João Frade & Bruno Santos - Rascunhos

Label: Kimahera, 2023

Personnel - Bruno Santos: guitars, braguinha, rajão, electric bass, percussion; João Frade: accordion, samples.

Bruno Santos, a versatile Lisbon-based guitarist, has dedicated himself to diverse multi-genre projects, including his recent release, a guitar-hammond-drums trio album titled Wild West. That album showcases his commitment to evoking the hard bop and soul jazz sounds of iconic figures such as Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, and Lou Donaldson, creating a classy atmosphere all its own. João Frade, another talented Portuguese artist, is an accomplished accordionist known for his eclecticism in jazz, fado, and Brazilian music. Their duo effort, Rascunhos, is the result of a remote collaboration, featuring 11 pieces – five compositions by each artist and one collectively composed - where they sink their teeth and hearts into world music territory with plenty of rhythm.

In Frade’s well-calibrated “Lyssa”, they intercalate uptempo waltzing passages with moments of calm detachment. The exoticism continues in Santos’ “Cabo Verde”, responding to the previous cut with a contagious African-tinged pulse. Here, the braguinha and rajão (stringed instruments from Madeira Island) and accordion harmonize perfectly before Frade’s warm improvisation.

“Chorinho Tila” and “Dázz to Dézz” showcase impetuous Brazilian rhythmic drives and beautiful melodies, while “Delirious Tremens”, a collectively composed effort with a more experimental nature, immerses the listener in hazy, tremolo-soaked acoustics. 

Fusion elements are present in “Plastik Man”, an old yet unrecorded piece by Santos that seamlessly blends eclectic sounds to reach a cross between Toots Thielemans, Milton Nascimento, and Ralph Towner. On the other hand, Frade’s “Chacrach!” brings shades of Larry Coryell’s flamenco jazz, Chick Corea’s gipsy-tinged fusion, and Rabih Abou Khalil’s Eastern flavors to the table. The album concludes with Santos’ “A Cadeira, o Baloiço e as Rosas”, a smooth waltz previously featured on Mano a Mano Vol. 2. 

Musically sensitive and not self-centered, Santos and Frade deliver Rascunhos as a breezy, sunny record where lovely dialogue unfolds. The music will please crossover jazz and world music enthusiasts alike.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lyssa ► 05 - Plastik Man ► 10 - Chacrach!

Tima Volozh - Jubilee

Label: Shifting Paradigm Records, 2023

Personnel - Timo Vollbrecht: tenor saxophone; Noah Franche-Nolan: piano; Brad Shepik: guitar (#2,3,6); Jerome Harris: bass; Tima Volozh: drums.

Russian-born, Brooklyn-based drummer and composer Tima Volozh introduces his debut album, Jubilee, featuring a compelling blend of originals and skillfully arranged covers. Collaborating with talented musicians - German saxophonist Timo Vollbrecht, Canadian pianist Noah Franche-Nolan, and veteran American bassist Jerome Harris - the quartet, occasionally expanded to a quintet with the addition of guitarist Brad Shepik, crafts a collective sound that is both sophisticated and pleasing.

“Adoration of the Earth” has Volozh setting the beat and tone for the catchy saxophone riff from where the language expands. Although borrowing from Stravinsky’s iconic piece The Rite of Spring, this is a cut delivered with strong personality and cohesion. “Vortex” is elegantly expressed with innate post-bop consciousness, featuring an authoritative and kaleidoscopic guitar solo from Shepik and an eloquent, tonally pleasing statement by Vollbrecht. 

“Lá Lauê” bustles with the exoticism and Afro-Brazilian rhythms of Capoeira. Opposing to the stillness of the intro, we have lively snare drum activity, funky guitar comping, and expressive solos, again by Shepik and Vollbrecht. The guitarist also contributes to the rendition of Paul Motian’s “Mumbo Jumbo”, an excellent vehicle for the rhythm section’s illuminating grace. Volozh articulates every nook and cranny of the tune, benefiting from the presence of two former members of Motian’s groups - Shepik and Harris.

Other covers of known jazz pieces are given a new set of bones. Take the example of “Star Eyes”, whose fresh reading combines complex meter and clever polyphony for a non-linear pulse; or McCoy Tyner’s “Aisha”, a laid-back ballad that enriched John Coltrane’s 1961 album Olé Coltrane; or Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence”, astonishingly structured with tempo-shifting sections.

Volozh’s drumming style reflects open ears and an uncompromising posture, showcasing his influences throughout a repertoire with tasteful arrangements. It’s an impressive debut album; one that listeners of contemporary jazz will like to revisit.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Adoration of the Earth ► 02 - Vortex ► 04 - Star Eyes

Ambrose Akinmusire - Owl Song

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2023

Personnel - Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Bill Frisell: guitar; Herlin Riley: drums.

Trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire continues to showcase his artistry, this time with a surprising and intimate trio, featuring the remarkable talents of guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Herlin Riley. In this ensemble, Akinmusire, known for his monstrous technique and improvisational prowess, leads a group that emits light through their instruments across eight new compositions penned by Akinmusire himself. These pieces, dressed in an aesthetic that exudes warmth, serve as a reaction to the overwhelming assault of information, as explained by the bandleader.

The opening track, “Owl Song 1”, sets the tone with absolute lyricism, incorporating delicate trumpet melodicism, a wonderful textural tapestry weaved by Frisell (he combines single-note expression and chordal color like no one), and a soaring groove with a conspicuous kick drum beat. “Weighted Corners” features a pleasantly shimmering collage of two fingerpicked guitars and thematic trumpet lines, creating a relaxed 4/4 pacing with soft hand percussion.

To the gently tribalistic rhythm of “Flux Fuelings”, add Frisell’s brilliant guitar work on the lower registers for an enigmatic touch, and Akinmusire’s long high-pitched notes soaring above, and you have a nicely contrasting piece with a distinct identity. The intensity eases on the following track, “Grace”, where the trio, showcasing a perfect understanding of space and texture, sports precise unison intervals over deep drum sounds.

Akinmusire pays personal tributes to his collaborators in heavenly dramatic duets: “Mr. Frisell’’ features the guitarist guaranteeing an airy pulse while delivering rippling melodic fluxes jointly with the trumpeter; “Mr. Riley” plays like a New Orleans march intensified by well-placed trumpet accents. Despite recording together for the first time, the trio demonstrates an innate understanding of each other’s playing, evident in the ambient-inclined “Henya”, which closes the album as a prayerful rubato lament. Looped guitar, poignant yet wide-ranging trumpet, and scintillating drumwork lead us to a definitive heartbeat, reaffirming we’re alive.

Owl Song is an enjoyable, refreshingly accessible, and fundamentally peaceful work from a trailblazing trumpeter in excellent form. Eschewing formulaic patterns, this outstanding outfit is blessed with inspiration, communication, and exploration. What more could one ask for to close 2023 in big?

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Owl Song 1 ► 03 - Flux Fuelings ► 04 - Grace

William Hooker - Flesh and Bones

Label: Org Music, 2023

Personnel - Ras Moshe: tenor saxophone, flute; Charles Burnham: violin; On Davis: guitar; Hilliard Greene: bass; Luke Stewart: bass; William Hooker: drums.

William Hooker, a drummer of immense power and drive, provides a cliché-free experience with his latest album, Flesh and Bones, featuring a synergistic new musical unit of New York-based vanguardists and improvisers. The group, dedicated to creating freely, includes violinist Charles Burnham, woodwindsman Ras Moshe, guitarist On Davis, and two bassists of different generations yet equal facility and invention: Luke Stewart and Hilliard Greene.

Aiming at addressing social issues of our times, the album, a reaction to how Black People are being treated in America, opens with “Flames”, an exaltation made of flute, percussive clapping, somber bowed bass, mantric guitar tantrum, and a wah-inflected violin whose presence takes the group places it might not otherwise have reached. The piece seamlessly transitions into “My Blood”, where a burnished saxophone soars over fractal bass work and stimulating drums. Tearful violin sounds pair up with uncanny ascendant bass glissandi after an energy-loaded passage roughed up by free expressionism.

If Moshe introduces “Sewing the Seeds” with poised tenor, later infusing a magnanimous force into the piece alongside Hooker’s powerful drumming, then “True Dat” heats up with Davis’ hot guitar strings responding to the bandleader’s incentives, both vocal and percussive. The pair is later joined by Burnham, who creates an unexpected undercurrent through breezy folksy balladry.

Both “Reveal a Truth” and “The Soul of Fire” are standouts. The former is set on motion by Burnham, shaping up as a Western dance with swinging bass accompaniment and, eventually, a fine ride cymbal-driven flux. The latter brings muted guitar scratches à-la Jimi Hendrix, flute extroversion, electric bass curvatures of grandiose melodicism, and awesome off-centered accents.
At 77, and boasting a nearly five-decade career, Hooker is as thunderous and indefatigable as when he started.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - My Blood ► 07 - Reveal a Truth ► 11 - The Soul of Fire

Kuba Cichocki - Flowing Circles

Label: Brooklyn Jazz Underground, 2023

Personnel - Kuba Cichocki: piano; Lucas Pino: tenor saxophone; Brandon Seabrook: guitar; Bogna Cicinska: vocals; Edward Perez: bass; Colin Stranahan: drums; Rogerio Boccatto: percussion (#8); Patric Breiner: saxophone (#8); Rose Ellis: vocals (#8); Leonor Falcon: violin (#1,6,8); Sana Nagano: violin (#1,6,8); Benjamin von Gutzeit: viola (#1,6,8); Brian Sanders: cello (#1,6,8).

Following a splendid duo album - Brisk Distortions - recorded with guitarist Brandon Seabrook, Polish-born, New York-based pianist Kuba Cichocki expands views in Flowing Circles, a set of 10 new compositions. Their acutely structured forms lend the music its loose elasticity. Among the relentless creative minds joining Cichocki in this sonic journey are the aforementioned guitarist, a stalwart in New York’s improvised music, and saxophonist Lucas Pino, who, in addition to his solo efforts, has been featured in trombonist Nick Finzer’s albums. Special guests (including a string quartet) grace specific tracks, while the core sextet is complemented with Polish vocalist Bogna Cicinska, bassist Edward Perez, and drummer Colin Stranahan.

“Quirks” opens the record as a joyous flight of fancy, unleashing speedy angular unisons with a fanfare-like vibe. Bouncy passages with staccato emphasis and counterpoint are reinforced by strings (violinist Sana Nagano and violist Benjamin von Gutzeit are featured), topped by solos from Cichocki, who gets melodically rich without overplaying, and Pino, who displays his classy post-bop phraseology with precision. Before concluding, there’s a change of pace in a section that feels playful and stout-hearted.

The instrumental layers illuminate “Where the Selves Meet”, which acquires a powerful contemporary feel with the aid of a ruminative guitar that keeps scratching the surface with distorted eccentricity. Pino, brightening and tightening the frontline, blows the tenor with eloquence and a lovely tone, and then is Seabrook who invents a quirky accompaniment to support Cicchocki in the final chamber section. 

Soulfully psychedelic and rhythmically pumped up, “Blob Jump” sees the group playing with the flow through multiple sections of escalating energy. The so-called ‘Slavic melodicism’ is brought into mutable folk-influenced cadences, but for the finale, they allocate a rock impulsivity with salient guitar. Contrasting with this exuberance, “Birthday” is a soberly intense piece with Cicinska’s confident voice on the edge, embarking on intervalic complexity with the piano.

“First Smile” concludes the album with European classical elements crossing with impressionistic modern creative chops in a solo piano playing. But before that, there are still time for a couple of fully improvised numbers - the more abstract “Nooks and Crannies” and the funk-meets-post-bop experiment, “Keep Moving”.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Where the Selves Meet ► 04 - Blob Jump ► 06 - Birthday

Marcelo dos Reis - Flora

Label: JACC Records, 2023

Personnel - Marcelo dos Reis: guitarra; Miguel Falcão: bass; Luis Filipe Silva: drums.

Portuguese guitarist Marcelo dos Reis leads a trio featuring Miguel Falcão on bass Luis Filipe Silva on drums. His improvisatory prowess shines in Flora, a collection of six original pieces that acts as a gateway to rich musical realms not necessarily tied to jazz.

The trio displays a progressive attitude in “Big Tree”, where a guitar figure with angular dimension and rhythmic purpose sets the tone for a palpable, enlightened, and harmonically stabilized art-rock flux with folk melodic trajectories. The music is far from static, with a frantically swinging underpin initiated through an exalted bass spirit and agitated drumming. The rock influence persists but unfolds with vast moods, textures, and influences capable of surprising the listener.

“Amanita” delves into experimental ambient territory with airy substance and a drone in the background. Midway, it pivots on a parallel execution between guitar and bass, leading to a resolution of the accumulated tension. The piece segues into “Tampanensis”, whose vigorous bass lines and daredevil guitar warps infuse a New Wave/post-punk tinge that find support in Silva’s danceable krautrock rhythm.

The group fearlessly explores dynamics, and “Cornelia” ventures into darker grounds painted with luscious Eastern colors. It’s as if Joy Division and Mahavishnu Orchestra fused to create spasmodic alternate gushes of sound. The trio cuts loose on “Sky Blue Petunia”, a forward-moving exercise orchestrated with audacity, where the psychedelic dance-rock of The B52’s meets the defiant and irreverent swinging jazz of The Lounge Lizards. 

The album comes to a close with “Full Sun”, structured with an 11-beat cycle, propelled with drive and unity, and sending out jazzy and bluesy vibes. There’s a shift in texture and tempo for a robust and dense funk-rock-infused finale. Flora contains well-played evocative music that demands attention without being flashy, confirming dos Reis as a gifted guitarist to watch in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Big Tree ► 02 - Amanita ► 04 - Cornelia

Anthony Pirog - Nepenthe Series Vol. 1

Label: Otherly Love Records, 2023

Personnel - Anthony Pirog: guitar, guitar synth; Nels Cline: guitar; John Frusciante: monomachine; Luke Stewart: electric bass; Andy Summers: guitar; Janel Leppin: pedal steel guitar; Brandon Ross: guitar; Wendy Eisenberg: guitar; Ryan Ferreira: guitar.

Washington D.C.-based guitarist and composer Anthony Pirog, known for his work with the post-punk trio The Messthetics, showcases his broad stylistic vision, taste for experimentation, and interest in sound and texture on his latest recording, Nepenthe Series Vol. 1. Pirog, who bridges guitar and electronics with aural surrealism and imagination, invited collaborators to send him original ambient tracks, which he then recorded on top of, resulting in a remarkable blend of ethereal and sinister soundscapes. 

For the opener, “Ripples of Light”, he welcomed the excellent guitarist Nels Cline, with whom he layers floating, sustained chords in order to describe a wintry picturesque stillness that makes us speechless. Mysterious and slightly ominous tones suddenly emerge in the last quarter, but they feel more awe-striking than austere, enhancing the overall ambiguity and droning details. 

“Aurora”, featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante on Elektron Monomachine, arrives with buzzing drones and dial frequencies chattering in the background. They duo carries mysterious found-sounds for a little too long, evoking a distant planet with labyrinthine alleys and corners worth to discover. “Dense Blazing Star”, created with bassist Luke Stewart, incorporates electronic dance music influences, while “Bernal Heights”, a layered solo effort by Pirog, combines a bit of the Pet Shop Boys’ melodic expertise with the dark burbling and clouding obscurity in the music of Bill Laswell and Wadada Leo Smith.

With The Police’s ex-guitarist Andy Summers on board, “Inflorescence” exposes a brilliant two-guitar work reminiscent of Robert Fripp and The King Crimson’s art-rock with hints of goth and glam rock. The melody is wonderful and the texture perceptible for a compelling song format. 

The song titles aptly capture the music's essence, and if we have Arvo Part’s dark choral ambiances mixed with Steve Reich’s minimalism on “Glowing Gestures”, which features Pirog’s wife Janel Leppin on pedal steel guitar, then we can enjoy two different guitar-driven atmospheres on “Night Winds” and “The Eternal River”. The former, featuring Wendy Eisenberg, is heavier and denser due to distortion and noise; the latter, with Tim Berne’s Snake Oil’s guitarist Ryan Ferreira, immerses listeners in emotion-laden surroundings, closing the album on an ethereal note.

With a dazzling array of layers and effects, Pirog's work on Nepenthe Series Vol. 1 is a testament to his artistry and extraordinary sound judgment.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Ripples of Light ► 02 - Aurora ► 04 - Inflorescence

Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel - A Lovesome Thing

Label: Heartcore Records / Motéma, 2023

Personnel - Geri Allen: piano; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar.

Two master musicians, the late great pianist Geri Allen and the vibrant guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, showcase a free-spirited melodic vocabulary and profound harmonic insight on this live recording captured in Paris in 2012. A Lovesome Thing: Live at the Philharmonie de Paris is made of five pieces of music: three standards and two original compositions, one by each musician.

They emanate a natural and relaxed aura that permeates the music, leaving it imprinted with their distinctive musical signatures and tremendous improvisational capabilities. Right from the beginning, they captivate listeners by embracing a beautiful rubato playing style that gives shape to Billy Strayhorn’s splendid ballad, "A Flower is a Lonesome Thing”. Another widely known ballad follows: "Embraceable You”, but this one, by the pen of George Gershwin, didn't have a strong impact on me in spite of Herbie Hancock’s deft arrangement.

What truly amazed was the captivating rendition of Thelonious Monk’s “Ruby My Dear” whose incomparable beauty is enhanced here by a flawless integration of strings and keys. Rosenwinkel’s delightfully enigmatic introduction blends single-note phrasing and sophisticated harmony to create a colorful, contemporary tapestry. Even more impressive are the original compositions, standing out as the highlights of this duo session. Rosenwinkel’s "Simple #2" centers on a robust bluesy stride in three, offering multiple facets to be enjoyed. This composition, first featured on the guitarist’s 2020 trio album Angels Around, retains its urgency and is elegantly expressed with an outstanding sense of resolution. 

In turn, Allen’s previously unrecorded piece, “Open Handed Reach”, imparts a sense of openness as it unfolds with a light waltzing step. It presents a harmonically rich experience elevated by the pianist’s brilliancy. Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel lay bare abundant musical fertility, revealing instinctive chemistry. They are both supportive in their accompaniments, courageous in their statements, and intelligent in their interplay.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Simple #2 ► 05 - Ruby My Dear ► 07 - Open Handed Reach

Rintaro Mikami - First Fish

Label: Self released, 2023

Personnel - Rintaro Mikami: drums, voice, poetry; David Truilo: tenor sax; Henry Plotnick: piano; Omri Bar Giora: guitar; Bar Filipowicz: bass + Guests - Lily Resnikoff: voice (#3); Ariel Bart: harmonica (#9).

Tokyo-born, New York-based drummer Rintaro Mikami makes a positive impact with his debut album as a leader, First Fish. The record features nine original compositions inspired by Mikami’s life on the small Southern Japanese island of Kuchinoerabu and the travels between that place, Tokyo, and New York. Mikami's core quintet shares an intimate connection that reflects on the tunes, and his sensitive drumming style showcases a penchant for playing melodically on the kit that is reminiscent of Brian Blade and Manu Katché.

The technical quality and emotional depth of his drumming seduce on the silky “Arrival”, a liberating and poetic piece with an inviting chord progression and delicate melody. The comforting brushwork is joined by spoken word here, contrasting with the expansiveness and irreverence of “Derailing”, which deals with an exhilarating hard-swinging locomotion while displaying alternate improvisations between guitarist Omri Bar Giora, pianist Henry Plotnick, and saxophonist David Truilo. They end up juxtaposing lines, leaning on the avant-garde side before returning to the theme with certitude. If this piece represents the trip from Tokyo to the island, then the mercurial “Secession”, marked by tempo shifts, represents the change from Tokyo to New York, incorporating guitar sounds with a taste of fusion, and purposeful saxophone phrases. 

“The Whistle” conjures a folk dance in 5/4 time, propelled by bassist Bar Filipowicz. There’s more exchanges between guitar and piano, and a final vamp where pronounced snare activity is progressively expanded to other parts of the drum set. The title track, “First Fish”, begins as a ballad with Lily Resnikoff’s voice adding a positive fragility. However, its waltzing steps are placed firmly in the middle part as an invitation to the improvisers. Another notable track featuring a guest is “Deer’s Dream”, where Ariel Bart’s harmonica contribute poignancy and hope. 

“Interlaken” seamlessly integrates tradition and modernity, shifting unexpectedly from a three-time pulse to a wild 4/4 incursion. Meanwhile, “The Sky He Saw” is a contemplative ballad filled with passion. Mikami’s debut album showcases his emerging voice in jazz, offering ravishing music that captivates and leaves listeners eager to see where he goes next.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Arrival ► 04 - Derailing ► 08 - Secession

Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet - Hear the Light Singing

Label: RogueArt, 2023

Personnel - Myra Melford: piano; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophone; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Tomeka Reid: cello; Lesley Mok: drums.

Pianist and composer Myra Milford, a longtime standard-bearer for the avant-garde and new-jazz movements, reunites her synergistic all-female quintet Fire and Water for their second outing. Connecting improvised and through-composed movements, these five new ‘insertions’, written to highlight the musicians’ qualities, subvert expectations as the group members stretch their instruments from familiar environments without feeling too experimental. The ensemble, featuring saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, cellist Tomeka Reid, and guitarist Mary Halvorson, welcomes Brooklyn-based drummer Lesley Mok, who replaces Susie Ibarra on the kit.

"Insertion One" launches the album with assertiveness and expansiveness, featuring intricate piano work with contrapuntal glides and striking ostinatos. Boasting a strong and sinuous lead melody, the piece has the group speak to their open-mindedness, mirrored in effusive solos by Laubrock, who emphasizes the rhythmic temperament of her phrases, and Halvorson, who, as usual, creates quirky guitar moods with the help of peculiar effects. 

Melford’s penchant for complex meter signatures is evident in “Insertion Four” and “Insertion Five”. The former, beautifully layered by Halvorson at the outset, unfolds sluggishly with a pulsating arpeggiated piano cadence in 7/4 time, while the latter delves into a joyous, to-the-point rhythm in nine, creating a wince of powerful emotion. If, for some reason, these wonderfully sinuous melodies don’t claim your attention, the outstanding rhythms will.

Carrying a balladic intonation, “Insertion Two” has prayerful cello considerations over smooth piano accompaniment, a cyclic progression in five by Halvorson, who also delivers a whimsically atonal solo, and a tenor saxophone improvisation. "Insertion Three A+B" is a more liberal and expansive 18-and-a-half-minute journey, initially marked by noise rock and avant-garde abstraction. Working together, Melford and Laubrock ramble in improvised spirals, later joined by Halvorson’s queasy guitar overdrive. Then, it’s Mok who booms and throbs unaccompanied, building up phrases with timbral sophistication. The next movement is rendered with gorgeous staccato guitar articulation before the reappearance of thematic unisons.

Still inspired by American painter Cy Twombly's drawings, the composed material feels like a conjuring of spontaneous collective spirit. The supple musicians understand the strength and place of their sounds within the whole, creating an album that, much like their debut, is highly recommended for its delightful specifics to be discovered with each listen.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Insertion One ► 04 - Insertion Four ► 05 - Insertion Five

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (world war)

Label: International Anthem Records, 2023

Personnel - Jaimie Branch: trumpet, voice, keyboard, percussion; Lester St. Louis: cello, voice, flute, marimba, keyboard; Jason Ajemian: acoustic and electric bass, voice, marimba; Chad Taylor: drums, mbira, timpani, bells, marimba. Guests - Nick Broste: trombone (#5,6); Rob Frye: flute (#5), bass clarinet (#5,6,7); Akenya Seymour: voice (#5); Kuma Dog: voice (#5); Daniel Villarreal: conga, percussion (#2,5,6,7).

The late trumpeter and composer Jaimie Branch, a dynamic force of nature, left an indelible mark on contemporary jazz with her beautiful and innovative work. This posthumous album, recorded with her renowned quartet Fly or Die, was in the final stages of production just one month before her passing. The music, captured during a residency at the Bemis Center for the Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, comprises eight tracks, many of which explore extended forms and modulations. 

The album opens with the anthemic melody of "Aurora Rising”, seamlessly blending keyboards, timpani, and high-pitched trumpet notes. It segues into the rhythmic celebratory procession that is “Borealis Dancing”. Branch pushes and pulls throughout the firm tides, followed by cellist Lester St. Louis, whose soaring lines top off the arrangement. The abrasive backbeat of drummer Chad Taylor, a standout behind the kit, is the tune’s ballast. His pulsatory killing rhythm is also key on the upbeat “Take Over the World”, a concoction of African-tinged hooks, punk rock, and electronic rave. It all burns with hard-hitting energy.

Branch's artistry extends beyond composing and playing - she infuses a sense of fun into her work, exploring expanded approaches. This is evident in her use of vocals and lyrics on "Burning Grey”, where a punk flavor meets avant-garde proficiency, maintaining a persistent rhythm and groove throughout.

The jubilant “Baba Louie” takes on a rollicking African-tinged vibe under the aegis of Taylor’s mbira and Daniel Villarreal’s percussive articulation. There’s a change of pace halfway, which helps modulate to a more psychedelic passage with additional vocals and hazy effects. The quartet is further augmented on this occasion by special guests, adding trombone and flute to the mix. There’s still space for Meat Puppet’s country song “Comin’ Down”, here re-titled “The Mountain”, and featuring bassist Jason Ajemian as the sole accompanist. He joins Branch on vocals.

Jaimie Branch left a solid body of work whose sound doesn’t hide the sensitive colorist within her. Her music remains a lasting expression of creativity and gratitude.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Borealis Dancing ► 03 - Burning Grey ► 08 - Take Over the World

Yuhan Su - Liberated Gesture

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2023

Personnel - Yuhan Su: vibraphone; Caroline Davis: alto saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano; Marty Kenney: bass; Dan Weiss: drums.

Yuhan Su, an emerging and classically-trained vibraphonist and composer hailing from Taiwan and currently based in New York, is known for pushing the boundaries of her art. In her fourth album, Liberated Gesture, she presents 10 original compositions inspired by personal experiences and the work of German-French artist Hans Hartung. Su collaborates with seasoned improvisers, including saxophonist Caroline Davis, keyboardist Matt Mitchell, and drummer Dan Weiss. Rounding out the fabulous quintet is bassist Marty Kenney, a member of Brian Krock’s Big Heart Machine and Steve Slagle Trio.

The track "Hi-Tech Pros and Cons" delves into Su's negative experience with iPhones, featuring a wild unison phrase announcing the propulsive force of a rhythm that advances with precise movements without ever feel stiff or mechanical. The staccato accompaniment creates a stark counterpoint, inspiring expressive solos from Davis, consistently elucidative in her ideas, and Su, who boasts a striking, definitive sound with exquisite note choices. 

There’s an impressive consistency of lyrical melody over rich harmony, and that’s valid even when challenging tempos and unstoppable energy are on display. Such is the case of “Character”, a post-bop meets modern creative funk fusion that is among the standouts. “Didion”, dedicated to American writer Joan Didion, sounds a great deal freer as piano turbulence falls atop the groovy septuplet drumming of Weiss, who kills it on the kit all the way through. This disarming composition balances delicacy and wildness within a fluid, if tense, stream, with Mitchell's infectious piano work contributing to a dreamy atmosphere.

"Siren Days" draws inspiration from siren sounds during the first pandemic lockdown in New York, displaying an intuitive affinity for attractive revolving patterns. The catchy ostinato at the base motivates this energetic pulsation taken further on “Liberated Gesture III: Tightrope Walk“ via audaciously metered passages showcasing driving bass and drums in a beautiful lock. All compositions provide both challenges and opportunities for the soloists and the closer, “Hassan’s Fashion Magazine”, inspired by Moroccan photographer Hassan Hajjaj’s work, conjures something super fun - half-funk, half-swing - with an earnest call-and-response between Su and Mitchell. 

The album also includes introspective pieces like “Naked Swimmer”, inspired by memories of a jump into an icy cold lake in Taiwan and featuring a bass solo, and “Liberated Gesture II: Arc”, where Su’s finely honed vibraphone work takes center stage.

Using the superlative talents of her peers to good advantage, Su commands this quintet with brilliancy, interspersing unflinching composed parts and free-spirited interplay in a bold yet accessible session that deserves recognition.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hi-Tech Pros and Cons ► 02 - Character ► 06 - Siren Days

Quinsin Nachoff - Stars and Constellations

Label: Adhyaropa Records, 2023

Personnel - Quinsin Nachoff: tenor saxophone; Mark Helias: acoustic bass; Dan Weiss: drums + Bergamot Quartet and The Rhythm Method (#2).

Innovative Canadian saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff infuses his music with subtleties and complexities, providing a unique listening experience. His most recent CD, Stars and Constellations, delves into long forms and draws inspiration from mythology. Musically, the off-kilter successor to Ethereal Trio (Whirlwind Recordings, 2017) guarantees powerful orchestration that absorbs disparate elements from Coltrane and Bartók. Nachoff’s resourceful jazz trio, featuring Mark Helias on bass and Dan Weiss on drums, is strengthened by two New York-based string quartets (Bergamot and Rhythm Method) in a three-piece volume where they excel at sounding fully integrated.

“Stars and Constellations: Scorpio” opens the curtain to a fantastic sonic world with pizzicato strings, thoughtful soft drumming, and combined arco work from bass and cello. Tapestries are reworked, altering intensities, and the ever-growing bass lines of Helias create monologues for certain periods. Fantastic harmonic progressions and mutating rhythms trigger a gorgeously extended saxophone improvisation in which Nachoff showcases his spontaneity, range, and systematic articulation. The finale generates cheerful movements by blending modern classical dynamics with adventurous post-bop, making it the most jazz-oriented piece of the three.

“Stars and Constellations: Sagittarius” embarks on a journey with intriguing ascending glissandi, part of the instrumental mosaics and experimental observations that constitute the whole. This progressive 20-minute crusade was inspired by the mapping procedures of physicist Stephen Morris from the University of Toronto and is sculpted with elegance, discipline, and ambition. Nachoff hits the high registers with force during a revolutionary section prone to improvisation, while Helias plunges into a more pensive state. Weiss’ rhythm flows transition from understated accompaniment to a salient and elaborated solo. The piece finishes with melodic conjoint actions.

Bridging these pieces is “Pendulum”, a tasteful chamber abstraction comprised of spiraling melodies and evincing a high degree of responsiveness and calibration. Although featuring the two aforementioned string quartets engaging with each other, it’s Weiss who stands out by enlivening the rhythmic foundation with cleverness, while the coordination and teamwork between tenor sax and strings takes the form of a conclusive call-and-response.

Finding an exceptional connection between improvisation and notated music, Nachoff continues to forge a path of his own, moving in a revelatory line of action that separates him from other creatives.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Stars and Constellations: Scorpio ► 02 - Pendulum

Peggy Lee Band - A Giving Way

Label: Songlines Recordings, 2023

Personnel - Peggy Lee: cello; John Bentley: saxophone; Brad Turner: trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet; Jeremy Berkman: trombone; Ron Samworth: electric and acoustic guitars; Tony Wilson: electric guitar; André Lachance: electric bass; Dylan Van Der Schyff: drums.

Canadian cellist, improviser, and composer Peggy Lee boasts excellent credentials, having collaborated with spontaneous creatives such as Butch Morris, Wadada Leo Smith, Gordon Grdina, and Barry Guy. As a leader, she gained notoriety with her own octet, currently featuring two electric guitarists and a three-horn frontline. Following an 11-year hiatus, their sixth release, A Giving Way, is likely to attract new converts with eclectic music influenced by jazz, avant-garde, classical, Eastern music, and pop/rock.

In a brief span, “It’s Simple” exhibits a poignant melody and folk ascendancy, but the group digs deeper on the polyrhythmic “Internal Structures”, the first standout moment of the album. The electric bass lines of André Lachance is the glue that holds everything together, while Lee’s cello provides textural consistency. The horn players - saxophonist John Bentley, trumpeter Brad Turner, and trombonist Jeremy Berkman - exude a contagious sense of bliss, while guitarists Ron Samworth and Tony Wilson opt for distortion-infested washes. The undercurrents might be disorienting but the uninhibited group, propelled by Lee’s husband, drummer Dylan Van Der Schyff, swings boldly, allowing for a captivating trumpet statement.

While Turner takes a more active role in the first half of the album, Bentley shines in the second. The trumpeter is a standout assets on “Boat Ride Into Go Home Bay”, a rich piece bookended by pensive thoughts, and “Justice/Honour”, a response to George Floyd’s murder where the ensemble conjures something modal and epic, with Eastern spice and raw percussive tract. Among devotional horn expression, there’s classical suggestions and subtle modulation.

“Promise” serves up polished post-bop anthemics laced with a marked rock rhythm, full-bodied unisons, and a bluesy guitar solo. If this is bracingly immediate on the ear, the delicate “A Giving Way” brings the cello to center stage, later joined by tenor sax for a final emotional crescendo. The ensemble updates The Band’s haunting ballad “Whispering Pines” with enthusiasm and respect, leading “Walk Over Walk” to an ecstatic collective moment after starting cautiously.

Peggy Lee proves to be a generous composer in this transformative sonic journey, seamlessly blending profundity and abandonment.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Internal Structures ► 05 - Justice / Honour ► 06 - A Giving Way

Aruán Ortiz - Pastor's Paradox

Label: Clean Feed, 2023

Personnel - Aruán Ortiz: piano, voice; Don Byron: clarinet, bass clarinet, voice; Lester St Louis: cello (#1,2,4,5,6); Pheeroan AkLaff: drums + Yves Dhar: cello (#3,7); Mute Gant: spoken word (#1,4,6).

Cuban-born, Brooklyn-based pianist and composer Aruán Ortiz has consistently stood out as a notable voice in the vibrant New York creative scene. Following his remarkable trio album, Serranías (Intakt, 2023), a high-quality blend of contemporary Cuban-jazz hybridity, comes Pastor’s Paradox, another intriguing album with a distinct concept and sound. The bass-less quartet at the core of this seven-song cycle includes distinguished clarinetist Don Byron, with whom he recorded a duo album in 2018, adventurous cellist Lester St. Louis, and seasoned drummer Pheeroan AkLaff. 

In celebration of his 50th birthday year and inspired by Martin Luther King’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, Ortiz draws inspiration from themes of racial, women's, and Latino rights, adopting the form and structure of the activist’s transformative discourses. The music, often embracing a dark quality, is marked by subtle hooks and grand gestures, showcasing painstakingly rendered harmonies and melodies. This creates a disarming emotional directness juxtaposed with an indelible improvisational appetite.

The atonal and abrasive “Autumn of Freedom” features Mtume Gant, whose spoken word consists of fragments of Dr. King’s speech. He also stands out on “The Dream That Wasn’t Meant to be Ours”, a chimeric dissertation with its own plaintive melodic thrust that brims with AkLaff’s timbral magnificence via an expert toms and cymbal work. Mysterious and uncanny atmospheric sounds permeate this piece, much like on “Pastor’s Paradox”, a brooding, pensive dirge featuring dreamy bass clarinet, rasping cello tones, sparse yet tense piano chords, and single-note ambiguities, complemented by sounded percussion.

The slowly built “Turning the Other Cheek No More” elopes into a rapturous rhythm prior to long clarinet notes and continual terse incisions of guest cellist Yves Dhar who responds regularly to Byron’s assertive communication. Following striking improvisation, a dire crescendo takes listeners out of their comfort zone before a composed finale in unison. The pieces avoid obvious paths, and “From Montgomery to Memphis” is an avant-garde persuasion where Ortiz’s arpeggiated pianism serves as an anchor, providing guidance and support to Byron’s defiant phrases He has an additional back up in St. Louis’ pizzicato hops.

The album concludes with “No Justice, No Peace, Legacy!”, a ruminative, motivic, and driving number to which the band members lend their voices.Visibly benefiting from the like-minded musicians’ rapport, Ortiz’s Pastor’s Paradox is compelling in its music and vital in its message.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Pastor’s Paradox ► 03 - Turning the Other Cheek No More ► 05 - From Montgomery to Memphis

Loren Stillman - Time And Again

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2023

Personnel - Loren Stillman: alto saxophone; Drew Gress: double bass; Mark Ferber: drums.

Quirky and underrated, American saxophonist Loren Stillman is recognized for his embrace of sober tones and selection of impish notes while crafting phrases that are rich in ambiguity. His Sunnyside debut, Time and Again, showcases eight original compositions that take on distinctive shapes through the adept interpretations of his new trio mates—bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber. The tunes are demanding, but the trio's experience allows them to navigate potential pitfalls, resulting in an intriguing and compelling sound.

“Backyard”, an engaging, groovy, and open post-bop vehicle, serves as fertile ground for exploring Stillman's non-obvious lines. The piece incorporates a smart bass vamp in its final segment, complemented by crisp drum chops. “Unsung” packs genuine emotion, addressing the not-heard-enough music of heroes such as Paul Motian, Warne Marsh, and Lee Konitz. It features a well-spoken bass statement. The title track, “Time and Again”, begins with controlled tom-tom rambles and valuable cymbal complementation. The rubato style enhances the heartfelt playing, and the music is unleashed with forlorn, breathing and revolving around a beautiful melody. 

In "The Mask”, Stillman passionately explores a folk-inspired direction, reminiscent of Jan Garbarek. This elegantly crafted piece features coruscating snare radiance, firmly placed bass lines, and sinuous melodic contours. "Fearless Dreamer", previously recorded in a bass-less quartet format, is admirably structured, swinging with a defiant posture and showcasing saxophone eruptions crafted from a language of impressive spontaneity. 

These overarching sonic architectures earn a special meaning with “Foist”, a modal-inflected blues piece that gradually turns up the heat, celebrating a cadenced, odd-metered groove. Gress and Ferber construct a trancelike rhythmic undertow that harmoniously supports the bandleader's expressive speech. 
Even in moments of unfolded abstraction, the trio's unique sounds articulate perfectly. Each track stands on its own, revealing more distinctive characteristics with each subsequent listen.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Backyard ► 05 - Foist ► 08 - The Mask

Caroline Davis - Alula: Captivity

Label: Ropeadope Records, 2023

Personnel - Caroline Davis: alto saxophone, synth, voice; Chris Tordini: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums + Val Jeanty: turntables, samples; Qasim Naqvi: modular synthesizer (#7,8); Ben Hoffmann: Prophet 6 (#10).

Saxophonist and composer Caroline Davis returns with her electro-acoustic trio Alula, featuring new faces - Chris Tordini on bass and Tyshawn Sorey on drums in place of keyboardist Matt Mitchell and drummer Greg Saunier. The trio is augmented with special guests for Davis’ first social justice album, where she delves into the topics of incarceration, the prison industrial complex, and abolition. 

Inspired by activists and authors such as Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, Jennifer Teege, and Rabindranath Tagore, and incorporating relevant samples into most of the musical stories, Davis showcases compositional and experimental abilities that shine throughout the album. Fueled by a fast-pulsing vitality that comes from rock and techno music, “Burned Believers” was written in honor of accused heretics Agnes Franco and Huguette de la Cote, both burned alive in the 14th century. It’s a propulsive venture with expedite saxophone deliveries, impeccable drumming by Sorey, turntable scratching by Val Jeanty, and samples from speeches by Lorraine Hansberry and Astrid Delais.

“And Yet it Moves”, composed for Galileo, takes a more complex rhythmic approach and gains its zippy feel from Sorey’s stirring drumming. Davis’ authoritative saxophone statement are packed with purposeful motifs and high-pitched notes that reflect her sentiments about the sentencing of a truth seeker to life prison. "A Way Back to Myself" meanders along spacious balladic avenues with lullaby-like melodies, demonstrating compassion for Keith LaMar, a death row prisoner in the state of Ohio.

Written for Jalil Muntaqim, a political activist and former member of the Black Panther Party who spent almost 50 years in prison before his release, “Synchronize My Body Where My Mind Had Always Been” has the saxophone and bass standing shoulder to shoulder while various elements of the drum kit are brushed with sophistication. This story has continuation with “Terrestrial Rebels”, giving it a somewhat jarring electronics-infused conclusion.

Before the anthemic notes of the final track, “Put it on a Poster”, whose mix of ennui and hope provides a fascinating contrast, comes “I Won’t Be Back, Mrs. Susan Burton”, the standout track on the album. It’s a forceful improvised romp ingrained with a lot of energy, power, and determination. Davis composed it for Susan Burton, a South L.A. native who founded the nonprofit organization, A New Way of Life, to help formerly incarcerated women. 

Strong sounds, a strong message, a strong fight back - Alula delivers a compelling musical and social justice statement.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Burned Alive ► 03 - And yet it Moves ► 09 - I Won’t be back, Mrs. Susan Burton

Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns - Weejuns

Label: Rune Grammofon, 2023

Personnel - Hedvig Mollestad: guitar; Ståle Storløkken: Hammond organ, synths, continuum; Ole Mofjell: drums.

Weejuns is the product of a productive collaboration between Norwegian guitarist Hedvig Mollestad, keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, and drummer Ole Mofjell. In this improvised session, experimental ambient segments provide a platform for bold metal-inclined forays that gradually merge in a control manner. The potential for creative expression is vast, and the music, far from feeling one-dimensional, becomes increasingly audacious as it unfolds. The trio fearlessly embraces atonal elements, allowing their notes and timbres to mingle and intersect. Those familiar with Mollestad's work will notice a different approach, especially due to the instrumentation, while her trademark guitar sound remains consistent.

On “Go at Your Peril”, they cook up a tense, bluesy rock stew with limited motion and explorative activity. Unison arpeggiated lines signal a shift in intensity, announcing the forthcoming improvisation. “Come Monday” takes a more spectral approach, with both dial and vibing electronic sounds, while Mofjell’s drumming reverberates in the background. It’s a well-ventilated experiment, though not as accessible as the subsequent piece, “Hug That Tree”. The latter, assembled from various components, starts with refracted drums responding to codified synth patches and irregular streams of shattering guitar. Multiple frequencies create a psychedelic effect before an odd-metered guitar riff emerges, underpinning sinewy keyboard layouts. The texture undergoes changes, and the roles are reversed when the synth bassline holds the groove for a ferocious guitar improvisation.

“I’ll Give You Twenty One” introduces ominous clouds, reflecting the trio's somber side through persistent drones and languid, sustained tones. Later, cyclic riffery takes on a groovy form. “Stay at Your Peril” immerses the listeners in a state of ambiguity and contemplation before transitioning to a jazzier atmosphere that segues into a seven-beat arpeggiated chord progression. Muscular drumming and the keyboard’s lower notes infuse a rock sensibility by the end. The album concludes with the Satriani-like “Pity the City”, a more emotional and polished piece with an asymmetric time signature {8+9}. The bars are subsequently equipoised for the guitar solo.

Weejuns haunts from the first note to the last but may require time for its alternation of precise and open moves be fully absorbed. While not as explosive and immediate as Ekhidna (2020) and Tempest Revisited (2021), it’s more risk-taking and ruminative. There’s more to delve into, but it already comes with the stamp ‘recommended’.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Hug That Tree ► 05 - Stay at Your Peril ► 06 - Pity the City

Rodrigo Amado The Bridge - Beyond the Margins

Label: Trost Records, 2023

Personnel - Rodrigo Amado: tenor saxophone; Alexander von Schlippenbach; piano; Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums.

The Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado has consistently explored the outer boundaries of improvised jazz, striving to breaking new ground at each new collaboration. His latest recording, Beyond the Margins, features an international quartet known as The Bridge, with German pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, and American drummer Gerry Hemingway. This three-track album is a leap forward for Amado who, fully committed to bringing expressivity and energy to the setting, extracts the utmost from the group’s push-and-pull inventiveness.

The journey begins with the title cut, a sprawling 40-minute piece filled with spontaneous detours, a bountiful fruit of their visionary creativity. Amado’s tenor, skillfully bending notes to create a sense of delightful dissonance in the phrasing, dances atop a dreamlike Coltranean texture that, steering away from melancholy, soon escalates in density and intensity. The music follows a focused direction, painted by amorphous bass moves and colorful drum work. Burnished high-range saxophone lines and agile piano take turns in the melodic thread, and we realize these musicians respect each other’s spaces within the framework.
Fine melodies and balanced rhythmic cadences are complemented with bright figures, which usually culminate in moments of visceral impact. Tricky harmonic choices, crisp angularity, and staggering rhythms are all part of the music tapestry. As the piece unfolds, we have expansion and contraction as expected, ending with a swinging eruption driven by Haker Flaten, who previously had operated with arco, and Hemingway, a sophisticated drummer who infuses meticulously placed rhythms throughout.

A piano riff sets “Personal Mountains” in motion, soon joined by bracing drumming, candid bass lines, and folk-inspired saxophone chants that gain further expression in “(visiting) Ghosts”. The latter, a free interpretation of Albert Ayler’s original piece, plays out like a spiritual ballad at the outset before exploding with energy.

Amado and The Bridge demonstrate a remarkable ability to work at both micro and macro levels, crafting moments that captivate the attention of open-eared listeners. Alternating between apparent stagnancy, simmering tension, and fiery explosions, this is a record free jazzers should go for.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Beyond the Margins ► 02 - Personal Mountains

Drew Zaremba - Reunion

Label: Next Level, 2023

Personnel - Drew Zaremba: saxophone, organ, composition, arrangements; Andrew Janak: saxophones; Jared Cathey: saxophones; Austin Cebulske: saxophones; Allison Young: saxophones; Jake Boldman: trumpet; Gabe Mervine: trumpet; Dawn Kramer: trumpet; Shawn Williams: trumpet; Wayne Bergeron: trumpet; Zach Rich: trombone; Paul Mckee: trombone; Seth Weaver: trombone, vocals; John Matthews: bass trombone; Steve Kovalcheck: electric guitar; Dana Landry: piano; Erik Applegate: upright and electric bass; Jim White: drum set; Brian Claxton: percussion; Marion Powers: vocals.

Drew Zaremba demonstrates his immense musical talent and eclecticism in a jubilant big band project featuring grand arrangements of well-known classical, jazz, and rock pieces, along with original compositions. Zaremba has honed his craft through composition and arrangement work for notable figures like Wycliff Gordon and Eddie Gomez, and by playing alongside his mentor John Clayton, who produced the album. He has also collaborated with Walt Weiskopf and the legendary Billy Harper.

The delightful clash of musical styles is palpable throughout the album, with the spectacular orchestration of "The Entertainer" serving as a prime example. Here, classical elements converge with the jazz vibes of New Orleans, resulting in dynamic rhythmic shifts, groove, and a sense of elasticity. The solos are concise and vibrant, as seen in the rendition of Pink Floyd's "Money", which features intricate meter changes, clever accents, ostinato bass patterns, and fluid percussion. Zaremba's exploration also delves into Latin influences, and Marion Powers' vocals inject a breezy jazz sensibility that elevates the song to a new dimension.

Written for trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, “You Ain’t the Blues” develops in a mellow tone, flowing viscously at a medium-slow tempo. This provides a sharp contrast to "Minute Waltz", a fiery 4/4 bop excursion reminiscent of Buddy Rich, which propels the soloists with infectious energy. Similarly contrasting in nature are the final tracks on the alum, “Together” and “Reunion in Greeley”. “Together”, sung by Marion Powers, is an emotional waltz written for Zaremba’s wife and son, while “Reunion in Greeley” brims with an irresistible verve and bluesy colors, elevated by trombone exchanges, spirited saxophone-trumpet interactions, and talkative drums.

“We Got This” exudes a funky fusion vibe, with adventurous guitar lines rising above the orchestral backdrop, while "Glenmere" is characterized by harmonic allure and a gentle rhythm that flirts with Brazilian bossa nova influences before building up with ostinato patterns and glissandi. 

Despite the familiarity of some of the tunes, Zaremba pushes the boundaries of big band jazz through skillful arrangements. It's evident that the musicians accompanying him here are not only committed to group cohesion but also ready to shine when called upon to improvise. The result is a recording brimming with vitality and affirmation.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Entertainer ► 03 - Money ► 10 - Reunion in Greeley