Owled ► 05 - s-/Kinfolks

Tim Berne - Yikes Too

Label: Screwgun Records / Out of Your Head Records

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Greg Belisle-Chi: guitar; Tom Rainey: drums.

The influential saxophonist Tim Berne leads a new explorative trio called Capotosta, taking listeners on a sonic journey filled with hidden treasures. Berne enjoys the inventive support of two other creative visionaries: guitarist Greg Belisle-Chi, a recent yet highly compatible collaborator, and drummer Tom Rainey, a longtime associate who played an important role in Berne’s acclaimed avant-jazz trios Big Satan and Hardcell.

Yikes Too is a double album with two distinct parts. The first disc features ten studio tracks recorded at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, while the second captures a live concert performance in Seattle. The album’s mixing and mastering are handled by guitarist and producer David Torn, Berne’s collaborator in the Sun of Goldfinger and Sunny Five projects.

The trio’s telepathy and responsive cohesion has been honed through weekly gigs at Brooklyn’s Lowlands. This synergy is evident from the opening track, “Oddly Enough”, which showcases their like-mindedness, Berne’s creative genius, and Rainey’s vibrant drumming that balances angular unisons. The shifting rhythmic patterns create space for Belisle-Chi’s abstract guitar explorations, which Berne joins with soaring alto sax lines over contorted noise guitar textures and charged drum activity.

In a nearly 10-minute odyssey “Guitar Star”, Belisle-Chi’s distorted introduction evokes dark shadows, oscillating between eerie Celtic underworld sounds and radiant bursts of light piercing through opaque textures. “Yikes” blends alternative rock with avant-garde jazz as Berne delivers expressive melodies brimming with twists and tangles.

Rainey’s drumset mastery shines on “Yikes 2”, flanked by robust, deliberately imperfect sax-guitar unisons, and “Julius Hemphill”, a reflective tribute to Berne’s mentor and hero. Operating on the same wavelength, the musicians offer beautiful, emotionally stricken moments, and the piece evolves into a foreign dance propelled by intricate rhythmic patterns.

“Bat Channel” offers a compelling framework of engrossing chordal accompaniment, eloquent sax lines, and comfortable chatting drums. “Trauma”, on the other hand, feels chantingly motivic with its cohesive ideas and nonconformist pulse, driven by an articulate 12-beat cycle riff that makes us feel the ground under our feet. The first disc closes with “Sorry Variations”, a sometimes-free, sometimes-mathematical excursion of spontaneous linguistic expression that embodies the album’s overarching mood.

Berne continues to carve out a unique niche as both a visionary artist and fierce improviser. His collaborators also deserve significant credit for the album's dynamic success.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Oddly Enough ► 03 - Yikes ► 06 - Julius Hemphill ► 08 - Trauma

Tyshawn Sorey Trio - The Susceptible Now

Label: Pi Recordings, 2024

Personnel - Aaron Diehl: piano; Harish Raghavan: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums.

The excellent trio of multi-awarded drummer Tyshawn Sorey—featuring pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Harish Raghavan—delivers its fourth album of covers with through-composed forms and inspiring tune modifications that explore many new directions. The album, The Susceptible Now, highlights the kaleidoscopic brilliance of their musical interaction through deft arrangements and expanded renditions of pieces deeply personal to Sorey, both new and old. This work represents a completely different sound and approach compared to his own improvisation-driven compositions. 

McCoy Tyner’s “Peresina” is reshaped with inventive nuance, beginning with Diehl’s reflective piano intro featuring sparse, thoughtful chord progressions. Sorey’s enlightened brushwork and Raghavan’s elegant melodic drive join in, establishing a groove that evolves through bursts of unexpected energy. Diehl thrives within the supportive, inventive rhythms sculpted by his collaborators. After a series of rhythmic mutations, the piece concludes on the same cool tone with which it began, revisiting the last eight bars of the tune’s third section.

Sorey first encountered “A Chair in the Sky” while watching the documentary Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog, later discovering it on Joni Mitchell’s album Mingus (Asylum Records, 1979). Perfectly suited for dimmed lights and introspective moods, the piece opens with calm, abstract piano lines, creating a tranquil ambiance. Delicate brush touches and breathing bass lines gradually shape its form. Following Raghavan’s admirable bass solo, filled with rhythmic and melodic intention, the trio concludes with soulful, poignant beauty, enhanced by Sorey’s expressive drum fills and cymbal colorations.

The inclusion of Vividry’s contemporary soul-pop tune “Your Good Lies” may come as a surprise but stands out as one of the album’s most joyful moments. This 15-section through-composed marvel brims with whimsical invention and vibrant energy. Syncopated piano chords and refined passages create a groove-laden journey that reinterprets jazz language to unlock new possibilities.

Sorey dedicates Brad Mehldau’s “Bealtine” to his good friend Anthony Amadeo, a drum historian and collector. The tune’s swinging, uptempo three-time feel showcases the trio’s unique voice, reflecting the talent of three musicians who sound unmistakably like themselves. 

The Susceptible Now is a lucid, masterful work that, while precisely arranged in a modern fashion, maintains a pervasive sense of freedom and executional flexibility.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Peresina ► 03 - Your Good Lies

Ivo Neame - Zettalogue

Label: Ubuntu Records, 2024

Personnel - Ivo Neame: piano; George Crowley: tenor saxophone; Tom Farmer: double bass; James Maddren; drums.

Ivo Neame, a highly skilled British pianist and composer, is a name to watch closely. His tenth album as a leader, Zettalogue, stands at the forefront of the European jazz scene, showcasing music that is both complex and organic, characterized by odd meters, nuanced expression, and fluid rhythmic and harmonic transitions. The seven compositions on this album—including two revisited pieces—are richly textured and anchored by a sophisticated modern edge, drawing from a variety of genres. He is joined by invaluable regular associates, saxophonist George Crowley, bassist Tom Farmer, and drummer James Maddren, who together craft a compelling musical mosaic.

“The Rise of the Lizard People”, a track originally featured in Neame’s large ensemble album Glimpses of Truth (Whirlwind Recordings, 2021), opens the album with a lively, offbeat rhythmic cadence driven by an engaging piano riff. This wake-up call to the American people is marked by intricate parallel sax-piano lines and a freewheeling piano solo by Neame, filled with bold ascents and seamless landings. The following track, “Drone Yer Sorrows”, channels rhythmic inventiveness reminiscent of Chick Corea and Joe Henderson, blending Latin and post-bop influences. Crowley seizes the opportunity to shine, delivering fiery, dark-toned expressions. 

The dynamic title track, “Zettalogue”, evokes the sensation of a high-speed train racing through a smoky landscape. Tempo shifts mimic perpetual motion, conjuring the blurred scenery outside the train’s window. The saxophone’s multi-line effects elevate the melody, providing a sense of urgency and energy. In contrast, “The Trouble With Faith” offers a moment of introspection. This ballad creates space for reflection, balancing the album’s otherwise energetic tone with serene elegance.

“Pala” and “Être Sur le Train de Gravy” are standout examples of the quartet’s cohesive interplay, blending intricate meters with a focus on creative freedom within well-defined structures. The former, propelled by Maddren’s captivating drumming, originally appeared on the quartet’s album Moshka (Edition Records, 2018). The latter, a fresh modal creation, features Crowley’s commanding tenor saxophone, which soars with intensity and flair.

Filled with musical twists and turns, Zettalogue consistently surprises and delights, resonating deeply with the postmodern zeitgeist of the 21st century.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Rise of the Lizard People ► 02- Drone Yer Sorrows ► 03 - Zettalogue ► 05 - Être Sur le Train de Gravy

The Bad Plus - Complex Emotions

Label: Mack Avenue Records, 2024

Personnel - Chris Speed: tenor saxophone; Ben Monder: guitar; Reid Anderson: bass, synth; Dave King: drums, synth.

The Bad Plus, a quartet of first-rate musicians renowned for their genre-blurring compositions, returns with their latest album, Complex Emotions. Saxophonist Chris Speed and guitarist Ben Monder, who joined founding members bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King in 2021, have become integral to the ensemble. Their second album as a quartet features eight original compositions—four by Anderson, two by King, and one each by Speed and Monder. Together, these pieces explore the individual compositional voices of the band members who rove beyond the confines of stereotyped jazz and rock to create something wholly distinctive.

The album opens with two Anderson-penned tracks. “Grid/Ocean” is smoothly laid down with a blend of wet and dry percussion timbres, a soulful melody that puts light in the horizon, and a circular pop/rock harmony. Monder’s guitar work dazzles, glowing with intensity as King’s cymbal flourishes build to an exhilarating climax. The next track, “French Horns”, is marked by an invigorating rhythm, drawing freely from alternative rock and featuring synchronized guitar-sax melodies, anthemic chordal patterns supporting Speed’s nimble improvisation, and a scorching, metal-inspired guitar solo by Monder.

King’s flair for rhythmic complexity and tricky meters shines on “Casa Ben”,  which, delivered with a progressive rock posture, showcases a killer theme centered on a dazzling descendant phrase, and variations of 10 and 12 beat-cycle passages. Speed’s “Cupcakes One” channels a punk rock vibe and a pop melody, elevated by Monder’s inventive solo. The track’s infectious rhythm invites listeners to move, much like Anderson’s expansive “Carrier”, a groove-laden piece driven by an off-kilter beat shuffle. Nonetheless, Monder and Speed provide a contrasting dreamy feel, creating a Mazzy Star-kind of melancholy, while Anderson’s bass shifts seamlessly from understated to commanding. 

The adventurous “Deep Water Sharks”, another Anderson composition, offers a vibrant krautrock-inspired groove filled with rapid ideas, guitar noise and scattered harmonics, as well as melodic fluidity. Speed’s improvisation injects further vitality into the track. The album concludes with Monder’s “Li Po”, an eery, atmospheric number filled with dark suspensions and continuous tension. Previously featured on Monder’s triple album Planetarium, this haunting piece feels tailor-made for a mystery or horror film soundtrack.

Complex Emotions solidifies The Bad Plus as a sensational post-modern jazz act. By forging fresh paths and emphasizing the distinct musical identities of its members, the album offers a compelling and multifaceted listening experience, confirming the quartet’s creative vitality.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Grid/Ocean ► 02 - French Horns ► 05 - Cupcakes One ► 06 - Carrier