Melissa Aldana - Filin

Label: Blue Note Records, 2026

Personnel - Melissa Aldana: tenor saxophone; Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Kush Abadey: drums + Guest - Cecile McLorin Salvant: vocals (#3,5).

Chilean-born saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana has long expressed the desire to record a ballads album in the tradition of John Coltrane and other masters. She fulfills that intention with her new quartet—Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums—while adding a distinctive twist: the repertoire is devoted exclusively to Filin songs, a US-influenced Cuban style popular from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Filin, her third release as a leader on Blue Note Records, contains moments of genuine romanticism, though it does not consistently deliver the spark or sense of discovery that might make the material fully compelling.

The album opens with a confident reimagining of Salvador Levi’s “La Sentencia”, where the delicacy of touch in the rubato piano playing and the velvety saxophone establish an inviting mood. The melodies, shaped with a soulful warmth à-la Charles Lloyd, rest securely on Washington’s rounded, supportive bass lines and Abadey’s soft brushes-on-snare and cymbal legato. “No Te Empeñes Más” introduces guest vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, whose expressive delivery enhances the piece, alongside heartfelt solos from Aldana and Rubalcaba. Salvant also appears on “Las Rosas No Hablan”, written by Brazilian samba master Cartola, rendered in graceful Spanish and sustained by the quartet’s refined accompaniment.

Brazilian presence is further felt through “Little Church” by Hermeto Pascoal, one of the album’s highlights. The piece moves between soulful lyricism and spacious dimensions, with Aldana’s saxophone projecting an almost ethereal glow over Rubalcaba’s sensitive pianism and Abadey’s subtle rhythmic commentary. “Imágenes” and the closing “No Pidas Imposibles” unfold as languid meditations, the former marked by Aldana’s wistfully dark yet airy tone, the latter distinguished by Rubalcaba’s exquisite grace.

Aldana’s unique musical habitat—where passages coalesce with discretion and often in predictable contours—finds particular resonance in “Ocaso”, composed by Mexican guitarist Claudio Estrada. The main melody has a dark feel to it, while the final vamping pulse comes injected with a disengaged, almost unconcerned air. 

Yet while the musicianship is consistently polished here, Aldana’s artistic voice tends to resonate more vividly to me when she channels her creativity into her own original compositions.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - La Sentencia ► 05 - Las Rosas No Hablan ► 06 - Little Church

Ingrid Jensen - Landings

Label: Newvelle Records, 2026

Personnel - Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Gary Versace: organ; Marvin Sewell: guitar; Jon Wikan: drums + George Coleman: tenor saxophone (#1).

Resourceful Canadian trumpeter and composer Ingrid Jensen—a key member of the acclaimed all-female jazz ensemble Artemis—continues to assert herself as a commanding bandleader and inventive composer with her new album, Landings. Released exclusively on vinyl to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the French label Newvelle Records, the album features eight tracks: five originals from members of her quartet and three carefully chosen covers.

Jensen is joined by the buoyant rhythm section of guitarist Marvin Sewell, organist Gary Versace, and her husband, drummer Jon Wikan, and welcomes legendary saxophonist George Coleman on the astonishing opener, “Amsterdam After Dark”. Composed by Coleman in 1978, the piece is delivered in sparkling form, tipping a subtle hat to Chick Corea and Donald Byrd. At 89, Coleman remains incisive and focused, weaving rapid, multihued lines over harmonically rich textures while Jensen’s inspired trumpet solo glows with effulgent tone, remarkable range, and striking melodicism.

Jensen’s own “New Body” plunges into atmospheric balladry with distinction, beginning with rubato guitar before settling into a steady 4/4 pulse, culminating in a breathy, contemplative finish. The title track, “Landings”, features adjustable grooves, melodic impact, and harmonic nuance, blending post-bop and fusion elements while later exploring R&B and funk frameworks.

Carla Bley’s impressionistic classic “Ida Lupino” is rendered with gentle refinement, while Sewell’s “The Worker’s Dance” anchors itself in a firm 3/4 lock-step, highlighting the guitarist’s semi-acoustic textures and Versace’s driving organ. Versace’s own composition, “Many Homes Many Places”, projects a lively Wes Montgomery Trio vibe fused with Miles Davis–inspired electric color, allowing the ensemble to swing freely and engage in crisp, responsive interplay.

The album closes with trumpeter Jim Knapp’s gorgeously bluesy “Home”, a piece closely associated with Jensen’s live repertoire. Marked by Wikan’s sensitive brushwork, the track showcases the quartet’s cohesion and melodic charm. Landings confirms the artistry of Jensen and her collaborators, delivering music that is both technically accomplished and deeply persuasive.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Amsterdam After Dark ► 02 - New Body ► 05 - Landings ► 06 - The Worker’s Dance

Haeun Joo - Just Gravity

Label: 577 Records, 2026

Personnel - Haeun Joo: piano; Chris Tordini: double bass; Steven Crammer: drums.

New York-based Korean pianist Haeun Joo’s debut album, Just Gravity, presents sharp, crisp solo piano inventions alongside astutely executed trio explorations, tracing sometimes divergent, sometimes vividly descriptive musical landscapes. Joo teams up with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Steven Crammer on four of the ten improvised tracks, carving out images of fragmentation, contemplation, and beauty.

The opening pieces, “Salt and Silence” and “Noah”, are openly built as solo piano narrations. The former feels glamorously detached yet firmly anchored in the low and middle registers, probing fleet trills, staccato chordal sequences, and appealing motions. The latter flows with a more traditional approach and clearer thematic ideas without ever losing its sense of direction. Shifting tempos never disrupt the music’s seamless flow.

The first trio piece, “Jumping Into the Flow”, features Crammer’s distinctive rhythmic sensibility creating a magnetic cross-current that rubs against Tordini’s vigorous bass plucks and muted strums. Joo is free to roam, yet the trio achieves a functional connection that is plainly reflected in the music. They venture into dense timbral forests before gradually thinning their instrumental intensity for a judicious, resolute conclusion. The excellent “Ellie the Paw” exudes a classy jazz feel, propelled by crisp brushwork and smooth, rounded bass notes. It is crowned by deliberately spacious piano playing and settles into a vamp that, shifting chromatically, acquires a sultry Latin tinge secured by a powerful bass pedal point.

“Authentic Taste” offers prime solo piano moments, combining poignant modern classical language with the dreamy jazz ballad sensibility associated with Billy Strayhorn. “Indefatigable” highlights Joo’s instinctive left hand as a foundational groove engine, complemented by melodic agility in the upper register. The intonation always feels grounded, riding creative waves with exploratory excitement. Crammer comes to the fore again on “Soft Collapse”, beginning with hypnotic mallet work before being joined by Tordini’s air-permeable bass drive and Joo’s unflappable pianism. Toward the end, the drummer shifts to gently propulsive snare fluxes and sophisticated cymbal choices.

Pulsing with experimental textures and a deceptive sense of form, Just Gravity sounds as if it is in perpetual motion. Joo, a spontaneous storyteller, never swamps her peers, instead using her energy and melodic sensitivity to shape something collectively engaging.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Salt and Silence ► 05 - Ellie The Paw ► 06 - Authentic Taste

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

Russ Lossing - Proximity Alert

Label: Songs, 2025

Personnel - Russ Lossing: piano; Mark Helias: bass; Eric McPherson: drums.

Ohio-born, New York–based pianist and composer Russ Lossing is a devoted explorer of the piano trio format. Early on, he collaborated with bassist Ed Schuller and drummer Paul Motian, later forming a long-running trio with bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Billy Mintz, with whom he released Moon Inhabitants (Sunnyside) in early 2025. In 2020, Lossing probed yet another trio setting alongside bassist Mark Helias and drummer Eric McPherson, resulting in Mood Suite (Steeplechase). Those two seasoned musicians now serve as the structural backbone of Proximity Alert, an 11-track session whose music consistently calls for dialogue, awareness, and discovery.

“Incommunicado” opens with a theme that feels both epic in stance and lively in tone, revealing modern classical undercurrents. The improvisational passages, however, are defined by space and restraint. Allowing the music to breathe, the trio favors sparse, measured, and often scintillating gestures. “Boo-Da” is eloquent and expressionistic, yet Lossing’s taste for seductive ambiguity leads the piece down unexpected paths. McPherson injects the final head with a burst of snare-driven urgency.

“Apostrophe” unfolds as a modern chamber exploration, shaped by Helias’ resonant arco bass, McPherson’s shimmering brushwork, and Lossing’s perceptive melodic sense, all lending the piece a supple elasticity. It stands in contrast to the tightly synchronized, prog-rock-tinged muscularity of the title track, which revolves around a persistent seven-beat piano riff. Helias turns beautifully percussive in his bass dance, as the texture thickens into something simultaneously swinging, spongy, and fiercely swirling.

These richly layered tapestries stem from a narrative-minded approach that allows ideas to evolve patiently through close listening and precise execution. The playful, buoyant “Rhythmique” and the meditative ballad “Lamento” exemplify this balance. The former features crisp staccatos, a flowing swing at its core, and freewheeling rhythmic shifts, while the latter, more even-tempered but no less inventive, opens onto a deep and reflective emotional terrain.

“Relentless” is heated up by a crisp, power-precision figure in nine, finalizing the procedures with unshakable certitude, while “Silent Alarm”, a freely improvised piece, atmospherically fits in the classy whole.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Incommunicado ► 04 - Proximity Alert ► 06 - Rhythmique ► 07 - Lamento

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!

Joel Ross - Gospel Music

Label: Blue Note Records, 2025

Personnel - Joel Ross: vibraphone, celeste (#1,11,17), mellotron (#17), glockenspiel (#1,11), drums (#11,12); Maria Grand: tenor saxophone; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone; Jeremy Corren: piano; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass; Jeremy Dutton: drums + Guests - Laura Bibbs: vocals (#11), flugelhorn (#17); Ekep Nkwelle: vocals (#12); Andy Louis; vocals, guitar (#13); Geoff Gallante: piano (#11); Brandee Younger: harp (#17); Austin White: electronics (#17).

Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross has been steadily reshaping the contemporary jazz landscape with his extraordinary mallet work. Inspired by faith, devotion to God, and gratitude, Ross—who was deeply involved in Chicago’s Black church—offers a sonic manifestation of love and hope with Gospel Music, his fifth album for Blue Note Records. This 17-chapter interpretation of the biblical story unfolds through a core sextet composed of his Good Vibes group, joined here by alto saxophonist Josh Johnson (standing in for Immanuel Wilkins), alongside a handful of distinguished guests appearing on selected tracks.

“Wisdom is Eternal (For Barry Harris)” opens the album with a vamp built on a nine-beat cycle, its chanting saxophones moving in unison to add texture and melodic shape. The exquisitely expressive “Trinity” follows, propelled by a lively odd-meter groove that supports bravura turns by Ross, Johnson, pianist Jeremy Corren, and tenor saxophonist Maria Grand. An undercurrent of buoyant swing paves the way here.

“Protovangelium” begins anchored by Kanoa Mendenhall’s deep arco bass before shifting to pizzicato, gradually growing more tender and intimate, and ultimately returning to its initial depth. Subtle tempo inflections and impeccable teamwork are evident here, as well as on harmonically rich, more urgent pieces such as “Nevertheless” and “Word For Word”. The former highlights intricate melodies delivered with natural ease, while the latter leans into blues-inflected phrasing, vibrant rhythmic motion, and passionately voiced personal statements.

“Hostile” is a post-bop burner, driven by inexorable lines and a crisp, propulsive rhythm section, while “Repentance” thrives on carefully coordinated energy and contemporary openness, unfolding through instinctive, challenging vamps. The material is varied, and the ensemble approaches it with virtuosic command and a sense of calm, purposeful development.

The anthemic “A Little Love Goes a Long Way” marks a turning point in the album and leads into three consecutive vocal pieces. Frank Schoen’s “Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ” features Ross’s wife, Laura Bibbs, who first introduced the song to him. Betty King Johnson’s “Calvary” is beautifully rendered by vocalist Ekep Nkwelle, with Ross subtly destabilizing the rhythmic flow through additional percussion. “The Giver”, with lyrics by James Baldwin, is arranged as an intimate duet, pairing Corren with singer-guitarist Andy Louis.

There are other surprises, like “Be Patient”, which carries a Kurt Rosenwinkel’s Next Step vibe but with piano; and “The New Man”, which brims an ecstatic New Orleans kind of vibe. The closing chapter, “Now & Forevermore”, cools things down with a richly textured palette that includes harp, electronics, celeste, mellotron, bowed bass, and vibes.

Abounding in sophisticated harmonic turns and thoughtful structural design, Gospel Music is an artfully realized statement. Deeply personal yet broadly resonant, it fits seamlessly into Ross’s catalogue, affirming both his spiritual vision and his growing musical authority.

Favorite Tracks:
07 - Word For Word ► 12 - Calvary ► 15 - Be Patient

André Carvalho - Of Fragility and Impermanence

Label: Robalo, 2025

Personnel - Andre Carvalho: double bass; José Soares: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Raquel Reis: cello; Samuel Gapp: piano; João Hasselberg: electronics.

Inspired by parenthood, a series of life changes that led to self-discovery, as well as memories of his own childhood, Portuguese bassist and composer André Carvalho releases Of Fragility and Impermanence, a collection of 12 tracks that firmly situates itself on the left side of the jazz spectrum. Throughout his career, Carvalho—who lived in New York for seven years—has consistently demonstrated his strengths as a composer, leader, and sideman. More recently, he has devoted time to film scoring, earning several awards in the process.

The fascinating “A Galope” opens the album, foregrounding electronics and shaping its ebb and flow through counterpoint and carefully paced motion. Rooted in contemporary classical music, jazz experimentalism, and the fertile space between them, the piece builds toward a vibrant rhythmic current before receding quietly. Carvalho’s trenchant arco work and Samuel Gapp’s expansive piano gestures are especially striking here. “Dentes de Leite” follows as a vaporous ballad whose poised elegance is matched by its sophisticated 3+3+2 pulse.

The quintet’s unconventional instrumentation serves the poignant “Dores de Crescimento”, an ambient piece grounded in cello legato, bass, and electronics, and crowned by serene piano lines and José Soares’ drifting, ethereal saxophone. Channeling modern classical figures such as Ives, Mompou, and Debussy, the piece also reflects a modal sensibility reminiscent of English saxophonist John Surman. “Echoes” leads us into a strange yet quietly magical realm, balancing serenity, ambiguity, and emotion, and evoking a cinematic surrealism through contrasting timbres and softly undulating waves of warmth.

“Infância” stands confidently on its own as a feature for bass and saxophone, their reciprocal dialogue lightly veiled by a thin haze of electronics. It recalls the classically inflected work of Tuxedomoon’s Steven Brown. “The Journey of Kanji Watanabe”—named after the protagonist of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru (1952)—unfolds with pure elegance, offering a minimalist, contemplative meditation on bodily fragility, illness, and death. A related sense of vulnerability permeates the floating chamber atmosphere of “Trica de Irmãos”, though expressed differently: here, a gentle tenderness emerges through measured restraint, carried by Soares’ lyrical bass clarinet and Carvalho’s sensitive bass solo. By contrast, “No Man Ever Steps in the Same River Twice…” adopts a more energetic stance, driven by contrapuntal and parallel lines and taut, staccato-laced passages.

Flawlessly arranged, Of Fragility and Impermanence is emotive and layered without becoming ponderous. The ensemble plays as a true collective, bringing Carvalho’s vision to life with honesty, musical depth, and imagination. It is an album to be discovered slowly, preferably in the quiet of the night.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Galope ► 03 - Dente de Leite ► 04 - Dores de Crescimento ► 08 - No man ever steps in the same river twice…

John Ellis & Double Wide - Fireball

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026

Personnel - John Ellis: tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet; Alan Ferber: trombone; Matt Perrine: sousaphone; Gary Versace: piano, organ, accordion, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer; Jason Marsalis: drums, whistling; Rogerio Boccato: percussion (#4).

Featuring eight originals, Fireball presents multi-reedist John Ellis at the helm of his Double Wide quintet, whose sound and dynamics uplift and surprise as the instruments dance together with an evocative sense of liberation. The music was inspired by a composition fellowship Ellis received in Santa Monica, California, as well as by his recent work for podcasts.

The playful, fanfare-inflected opener “Wash Ya Mouth Out” channels a strong New Orleans spirit through bluesy tones and a mix of honky-tonk and gospel inflections. Propelled by Matt Perrine’s powerful sousaphone—he also delivers the album’s first solo—and Jason Marsalis’ incisive drumming, the piece reaches its peaks when Ellis, on tenor, and trombonist Alan Ferber alternate bars with conversational logic and clarity. This same buoyant ethos animates “Clown Car”, a soul-stirring number steeped in cabaret-style expressiveness.

“Top Down” shifts toward a Brazilian groove, with Ellis on soprano and Ferber slyly interlocked in deep lyricism, while Gary Versace’s keyboard work projects poise and responsiveness, giving the piece a palpable sense of life. “Crocodile Tears” unfolds as a gospel-tinged ballad waltz, and the closer, “From the Ashes”, embraces a spiritual, modal openness that finds the group in sympathetic communion. Originating from a Marsalis drum loop, the piece allows him to recreate freely atop the tapestry woven by the rest of the band.

The spirit of discovery intensifies on the title track, “Fireball”, a danceable tune that elevates the album through complex rhythms rich in accentuation, keen melodies, and a progressive avant-garde urgency that grows increasingly suspenseful and dense. Marsalis’ elastic syncopations, combined with Versace’s accordion and Ellis’ soprano soloing, are particularly formidable. “Meat Pie” is another highlight, keeping the temperature high with its animated groove, compelling solos, and lingering keyboard beams that offer valuable harmonic guidance. Perrine’s magnetic sousaphone adds muscular gravity, while Marsalis unleashes on the toms with impunity.

Designed with harmonic and melodic maturity, Fireball stands at the intersection of post-bop boldness and accessible avant-garde, showcasing Ellis as a thoughtful composer and flexible musician with deep respect for both tradition and modernity.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Fireball ► 07 - Meat Pie ► 08 - From the Ashes

Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet - The Solastalgia Suite

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2026

Personnel - Kris Davis: piano, composition + Lutoslawski Quartet - Roksana Kwasnikowska: violin; Marcin Markowicz: second violin; Artur Rozmyslowicz: viola; Maciej Mlodawski; cello.

Commissioned by the Jazztopad Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, The Solastalgia Suite marks the first opus for piano and string quartet by the exploratory Canadian pianist and composer Kris Davis. The Lutoslawski Quartet helps give voice to compositions influenced by Olivier Messiaen and thematically centered on philosopher Glenn Albrecht’s term solastalgia, a word that defines a form of homesickness experienced while one is still at home.

The opener, “Interlude”, ushers the listener into the record’s distinctive world through a sequence of energetic, staccato-driven gestures, counterpoint, and improvisation. If this piece coheres and enchants, “An Invitation to Disappear” deepens the sense of contemplation and emotional pull, combining restless shards of strings with beautifully shaped, piano-centered passages.

In “The Known End”, modern classical and contemporary chamber elements generate suspenseful, cinematic cadences, punctuated by abrupt starts and stops and kinetic piano reflections. The string quartet’s broad range of attack yields sections that explore contrasting variations, combinations, and atmospheres, with Davis using dynamics expressively throughout. “Pressure & Yield” feels harmonically open, placing acerbic bowed cello and violin at the heart of an intriguing, tense dialogue.

Featuring prepared piano, “Towards No Earthly Pole” draws everything down to a hush, though its repetitiveness slightly dulls the impact. By contrast, “Degrees of Separation”, with its firm sense of direction, is whimsically structured, blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation through finely interlocking moments and responsive interplay. It proves more compelling than most of the preceding pieces, introducing a broader spirit of adventure, even in passages dominated by dreamy piano textures set against floating strings.

One might wish the earlier movements shared the same strength and dynamism as this closing statement. Still, despite a degree of unevenness, those inclined to find beauty in abstraction and creative risk will discover a rewarding experience in The Solastalgia Suite.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Interlude ► 02 - An Invitation To Disappear ► 08 - Degrees of Separation

Odense Jazz Orchestra meets Loren Stillman

Label: AMM Records, 2026

Personnel - Loren Stillman: alto and soprano saxophones + Odense Jazz Orchestra.

Conducted by trumpeter Hans Christian Erbs, the Odense Jazz Orchestra was formed in 1994 and here teams up with American saxophonist and composer Loren Stillman, who contributes six compositions shaped by the lush orchestral contours of this accomplished Danish big band.

The multiple sonic landscapes on offer invite exploration from the outset, beginning with the harmonically supple lyricism of “A Tree Falls”, compellingly layered with shifting keys and deft articulation. Stillman’s alto drives the piece toward heightened emotional peaks before the mood shifts into a lightly funk-inflected passage that provides guitarist Morten Normal with ample space for his excellent narrative sense. “Waterworks” is a richly textured work inspired by a wildflower-lined hiking trail near Missoula, Montana. Impeccably orchestrated through a churning blend of brass and reeds, it features conspicuous guitar comping with a suggestive Brazilian feel, alongside Stillman’s fluent phrasing and clarity of intent.

The blues spirit permeates “Buffalo”, underscored by a funky beat and resonant trombone commentary over a consistently tight rhythmic foundation. Stillman’s intervallic daring and remarkable articulation inject further intensity, ensuring the piece leaves a strong impression. “Like a Magic Kiss”, originally heard on his 2009 album Winter Fruits, reappears here with a gently propulsive rhythmic undercurrent and a finely balanced, synergistic dialogue between saxophone and trumpet.

“Fowlkes”, a tribute to the late trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, places melody at its core. The big band’s collective power unfolds over a 3/4 framework that feels both warm and deeply resonant. The album closes with the superb “Dervish”, a striking bridge between cultures that incorporates elements of Persian music. Its challenging meters, elegant flow, inventive rhythmic shifts, and authoritative solos result in an ethnic-hybrid jazz statement that is harmonically and texturally engaging.

The full depth and breadth of this fertile collaboration reveal themselves over repeated listens, as the band skimp on unnecessary embellishments and focuses instead on inspired, finely detailed arrangements.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Waterworks ► 03 - Buffalo ► 06 - Dervish

Maximilian Hering - The Gathering

Label: Klangraum Records, 2026

Personnel - Fernando Brox: flute; Edu Cabello: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Victor Carrascosa: trumpet, flugelhorn; David Muñoz: double bass; Maximilian Hering: drums + Guest - Lucia Fumero: piano (#1,4).

For his sophomore album, The Gathering, German drummer and composer Maximilian Hering expands the chordless quartet he formed in 2018 in Barcelona with musicians from the local jazz scene by adding flutist Fernando Brox. Spanish pianist Lucia Fumero also joins on two tracks, while trumpeter Victor Carrascosa replaces Félix Rossy in a lineup that brings back alto saxophonist Edu Cabello and double bassist David Muñoz. Of the album’s nine tracks, five were composed by Hering, two by Muñoz, and one each by Cabello and Brox, allowing for a healthy compositional variety among players who clearly trust and understand one another.

Hering’s “Moles On Her Skin” exudes a candid bossa groove, marked by resonant rhythmic accents and a theme that explores facets of love and connection. Brox and Cabello share a conjoint solo built on conversational call-and-response exchanges, their phrasing alive with melodic clarity. Fumero’s piano also comes to the fore here and on the softly brushed ballad “519 km is too far for kissing you”, where she deepens the harmonic perspective with sensitivity and poise. The theme of love continues on “Entre Tu y Yo”, a piece that draws the listener in and establishes a space of calm through its emphatic Latin feel and triple-meter pulse. Intimate and dusky, this Muñoz composition highlights the bass clarinet within a warmly immersive atmosphere.

Cabello’s “Ojo De Madera” opens with Hering’s weighty tom work and selective cymbal use, gradually unfolding into a rhythmically etched cadence shaped by distinct unison passages. The ensuing urgency and animated motion incorporate swift lines and splashing cymbals in an avant-garde-leaning extemporization. This energy flows naturally into “The Gat-hering”, a mercurial blues in six where the soloists fully inhabit the music’s sense of openness and freedom.

The closing “Summer in PT” is another blues, delivered with deep-pocket time and subtle shifts in the rhythmic foundation that better serve the trio of frontline improvisers. By contrast, Hering’s “Route A66”, driven by a lively temperament and a funky undercurrent, features assertive bass motion that, together with the drums, establishes a pulsating center of gravity, setting the stage for Cabello’s searing alto solo. Throughout the album, the sense of collective integration is strong, underscoring the cohesion and shared vision of this ensemble.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Moles On Her Skin ► 02 - Ojo de Madera ► 06 - Route A66

Julian Lage - Scenes From Above

Label: Blue Note Records, 2025

Personnel - Julian Lage: electric and acoustic guitar; John Medeski: Hammond B3 organ, piano; Jorge Roeder: double bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums, percussion; Patrick Warren: piano, bells, percussion, dulcitone, strings.

The versatility and inventive spirit of American guitarist and composer Julian Lage have led him to collaborations with transcendental saxophonist Charles Lloyd, iconic vibraphonist Gary Burton, visionary composer and saxophonist John Zorn, and guitarist-improviser Nels Cline, with whom he released an excellent contemporary duo session in 2014. The follow-up to Speak To Me (Blue Note, 2024), Scenes From Above is a nine-track set of originals—written during what Lage calls a “writing spring”—and dedicated to his father, Mario Lage. The album retains Jorge Roeder on bass while adding keyboardist John Medeski and drummer Kenny Wollesen. On six tracks, the core quartet expands into a quintet with pianist Patrick Warren, who also contributes bells, dulcitone, percussion, and strings.

The playing is focused from the outset, and the breezy opener “Opal” arrives charged with emotion, wrapped in an affable country feel. Medeski’s keyboards lend an aureole-like brightness and ethereal lift, while Wollesen’s hi-hat grounding keeps the music tethered to the earth. “Red Elm”, propelled by a beguiling bass pizzicato, builds its appeal on a relaxed swinging drive. While tension and release are present, the quartet favors a serene approach, allowing the elements to converge smoothly. Lage’s phrasing here is warm and fluid, infused with understated blues inflections.

With a dexterous arrangement and compelling transitions, “Talking Drum” draws color from groovy funk and blues, providing a fertile vehicle for Medeski’s keyboard explorations and Lage’s judicious note choices and shifting moods. If this track features Warren on dulcitone, then “Havens” highlights his signature Chamberlin tape-replay keyboard. That piece also incorporates skittering percussion and heavy-groove acoustic guitar strums, enriching its layered texture.

Lage switches to acoustic guitar on the picturesque “Ocala”, which sustains a romantic aura with a gentle calypso touch. All the musicians contribute to an understated dramatic effect, though Wollesen’s graceful cymbal work is especially notable. At times, the music veers toward an overly sweet sensibility, building lovely melodies atop light-footed foundations. In spots, it lacks spark, with a few moments feeling stiff. Still, the playing remains consistently assured, as evidenced by “Night Shade”, a relaxed brushed power ballad that recalls Procol Harum and The Animals before unfolding into a gospel-tinged vamp.

The album closes with “Something More”, another tune that confidently straddles country, pop, and jazz territories through its charisma-laden interplay. Not particularly groundbreaking or deeply memorable, Scenes From Above nonetheless brings the intimate chemistry of Lage’s new group into clear focus.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Talking Drum ► 04 - Havens ► 05 - Night Shade

Angelika Niescier - Chicago Tapes

Label: Intakt Records, 2026

Personnel - Angelika Niescier: alto saxophone; Dave Rempis: alto and tenor saxophones; Nicole Mitchell: flute; Jason Adasiewicz: vibraphone; Luke Stewart: bass; Mike Reed: drums.

German alto saxophonist, composer, and improviser Angelika Niescier emerges on Chicago Tapes with a refreshed, invigorating sound shaped by an expanded ensemble that gathers some of the Midwest’s most adventurous musicians. Long engaged in collaborations with American players—among them Tyshawn Sorey, Gerald Cleaver, Chris Tordini, and Tomeka Reid—Niescier brought her compositions and open-ended sketches to Chicago for an ambitious project that yielded nine fearless originals, each brimming with sharp turns and volatile energy.

The album’s kinetic opener, “Rejoice, Disrupt, Resist”, is a furious, defiant response to the anti-immigration stance of the Trump administration. Here, Niescier joins forces with Dave Rempis on the frontline, both alto saxophonists blowing with tart intensity and restless momentum. The rhythm section is equally compelling and flexible, with vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz’s finely nested mallet work adding harmonic radiance, all firmly anchored by bassist Luke Stewart and drummer Mike Reed. Niescier and Rempis reconnect on “Great Horned Owl”, a trio piece that sustains a continuous sonic buzz over Adasiewicz’s shimmering colorations, and again on the atmospheric “Fluxed”, where parallel and contrapuntal motion unfolds atop an exquisitely shaped percussive flow.

“Poronek”, an endlessly spiraling trio improvisation, is driven by Niescier alongside flutist Nicole Mitchell, whose ecstatic exchange rides over Reed’s talkative, responsive drumming. Just as dynamic is “SAMO (bsqt)”, a burnished tour de force built from flutter-tongued flute, expansive saxophone lines, patterned ride cymbal and snare propulsion, and vigorous bass plucks. The ensemble moves through a sequence of gripping passages centered on saxophone and drum exploration, with Mitchell adding a gauzy, atmospheric textural layer.

“Bouncin’ The Ledge” follows as a rambunctious, high-energy statement, with saxophone and flute operating in a liminal space between the ghostly and the grounded. A darting saxophone chant is mirrored by Stewart’s bass before the piece erupts into extraordinary commotion. The closing “E Randolph Street”, propelled by a loose yet insistent 4/4 groove, wraps things up while parading a stream of motifs, fluxes, and refluxes.

Firmly rooted in avant-garde and free improvisation traditions, Chicago Tapes highlights Niescier’s affinity for high-voltage contemporary jazz and reveals a deep, genuine rapport with her Chicago collaborators.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Rejoice, Disrupt, Resist ► 02 - Poronek ► 03 - SAMO (bsqt) ► 07 - Bouncing’ the Ledge

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

Human Being Human & Chris Cheek - Being

Label: April Records, 2026

Personnel - Torben Bjørnskov: double bass; Esben Tjalve: piano; Frederik Bülow: drums + Chris Cheek: saxophones.

Human Being Human is a Danish jazz trio led by double bassist Torben Bjørnskov, who—like on their previous two outings, Equals (2022) and Disappearance (2023)—composes all the material. The group is completed by pianist Esben Tjalve and drummer Frederik Bülow. Their latest album, Being, is further enriched by the presence of American saxophonist Chris Cheek, whose contribution broadens both the sonic and expressive scope of the music.

Inspired by human connectedness, the album opens with “Human Rights”, an involving and well-shaped post-bop statement animated by an illuminating theme and rounded out with emphatic solos from Cheek, Tjalve, and Bjørnskov. Cheek’s soprano cuts briskly through the sprightly and upbeat “Human Impact”, a piece that calls attention to both the damage humanity inflicts on the planet and the possibility of repair. Low-register piano figures align closely with the bass, forming a sure-footed tapestry that gently invites movement.

“Filla”, the only composition not written specifically for this album, is a candid saxophone–bass duet anchored by Bjørnskov’s full-bodied, woody tone. In contrast, the title track “Being” unfolds as a spacious, tender ballad whose warmth radiates evenly from all corners of the tightly knit quartet.

“Human Spirit” continues in a softly brushed ballad mode, with emotion emerging from its calm lines and poised harmonic progression. It differs markedly from “Human Nature”, where contemporary jazz intersects with a pop-oriented foundation, featuring a straight backbeat, direct phrasing, and a clear groove. Still, both pieces emphasize accessible melodic and harmonic pathways. The album closes with the floating, more subjective “Human Instinct”, marked by lyrical Nordic folk inflections and sustained by a discreet yet thoughtful percussion treatment. Its broader spiritual resonance occasionally recalls Jan Garbarek and Edward Vesala.

Operating more to the right of center than the left, Human Being Human presents a highly musical palette, further elevated by Cheek’s confident style throughout the set.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Human Rights ► 03 - Human Impact ► 07 - Human Instinct

Peter Evans' Being & Becoming - Ars Ludicra

Label: More is More Records, 2025

Personnel - Peter Evans: trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, electronics, piano; Joel Ross: vibraphone, synth, percussion; Nick Jozwiak: bass, synth; Michael Shekwoaga Ode: drums + Alice Teyssier: flutes (#5).

Peter Evans, a tremendously inventive trumpeter and post-modern composer, reunites his Being & Becoming group—formed in 2017—for its third album, Ars Ludicra. Drawing on vast musical experience and formidable technique, the endlessly curious Evans blends styles and moods, shaping the pitch and contour of his phrases for maximum impact across four original compositions and one cover.

Armed with a progressive mindset and supported by Mike Pride’s tasteful post-production, the quartet opens with “Malibu”, where Evans’ fearless, scorching lines and Joel Ross’ lucid vibraphone ideas unfold over the tireless, tumbling rhythmic engine built by bassist Nick Jozwiak and drummer Michael Shekwoaga Ode. “Pulsar”, a musique concrète–leaning workout captured with visceral immediacy, is driven by a robust backbeat, its deliberate volume oscillations deepening the experimental thrust.

All four musicians work diligently to forge a distinctive group dynamic, and “Hank’s”—clearly informed by electronic music—fully delivers. Evans and Ross interlace complex unison passages before trading improvised incursions. The trumpeter’s range feels almost otherworldly, while Ode plays with commanding force, answering provocations with turbulent, explosive fills. The piece closes on a flurry of compulsive staccato slaps.

Here, teamwork matters as much as individual excursions. This balance comes sharply into focus in the arrangement of Russian folk-punk singer Yanka Dyagileva’s “My Sorrow is Luminous”, which unfolds more restrainedly, guided by a dark-tinged chordal sequence. Against this somber backdrop, Evans blows counterintuitively as if there were no tomorrow, unleashing a rapid cascade of notes shaped with both urgency and logic. The album concludes quietly with “Images”, featuring guest flutist Alice Teyssier, who layers several timbres from multiple flutes.

At times bombastic, this music is consistently driven by a desire to challenge convention. While it may not reach the heights of Extra (We Jazz Records, 2024)—a stunning trio statement—Ars Ludicra explores different sonic territories with the same fearless spirit and modernistic vision.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Malibu ► 03 - Hank’s

Amir ElSaffar - New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal

Label: Maqam Records, 2025

Personnel - Amir ElSaffar: trumpet; Ole Mathisen: tenor saxophone; Tania Giannouli: microtonal piano; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Iraqi-American trumpeter and composer Amir ElSaffar expands his working trio—with saxophonist Ole Mathisen and drummer Tomas Fujiwara—into an impressive quartet with the addition of Greek pianist Tania Giannouli (she performs wonders on the microtonal piano). New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal was recorded in Berlin in 2023 and presents eight brilliant compositions that unfold like a suite, offering a clear window into ElSaffar’s contemporary ethno-jazz universe.

“Autumn Song” draws the listener into an engrossing modal tranquility, shaped by ElSaffar’s unerring, Middle Eastern–inflected fluidity, Giannouli’s triumphant piano chords that add an air of mystery, and Fujiwara’s impeccably coordinated drumming. Mathisen’s exchanges with the trumpeter suggest a sense of spiritual communion, while Giannouli’s textures introduce just enough strange, divergent tones to keep us transfixed. “Ghazlau” is another poignant maqam, with Giannouli channeling something of Alice Coltrane’s tonal stream, while ElSaffar sings with heartfelt intensity.

“Orientations I–V”, enriched by conspicuous piano clusters, finds the quartet navigating its distinct roles with a feeling of aural majesty. ElSaffar’s phrasing moves effortlessly from reflective to urgent, while Mathisen slips into an avant-garde register, underpinned by octave-driven piano figures and skittering drums. The piece briefly turns feverishly dreamlike before settling into a four-chord piano vamp. It then shifts again in texture to better serve the horns’ inventive interplay, ultimately concluding with an unaccompanied Fujiwara, whose percussion exploration displays striking technique, control, and emotional weight.

The horns, seemingly tailored to the mood of each piece, work independently yet in tacit agreement on “Dignity”, floating above Giannouli and Fujiwara’s rippling rhythmic waves. On “10:23 AM”, an odd-metered maqam energized by a contagious pulse, they run in parallel, generating a buoyant, lively bounce.

The minimalist “Le Marteau de la Maitresse” centers on prepared piano, producing a gong-like resonance that functions as a pedal point. Its dry, hypnotic quality favors delicate saxophone negotiations and elegant percussive restraint. “For the Victims of Genocide” unfolds as a brushed ballad steeped in dark hues and mournful solemnity.

The achievement feels even more remarkable when considering that the material was composed just three days before the concert. Balancing written structures and open forms with a deeply intuitive relationship to sound, ElSaffar’s New Quartet makes an impressive debut. Let yourself be carried by the laid-back warmth and tactile sensitivity of the trumpeter’s aesthetic vision.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Autumn Comes ► 03 - Orientations I-V ► 10 - 10:23AM

Thomas Stronen's Time is a Blind Guide - Off Stillness

Label: ECM Records, 2025

Personnel - Thomas Strønen: drums; Ayumi Tanaka: piano; Hakon Aase: violin; Leo Svensson Sander: violoncello; Ole Morten Vagan: bass.

Time is a Blind Guide is an instrumentally sophisticated aggregation fronted by Norwegian drummer and composer Thomas Strønen, whose blend of organic timbres and luminous sonorities easily conquer the ear and appease the soul. The group’s third recording, Off Stillness, confirms Strønen’s mastery of structure and arrangement, highlighting the instrumentation’s sonic contrasts through natural pulses while maintaining a sense of poised, flowing elegance throughout.

Consisting of seven original compositions, the album opens with “Memories of Paul”, a dedication to two influential musicians who shaped Strønen’s artistic development: drummer Paul Motian and pianist Paul Bley. Existing in an almost abstract state of grace, the piece relies on floating piano gestures, delicate bass movement, sensitive brushwork, and understated string lines. “Season” gently calms both spirit and mind, carried by a cultivated percussive current that draws from folk and world-music inflections. Japanese pianist Ayumi Tanaka plucks and combs the piano strings, producing a reassuring, subtly exotic aura, while violinist Håkon Aase steps forward with lyrical authority. It is a quietly beautiful moment.

“Fall” continues in a similarly hushed, airy vein, inviting a recalibration of the inner compass through dreamy pianism, breezily intersecting strings, and drumming reduced to its bare essentials. Everything seems to float and sway like a feather in the wind. This same depth of commitment and attentive interaction also informs the album’s more animated passages, notably “Cubism” and “Dismissed”. In the former, Strønen’s conversational rhythmic language becomes especially vivid, while Tanaka’s inflected harmonic colors generate a tensile undercurrent that gradually leads toward a staccato-driven conclusion. “Dismissed”, playfully avant-garde in character, is tightly coordinated through incisive punctuations and rhythmic jabs, all working together in a kind of subliminal counterpoint.

The album closes with “In Awe of Stillness”, which begins in a sea of calm before transforming halfway through into an energetic, world-fusion cycle sparked by Tanaka’s subtle complexities and lightness of touch, and an unperturbed bass-and-drums foundation. At this stage, Aase casts his violin lines as the melodic focal point.

In a rare combination of delicacy and boldness, Off Stillness stands as a testament to Strønen’s extraordinary talents. Together, he and his collaborators forge a sound partnership that feels both revelatory and deeply inspiring.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Season ► 05 - Cubism ► 06 - Dismissed ► 07 - In Awe of Stillness

Gabriel Zucker - Confession

Label: Boomslang Records, 2025

Personnel - Gabriel Zucker: pianos, synths, electronics, keyboards, voice, compositions, lyrics; Eva Lawitts: bass; Grey Mcmurray: guitar; Connor Parks: drums; Henry Mermer: drums // Bergamot Quartet (Ledah Finck, Sarah Thomas, Amy Huimei Tan, Irene Han): strings // Guests - Robby Bowen: drums (#2); Taja Cheek: voice (#3); Laura Cocks: flute (#8); Alfredo Colón: alto saxophone (#2,11); Matt Nelson: tenor saxophone (#2,11); Ledah Finck: violin (#3); Alex Goldberg: drums (#10); Daniel Kleederman: guitar (#12); Matteo Liberatore: guitar (#3); Adam O’Farrill: trumpet (#9); Alena Spanger: voice (#12).

Gabriel Zucker is a versatile singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer whose artistic vision thrives on intricate, almost mathematical balancing acts. On his sixth studio album as a leader, Confession, the musical polymath fronts a core quintet featuring two drummers, and incorporates a string quartet into a set of demanding compositions, achieving a compelling equilibrium between pathos and intensity. His multifaceted response to disconnected times is marked by radical transitions and conspicuous shifts in mood.

Initially wrapped in swirling synths and wiry electronic textures, “Velvet Ball of Light” pushes decisively into indie-rock territory through forceful lyrics, emphatic drum kicks and cymbal crashes, and Zucker’s unorthodox pianism—dense with exclamatory staccatos yet never abandoning melodic clarity. “Confession #1” brings saxophonists Alfredo Colón and Matt Nelson to the fore, firing punchy lines over a muscular, dark rock backdrop that carries undeniable dance appeal, with guest drummer Robby Bowen helping to keep the undercurrent bubbling.

The saxophonists reappear more discreetly on “The Road”, an odd-metered ballad that stands in stark contrast to “Redeye to London”, a genre-crossing track propelled by trance-like breakbeats and electronic processing, further energized by Grey McMurray’s electric guitar.

“Intentional (But Never How You Wanted)” features fluid, frictionless piano streams running atop unexpected drum syncopations. Its vocal and instrumental language opens multiple reference points, moving effortlessly from the art-rock sensibility of David Bowie to the progressive impulses of King Crimson and the modern fusion vocabulary of Tigran Hamasyan. Driven by heavy bass pulses, the piece swells into a dense, chaotic mass before breaking abruptly into the calmer, constantly shifting “Trampling the World”.

“Confession #2” vibrates with polyrhythmic momentum and experimental flair, threaded through with cinematic string writing and Laura Cocks’ expressive flute. The poignant “Away, Carelessly” pairs Zucker with the iconoclastic trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, whose roaming, unanchored discourse heightens the sense of emotional unease. The album closes with “Listen to Me (I Know You Won’t)”, which introduces Brooklyn-based singer Alena Spanger alongside psychedelic-leaning guitarist Daniel Kleederman, both contributing to a refined and emotionally charged finale.

By turns introspective and euphoric, Confession allows Zucker’s eccentric impulses to guide an ambitious production that ultimately plays to its strengths.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Velvet Ball of Light ► 02 - Confession #1 ► 05 - Intentional