Tomasz Stanko Quartet - September Night

Label: ECM Records, 2024

Personnel - Tomasz Stańko: trumpet; Marcin Wasilewski: piano; Slawomir Kurkiewicz: bass; Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

The late trumpeter Tomasz Stanko was a one-of-a-kind player with a gift for drawing out the beauty of melody within a sophisticated musical universe of common sense and emotional lyricism. For more than four decades, he spawned a slew of his own projects. September Night, a posthumously released album recorded live at Muffathalle, Munich, in 2004, finds him at the peak of his capacities alongside his emblematic Polish quartet. 

The album opens with “Hermento’s Mood”, where Stanko’s consistently impressive melodicism shines over Slawomir Kurkiewicz’s dancing bass pedal, Michal Miskiewicz’s gently propulsive rhythm, and Marcin Wasilewski’s gorgeous harmonizations on piano. “Song For Sarah”, which opened the Suspended Night album (ECM, 2004), follows as a rubato ballad oozing sentiment through every pore. 

“Euforila”, an older piece first recorded in 1986, is subtly funkified and bears a dynamic Latin-infused bass groove. Tailored with unerring moments of synchronism, the piece also showcases the improvisatory freedom enjoyed by Wasilewski and Stanko. Both musicians exhibit conversational proficiency in their refined musical languages without ever sacrificing clarity. While “Elegant Piece” advances calmly, immersed in this sheer beauty, the collectively improvised “Kaetano” evolves into a bossa-nova groove flagged by efficient brushwork.

One of Stanko’s most memorable pieces is “Celina”, from his 1995 album Matko Joanna (ECM, 1995). Revived here with a charming trumpet intro that interlaces relatable angular and dramatically curved expression, the piece seamlessly leads into the melodious yet groovy theme. The album concludes with “Theatrical”, a somewhat dusky, flowing piece that exudes a warm sense of comfort.

In possession of an astonishing rapport, Stanko and his quartet merge as one. September Night is a lush of an album, whose music continues to resonate and inspire. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hermento’s Mood ► 03 - Euforila ► 04 - Elegant Piece ► 06 - Celina

Kim Cass - Levs

Label: Pi Recordings, 2024

Personnel - Kim Cass: bass, sampling; Matt Mitchell: piano, Prophet-6; Tyshawn Sorey: drums; Adam Dotson: euphonium; Laura Cocks: flutes.

Intrepid Brooklyn-based bassist Kim Cass is a wellspring of virtuosity and functional complexity, a high-caliber accompanist and bandleader in his own right. On Levs, his debut album on Pi Recordings, he is joined by visionary keyboardist Matt Mitchell and progressive-minded drummer Tyshawn Sorey. Euphonist Adam Dotson and flutist Laura Cocks contribute to several experimental pieces inspired by the hand-notated scores of Stockhausen, Schoenberg, and Boulez.

“Slag” opens the album in trio format, displaying Cass’ invention at a feverish level. It’s an oddly rhythmic, unwavering avant-prog piece that plays in a completely different league, sharing some elements with the title track, “Levs” The latter is a brilliantly sculpted sonic canvas marked by fractured rhythms and abrasive impulsivity, which eventually breaks down into a more contemplative scenario towards the end. 

Also in trio, “Time” swings freely, while “Fog Face” starts in an ambient context with rambling synth on top of an exquisitely syncopated beat before adopting an offbeat pulsation with Mitchell’s pianistic charisma at the forefront. “Gs” displays a David Lynchian jazz warpedness that pushes towards its center rather than radiating outward. Conversely, “Rumple” draws from the electronic music universe, spreading ideas through glitchy tessellations that fuse with advanced harmonic and rhythmic settings. 

“Ripley” touches on balladry, gently propelled by Sorey’s brushwork and with Dotson’s tenor-voiced brass creating a mystic haze around the deftly ordered layout. Both “Tentacle” and “Sea Vine” are filled with tension and perplexity, the latter embroidered with windy, crisp unisons. The program closes with “Trench”, in an impressive diffusion of energy mounted with elegiac tones in its cryptic layering. It’s a dark polyrhythmic ride into the infinite cosmos. 

Levs is a demanding listen that, while calling on the characteristics of other genres, maintains a distinct and unique interface. The band’s musicianship and extraordinary coordinated interchange are excellent, establishing Cass as an essential name within the future of jazz.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Slag ► 02 - Fog Face ► 11 - Sea Vine ► 13 - Trench

Alfredo Colón - Blood Burden

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2024

Personnel - Alfredo Colón: alto saxophone; Lex Korton: piano; Steve Williams: double bass; Connor Parks: drums.

For what we hear in this remarkable debut album, it’s clear that Dominican-American saxophonist and composer Alfredo Colón has a bright future ahead. As a sideman, he gained some notoriety working with saxophonist Henry Threadgill on the latter’s album The Other One (Pi, 2023) and joining bassist William Parker in a couple of concerts, including an upcoming Vision Festival performance on June 18th.

The emotional quotient of Blood Burden is high, as Colón and his skilled quartet mates give a tremendous punch to the monotony with music that feels refreshingly focused and modern. Inspired by family and its intergenerational traumas, the album serves as a meditation between Dominican folklore and Catholic imagery and ethos.

“V.M.C.S.” opens the album with jaw-dropping alacrity, utilizing complex meter in the process without sacrificing fluidity. The piece, dedicated to Colón’s older brother Vladimir, evokes the spirit of their visits to NYC museums during childhood, climaxing in a blistering saxophone solo delivered with passion and authority. Pianist Lex Korton follows suit, dishing out a sleek, streamlined piano statement.

“Our Simplest Office Clerk” explores the balladic side of the composer, featuring polyrhythmic currents and sophisticated pianism at the fore. The piece then explodes in spontaneous color with a tumultuous saxophone clamor, occasionally adorned with multiphonics. The saxist can sound unabashedly lyrical one minute, carrying a plaintive edge, and ferociously wild the next. Regardless, a keen sense of structure prevails throughout the album. 

Dedicated to his mother, “Santo” is elegantly propelled by the scintillating brushwork of drummer Connor Parks, conveying a strange enchantment that sometimes recalls Threadgill’s layered ventures. “Grinning’ in Your Face” is the sole non-original composition on the album. Penned by the Delta blues singer Son House, this 1965 piece channels the modal patterns and spiritual practices of John Coltrane and Albert Ayler with plenty of outside maneuvers. In turn, “Our Armor” relies on robust playing anchored by strong emotion and grit, with Korton’s nimble sweeping over the keyboard creating harp-like waves. He also leaps with obsessive moves and slides chromatically with purpose.

Blood Burden is a safe bet for those who like navigate uncommon waters. Colón arrives with plenty of promise but already shows substantial achievement. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - V.M.C.S. ► 05 - Grinning’ in Your Face ► 06 - Our Armor

Alex Harding / Lucian Ban - Blutopia

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2024

Personnel - Alex Harding; baritone saxophone; Lucian Ban: piano; Mat Maneri; viola; Bob Stewart: tuba; Brandon Lewis: drums.

Baritonist Alex Harding and pianist Lucian Ban forged a friendship and musical collaboration around 1998 when the latter arrived in New York from Romania to attend the New School. Their first recording was for Ban’s debut album Somethin’ Holy (CIMP, 2002). With Blutopia, the pair expands the duo work presented in Dark Blue (Sunnyside, 2019), adding singular musicians such as violist Mat Maneri, tubist Bob Stewart, and drummer Brandon Lewis.

Having their musical ethos defying conventional jazz practices, the group begins hauntingly with “Speak Our Silence”, a collective improvisation that drifts slowly across the horizon, benefiting from the plodding dark sound of the tuba at the end. In the same vein but with touches of world music in its percussive tract, Ban’s “Mist” is inspired by Sun Ra, who seemed to be the inspiration for the album’s title. Paul Motian’s “Fantasm” perfectly fits the mood as an ambiguously exquisite piece limned by meditative cooing and a pleasant contrast of timbres.

Sculpted as a transcendental Eastern-tinged lament, the beautiful and hypnotic “Marrakesh”, inspired by and dedicated to the late pianist Randy Weston, showcases exceptional moments of improvisation and synchronicity between Harding and Ban. The group explores other directions, offering gospel and classical chamber narratives in Harding’s “Spirit Take My Hand” and Ban’s “Hymn”, respectively.

One of the most energetic pieces on the album is Andrew Hill’s “Blue Black”, here permeated with a monumental groove, gorgeous unison lines, and solos from Maneri, who employs his arresting exploratory melancholy to paint out of the frame, and Harding, whose bluesy wails expand into intense euphoria. Ban’s “Hieroglyphics” carries an implacably engaging blend of folk, avant-garde jazz, and fanfare-ish ragtime, with Lewis’ drumming standing out.

Blutopia underscores the maturity of these musicians who, engaged with focused attention, ascend emotional peaks together with multi-layered soulfulness.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Speak Our Silence ► 02 - Blue Black ► 06 - Marrakesh 

William Parker Heart Trio

Label: AUM Fidelity, 2024

Personnel - William Parker: doson ngoni, shakuhachi, bass dudek, Serbian flute, ney flute; Cooper-Moore: ashimba, hoe-handle harp; Hamid Drake: drums, frame drum.

Acclaimed bassist and multi-instrumentalist William Parker, recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award at Vision Festival, reunites with longtime collaborators and members of his quartet, Cooper-Moore and Hamid Drake, for a freely improvised trio session centered on world music Their effort, characterized by soothing and richly rhythmic spiritual vibes, aims to ease our troubled modern times.

Predominantly influenced by West African sounds, the trio also incorporates Balkan dances and other Eastern flavors. Parker switches between different flutes and the doson ngoni, Cooper-Moore toggles between instruments he built himself in the 1970s - the ashimba (an 11-tone xylophone) and hoe-handle harp - and Drake makes everything dance with his percussion expertise.

“Atman” bathes in an unspecified ceremony of flute and percussion, while “Five Angels By the Stream” is propelled by great skill, creating a trance-inducing straight-eight feel marked by pervasive harp, dynamic hi-hat accents, and groovy ngoni for a crisper definition.

“Mud Dance” features bass dudek over a palpable pulsation driven by ashimba and frame drum. The rhythm intensifies and accelerates on “Serbia”, where the flute spins wildly and instinctively over a magnetic flux. “Kondo” plays on perpetual movement with wonderful drumming and hearty harmonization woven by ngoni and harp. The threesome performs a few rhythmic variations along the way, reaching the form of an Eastern rumination on “For Rafael Garrett”, a tribute to the late Chicago multi-instrumentalist Donald Rafael Garrett that blurs the line between lament and exuberance. “Processional”, confidently paced in seven, denotes a strong sense of order without rigidity, while showcasing a balanced blend of ngoni, harp, and metallic percussion.

The music flows pristinely, filled with clarity and naturalness, and enriched with subtle expressive touches that highlight the well-ingrained telepathic interplay these musicians share.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Five Angels By the Stream ► 06 - For Rafael Garrett ► 07 - Processional

Nicole Connelly - Stamp in Time

Label: Self released, 2024

Personnel - Nicole Connelly: trombone; Zachary Swanson: bass; Kate Gentile: drums; Erin Connelly: trumpet (#3,5,9,10,12); Andrew Hadro: baritone saxophone (#7).

Stamp in Time, the promising first album by Brooklyn-based trombonist Nicole Connelly, is poised to earn her respect as a leader. Embracing the avant-garde and experimental territories on the left side of the jazz spectrum, Connelly engages in emphatic collaborative interaction with her band mates: fearless bassist Zachary Swanson and exceptional drummer Kate Gentile, and enriches half of the 12 tracks with guest appearances by her twin sister, trumpeter Erin Connelly and baritone saxophonist Andrew Hadro.

The album kicks off with the title cut, a somewhat reflective original composition that teases the listener with long multiphonics and a fine tonal contrast between Swanson’s dramatic bowed bass and Gentile’s sparkling cymbal work. The Roswell Rudd-penned “Bamako” brings West African flavors through a joyful groove that makes it danceable plus a melody that sticks to your head. 

“Shadow Self”, one of the four pieces improvised live in the studio, features trumpet and trombone in tandem over loose bass and pronounced hi-hat, showcasing a simplicity that makes it demanding. “Malaton”, delivered in five, boasts a special vibrancy drawn from both the avant-garde and rock realms. The central riff here is as captivating as that in “Day By Day”, which expands into a candidly improvised brass discourse followed by crisp drum chops.

Bebop singer/poet Babs Gonzales’ “Lullaby of the Doomed” is shaped as a mournful procession with warped trombone multiphonics giving it a droning edge, while “Sky Piece”, a composition by the late saxophonist Thomas Chapin, offers an astonishing set of pitches that resonate powerfully with Hadro’s exuberant playing. His deep baritone shouts, later turning into murmuring trills, are initially underpinned by a bass pedal that disentangles into a three-time-feel motion. All that momentarily stops for a solitary trombone statement. 

Draped in tension and release fabrics, Stamp in Time sees the musicians interlocking their sounds while exploring a mix of sharp and round jazz corners that are meaningful to Connelly, marking her as an artist to keep an eye on.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Stamp in Time ► 02 - Bamako ► 07 - Sky Piece

Matt Wilson's Good Trouble

Label: Palmetto Records, 2024

Personnel - Jeff Lederer: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone; Dawn Clement: piano; Ben Allison: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

Helming a powerful new quintet, drummer/composer Matt Wilson delivers an entertainingly gripping set of music with Good Trouble, marking his 14th release on Palmetto label. The album includes both originals and covers, paying tribute to congressman John Lewis and his fight for Civil Rights while also celebrating Wilson’s 60th birthday. The quintet features a dynamic two-horn frontline with longtime collaborator Jeff Lederer on tenor saxophone and new addition Tia Fuller on alto, while the rhythm section is rounded out with pianist/vocalist Dawn Clement and bassist Ben Allison, players capable of serious chops within a variety of musical contexts.

Wilson’s “Fireplace” pays homage to the late pianist Geri Allen, opening with a provocative riff and deliberate accentuations before the soloists are given ample room to cut loose. Lederer’s irresistible eloquence finds a complementary foil in Fuller, with whom he alternates bars with indomitable energy. “Albert’s Alley”, penned by Lederer and inspired by his dog, results in a cerebral bluesy neo-bop number with some polyphonic allure and smart moves.

The album’s centerpiece, Good Trouble Suite, is comprised of three parts.The first, “RBG”, honors justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg with a fresh Latin vibe and jubilant unisons, leading to exhilarating saxophone exchanges and the band singing her name. The second movement, “Walk the Wind” is a soulful ballad where Allison speaks his truth with thick, roving lines. The third act, “Good Trouble”, tricks the listener with early Monk-ish accents before embarking on a splendid carousel of gospel and dancing jazz revival.

This fascinating blend of traditional and modern elements enhances the appeal of the album, and this holds true for the four covers presented here, which straddle different styles and approaches. “Be That As it May”, penned by Wilson’s student Akihito Goray, takes the form of a soul-jazz ballad propelled by pleasing snare currents and polished by Clement’s voice. She also claims the spotlight in the rendition of John Denver’s country-folk hit “Sunshine on My Shoulders”. Yet, the standout interpretations are Ornette Coleman’s “Feet Music”, featuring a groovy bass solo and another heated dialogue between Lederer and Fuller, and Gary Bartz’s “Libra”, a post-bop dazzler.

The special warmth and kaleidoscopic eclecticism that keeps Wilson’s tunes so captivating continues in “Community Spirit”, which concludes the album with a contagious African rhythm in 5/4 time after a rubato gospelized inception. Wilson’s music is a joy to listen to, and this band, moved by an elevated sense of unity, truly delivers.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Fireplace ► 04 - RBG ► 10 - Community Spirit

Nduduzo Makhathini - Unomkhubulwane

Label: Blue Note Records, 2024

Personnel - Nduduzo Makhathini: piano, voice; Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere: bass; Francisco Mela: drums.

Two years ago, South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini made a sensation with his masterpiece record In the Spirit of Ntu, which found him at a crossroads between South African folk music, modal jazz, and post-bop. Now, he returns in a trio format with uNomkhubulwane (meaning God’s only daughter and manifestation of God), extending his oeuvre of unique, ambitious African jazz with another homage to his native traditions and ancestors. 

With the assistance of American bassist of South African descent Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere and Cuban-born, New York-based drummer Francisco Mela, Makhathini delivers a three-movement suite with intimacy and magic. The first movement, Libations, intends to be a collective Black mourning motivated by ongoing oppression, peaking with “KwaKhangelamankengana”, a dynamic 5/8 groover limned with sharp phrasing and impetuous harmonic drive. This selection, showcasing his crispest piano work on the album, comes after “Omnyama”, a poetic 3/4 Afro-centric invocation featuring spoken word in Nguni (a primordial Indigenous language), and “Uxolo”, a smooth jazz affair with a touch of Ahmad Jamal.

The Water Spirits suite begins with “Izinkonjana”, channeling Abdullah Ibrahim through lighthearted South African folk and gospel sounds, but reaches a climax with “Amanxusa Asemkhathini”, where rhythmic juxtapositions and an enveloping modal jazz infused with tension keep listeners engaged. “Nyoni Le?” exudes mystery with the combination of Makhathini’s deep-sounding piano, Mela’s toms articulation, and le Pere’s arco bass murmuring.

The third suite, Inner Attainment, seeks freedom, hope, and grace, offering the best moments on the album. “Izibingelelo” starts as a beautiful meditation before going modal and ultimately landing on a poised mid-tempo post-bop exercise; “Umlayez’oPhuthumayo” feels loose and avant-garde in essence, embellished with fine melodicism by the end; and “Ithemba”, a light-emitting solo piano effort is stripped down to the placid traits of the pianist’s imagination.

Eschewing any form of bombast expression, abrupt shifting tempos, or mood complexities, Makhathini immerses the listener in expected reveries with a hypnotic touch, conveying freedom, balance, and humanity - elements so much needed in our days.

Favorite Tracks:
05 - Water Spirits: Amanxusa Asemkhathini ► 08 - Inner Attainment: Izibingelelo ► 09 - Inner Attainment: Umlayez’oPhuthumayo ► 11 - Inner Attainment: Ithemba

Oded Tzur - My Prophet

Label: ECM Records, 2024

Personnel - Oded Tzur: tenor saxophone; Nitai Hershkovits: piano; Petros Klampanis: acoustic bass; Cyrano Almeida: drums.

New York-based saxophonist and composer Oded Tzur showcases impressive evolution in My Prophet, his fifth album as a leader and third for ECM Records, featuring high-quality compositions that take the form of incantations. The quartet lineup signals one change, with the young Brazilian drummer Cyrano Almeida replacing the seasoned Johnathan Blake, while Nitai Herskovits and Petros Klampanis remain on piano and bass, respectively. 

Inspired by an all-powerful deity that reveals one's true self, the album consists of a myth-like suite of five movements, beginning with the short whisper of “Epilogue”. This leads into the hair-raising lyricism of “Child You”, where folk and post-bop currents blend seamlessly. This piece, harmoniously impressionistic in tone, showcases a conscious spiritual quality that is carried to Tzur’s gravitas-filled solo, becoming further exploratory during Hershkovits’ improvisation.

The group’s distinctive soulful sound continues in the delicate “Through a Land Unsown”, establishing a profound connection between melody and harmony. Klampanis’ bass work here is focused and dulcet, contrasting with Hershkovits’ pianism, which consistently pushes beyond what’s expected. Tzur’s saxophone radiates light in a gentle freedom dance filled with intelligent subtlety and positive vibes. While “Renata” is a clinically-sculpted waltz, “My Prophet” has the power to rarefy the air with Indian classical introspection, softly brushed to a hush until it takes the shape of a murmuring prayer.

With artistry and charismatic personality, Tzur draws in anyone seeking for a new sense of spirituality in jazz, which reaches uplifting and fervent tones in the closer, “Last Bike Ride in Paris”. Here, synergistic interplay and odd rhythmic placement make everything so exciting. As Tzur states: “there’s freedom within the form”, and that’s palpable. 

My Prophet is a magical record, a transfixing masterpiece of restraint enchantment and passionate eruptions that places Tzur at the crest of contemporary spiritual jazz. 

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Child You ► 03 - Through a Land Unsown ► 05 - My Prophet ► 06 - Last Bike Ride in Paris

John Escreet - The Epicenter of Your Dreams

Label: Blue Room Music, 2024

Personnel - John Escreet: piano; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Eric Revis: bass; Damion Reid: drums.

With his latest album, virtuosic pianist and intelligent composer John Escreet continues to delve into textures and structures in search of transcendence and surprise. His creative trio, featuring bassist Eric Revis and drummer Damion Reid, is expanded for The Epicenter of Your Dreams with the addition of seasoned tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. The follow-up to Seismic Shift (Whirlwind Recordings, 2022) features an eight-track program with two covers dedicated to influential pianists and six edgy signature compositions that meld rhythmic complexity and harmonic expansiveness.

The album’s leadoff track, “Call It What It Is”, dazzles with its keen sense of harmony and fluidity, showcasing the band’s strong rapport that peaks in adventurous improvisations from Turner and Escreet. The cutting-edged title track, “The Epicenter of Your Dreams”, is a through-composed odyssey that transitions from an intriguing half-awake, half-dreamy reflection to a firmly unfolded pathway wrapped in harmonic splendor. Here, a vibrant saxophone statement jitters through a dynamic vibe that shifts in the final section, allowing for an expressive bass solo over a peaceful two-chord progression.

Stanley Cowell’s “Departure No.1” and Andrew Hill’s “Erato” have the quartet putting an assertive stamp on their anatomical qualities. Swinging joyfully, the former guarantees premium post-bop delivery, culminating in a fanciful drum solo by Reid; the latter, accelerated in tempo, is an unclassifiable piece that transcends conventional jazz moods.

“Meltdown” is a collective improvisation that combines bowed bass, saxophone multiphonics, keyed-up snare patterns, and a myriad of piano constellations with occasional extended techniques. Its exploratory nature matures into the imaginative “Trouble and Activity”, which exemplifies the gear-like machinations of the group’s progressive creativity via a 10-beat cycle brewed with unison lines atop, tensile rhythmic coordination, and a series of deconstructions and expansions that motivate exciting soloing moments. Another standout track, “Lifeline”, hits the spot with sinewy angularity and seamless passages during which the levels of energy never drop.

With the assistance of his quartet mates, Escreet gives a step further in a fascinating display of self-awareness and boundless imagination. His tight blend of traditional jazz elements and modern flights of fancy is so logical and cohesive that will keep listeners eager to revisit his music.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Call It What It Is ► 05 - Trouble and Activity ► 07 - Lifeline

Shabaka Hutchings - Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace

Label: Impulse!, 2024

Personnel - Shabaka Hutchings: flute (#3-6,8,9,11), shakuhachi (#2,7), clarinet (#1,9,10), tenor sax (#9); Jason Moran: piano (#1,10); Nasheet Waits: drums (#1,10); Carlos Niño: percussion (#1,5,7,10); Brandee Younger: harp (#2,6,8); Charles Overton: harp (#2-4,6,8,10); Nduduzo Makhathini: piano (#5); Esperanza Splading: bass (#6,7); Rajna Swaminathan: mrudangam (#9); Dave Okumo: guitar (#7); Marcus Gilmore: drums (#9); Floating Points: Rhodes Chroma, vibraphone (#7); Andre 3000: Teotihuacan drone flute (#7); Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: strings (#2,8); Moses Sumney: vocals (#3); Saul Williams: vocals (#4); Lianne La Havas: vocals (#10); Elucid: vocals (#6); Laraaji: vocals (#7); Anum Iyapo: vocals (#11).

For his latest recording, London-based multi-reedist and composer Shabaka Hutchings invited a few guests to record at Rudy Van Gelder’s renowned studio. The resultant emotive dalliance of instrumentation we hear throughout Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace differs from anything Shabaka has done so far, serving as a reintroduction to the artist. For this kind of work, he opted to predominantly play flutes, including shakuhachi, quena, bamboo, and svirel.

Most tracks comprising this reflective album are given spacious treatments, and the opener, “End of Innocence”, is loosened up by Hutchings’ lucid clarinet playing, pianist Jason Moran’s cinematically noir chordal work, and understated percussion investment by Carlos Niño and Nasheet Waits. This same lineup, playing with gentle jazz colors, shape “Kiss me Before I Forget”, further illuminated by the voice of British singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas. 

The combination of flute and the heavenly harp sounds of Brandee Younger and Charles Overton adds an extra layer of feeling in pieces like “As the Planet and the Stars Collapse”, a tearful embrace delicately crafted with strings, “Insecurities”, featuring vocals by Moses Sumney, and the closer “Song of Motherland”, which provides a silky tapestry for the poetic impulses of Hutchings’ Barbados-born father, Anum Iyapo. 

The entrancing South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini contributes to the sheer contemplation of “The Wounded Need to be Replenished”, while “Body to Inhabit” and “I’ll Do whatever You Want”, both featuring bassist Esperanza Spalding, are more fleshed-out selections. The former also features New York City rapper Elucid, while the latter expands instrumentation with the presence of electronic music producer Floating Points, who plays Rhodes Chroma here, flutist Andre 3000, drummer Marcus Gilmore, guitarist Dave Okumu, and vocalist Laraaji. 

One of the strongest pieces on the album is “Breathing”, a duo effort between Hutchings - in command of a plethora of flute, clarinet, and saxophone overdubs - and mridangam player Rajna Swaminathan. The eclectic jazzy vibes are elevated by a searing saxophone solo that should leave no one indifferent. 

Liberated from any pressures or expectations of how his music should sound, Hutchings puts a charming spin and just enough sheen to blend strains of jazz, folk, world music, and other contemporary and ancient elements he chose to express himself. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - End of Innocence ► 02 - As the Planet and the Stars Collapse ► 09 - Breathing

Kamasi Washington - Fearless Movement

Label: Young, 2024

Personnel includes - Kamasi Washington: tenor and alto sax; Dontae Winslow: trumpet; Ryan Porter: trombone; Patrice Quinn: vocals; Brandon Coleman: keyboards, key bass, vocoder; Cameron Graves: piano; Woody Aplanalp: guitar; Miles Mosley: bass; Ronald Bruner Jr.: drums; Tony Austin: drums.
CD1 guests include: Thundercat: electric bass (#2,4); DJ Battlecat: turntables (#2), talkbox (#5); Taj Austin: vocals (#2); Raj Austin: vocals (#2); Terrace Martin: alto sax (#3); George Clinton: vocals (#4); D Smoke: vocals (#4); André 3000: flutes (#6); Mono/Poly: synths (#6).
CD2 guests include: BJ the Chicago Kid: vocals (#1); Dwight Trible: vocals (#2,5); Ben Williams: double bass (#7).

Laced with electric styles and interests, Fearless Movement, the fifth studio album from the spectacularly soulful saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington, focuses on the earthly while radiating plenty of spiritual illumination. The LA-based saxophonist follows up his last record, Heaven and Earth (2018), with another one just as good, playing alongside regular bandmates and a few special guests. His colorful musical universe remains anchored in post-bop, funk, soul, and hip-hop, with the grandiose sounding arrangements on this double album being shaped by various architects.

Brimming with prayerful, epic, and spiritual enlightenment, “Lesanu” makes for a killing start, with pianist Cameron Graves taking the improvisational lead over a deep, compelling pocket before Washington’s majestic phraseology take fervent expression. “Asha the First” was written for his first daughter, who wrote the melody on piano. This richly layered piece features a vibrant beat, a busy electric bass solo by Thundercat, bilateral rapping by brothers Taj and Raj Austin, and the skilled turntablism of DJ Battlecat.

“Computer Love” is a gentle soul cut sung by Patrice Quinn, while “Get Lit”, featuring funk music icon George Clinton (from Parliament-Funkadelic) and rapper D Smoke, is a hip-hop incursion softened by R&B elements. The CD1 closer, “Dream State”, arranged by Andre 3000, who also plays flute, evolves from a hypnotic state - with deftly deployed electronics, gorgeous keyboard bass, and freely rambling horns - into a groovy funk romp loaded with infectious bass lines and cool drumming.

CD2 includes some of the most exciting tracks: “The Garden Path” shines with heroic chanting and prismatic modality, complemented by superb solos from Washington, trumpeter Dontae Winslow, and trombonist Ryan Porter. “Road to Self (KO)” features an uplifting bass groove in seven, balancing chilled-out crosscurrents and expansive soloing. “Interstellar Peace” offers airy spaciousness with its ternary feel, and Astor Piazzola’s “Prologue”, suggested by bassist Miles Mosley, closes out the album as a post-bop catharsis delivered at a galloping rhythm.

This inspiringly lush opus glows with newfound potential, and Washington keeps everyone motivated for what comes next. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 (CD1) - Lesanu ► 02 (CD2) - The Garden Path ► 03 (CD2) - Road to Self (KO) ► 06 (CD2) - Prologue

Matthew Shipp Trio - New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz

Label: ESP-Disk, 2024

Personnel - Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: bass; Newman Taylor Baker: drums.

The trio of American pianist Matthew Shipp, featuring bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker, has been deservedly praised for their complex rhythmic calculus and hypnotic reveries. Their intriguing frameworks, rich in abstract compositional constructs and impromptu discourse, cohere in each album, and that’s no exception for their new endeavor, New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz.

“Primal Poem”, delicate and focused with a perceptible riff at the core and a three time feel, starts the album, followed by “Sea Song”, a tonally noir exercise with sizzling brushwork, recurrent bass pedals, and well-cadenced piano textures.

Other reflective tracks include “Tone IQ”, “Brain System”, and “Brain Work”, but the winners are “The Function” and “Non Circle”. The former, straddling the line between familiar and new, features walking bass lines supporting Shipp’s expressionism, which manifests as ricocheting rhythmic motions, fully-formed figures, and splendid note constellations. “Non Circle”, initially defined by Baker’s solid groove, denotes a disjointed nature, eventually taking heavy steps with polyrhythmic adornments. The motion here impresses, while the intense piano spurts often surprise. “Coherent System” completes the album with another telepathic, charismatically progressive performance underpinned by Baker’s martial snare fluxes. 

Not as brilliant as Piano Song (2017) or The Unidentifiable (2020), these new concepts still exemplify Shipp Trio’s musical capacity and inventiveness.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - The Function ► 04 - Non Circle ► 08 - Coherent System

Ned Rothenberg - Crossings Four

Label: Clean Feed Records, 2024

Personnel - Ned Rothenberg: bass clarinet, alto saxophone, clarinet; Mary Halvorson: guitar, effects; Sylvie Courvoisier: piano; Tomas Fujiwara; drums.

Switching between three reeds, adventurous New York musician and composer Ned Rothenberg delivers a great set of music, enlightened by audacious compositional ideas and extraordinary improvisational acumen. Crossings Four, his third outing on the Clean Feed label as leader/co-leader, features a notable bass-less rhythm section comprised of guitarist Mary Halvorson, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. These members, all outstanding composers and bandleaders, are capable of both tight and spontaneous moves.

The album opens with the hip “Seersucker”, a magnetic piece penned by Rothenberg and Courvoisier. Although more curvilinear than angular in texture, it still relies on polyrhythmic and polyphonic maneuvers. Here, a deliciously sluggish bass clarinet makes space for Halvorson’s effects-drenched outside explorations and Courvoisier’s modern classical inspiration. 

The quartet effortlessly juggles timbres and calls-and-responses, peaking on the atmospheric “Sheets to the Wind”, where strumming piano strings and smoothly fingerpicked guitar imprints create a peculiar harmonic texture. Rothenberg’s bass clarinet emits long notes, trills, whispers, and cries, while Fujiwara shifts from understated percussion to enthusiastic drumming through a few changes of groove and vamping sequences.

Keening on alto saxophone, Rothenberg presents “Quarantina” with circular movements and suspensions before transitioning into bolder and tenser territory with hard charging power. “Tangled Tangos” features an absorbing theme delivered in unison, developing into playful exploration with occasional incendiary flare-ups. The utterly expressive “Bob and Weave” is adroitly layered, concluding the album with a superior sense of balance and communication.

Taking into account the quality demonstrated here, it is fair to say that Rothenberg is an understated artist, riding unpretentiously on the crest of modern creative music, avant-garde jazz, and structured improvisation. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Seersucker ► 02 - Sheets to the Wind ► 06 - Bob and Weave

Aaron Irwin Trio - (after)

Label: Adhyaropa Records, 2024

Personnel - Aaron Irwin: alto saxophone; Mike Baggetta: guitar; Jeff Hirshfield: drums.

Brooklyn-based saxophonist and composer Aaron Irwin explores similarities between music and poetry as forms of expression in his ninth album, (after), featuring long-time bandmates Mike Bagetta and Jeff Hirshfield on guitar and drums, respectively. 

The opening track, “Recuerdo”, draws inspiration from Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem of the same name, featuring pointillistic harmonization, precise and direct saxophone terminology, and subdued percussion. “Frederick Douglass” incorporates electronics, firm guitar pedal points, and a brushed rhythmic flux, evoking a country music vibe that feels even stronger on “The Cemetery”, reminiscent of a Western movie soundtrack. “Daniel Boone” embraces Americana in a combination of slide guitar, dry hi-hat pulsation, and iterative bass clarinet melody. Stephen Vincent Benét’s poem is narrated by Emily Wong.

While “When I Heard at the Close of the Day” offers a folk dance atmosphere with bass clarinet at the front, while “Five Bells” veers from jazzy to noise rock, driven by Baggetta’s saturated sounds. His distorted infusions return in the audacious “The President Visits the Storm”, complemented with swinging cymbal drive and clarinet circularity. Another standout, “Pikes Peak”, is a waltzing ballad where, during the intro, Irwin’s unaccompanied alto suggests the motif at the center of its theme. There’s an interesting dialogue between the threesome here, with Baggetta forging a terrific comping, momentarily put on halt by a productive saxophone-over-drums synergy.

The music in (after) is well played but not game-changing as most tracks fail to transcend expectations. Yet, you can give it a try, especially if you’re into American music or curious about how the trio explores the expressive parallels between poetry and music.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Five Bells ► 05 - Pikes Peak ► 09 - The President Visits the Storm

David Murray Quartet - Francesca

Label: Intakt Records, 2024

Personnel - David Murray: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Marta Sanchez: piano; Luke Stewart: bass; Russell Carter: drums.

David Murray, a veteran saxophonist and key figure in free jazz and avant-garde circles since the 1970s, showcases his prowess with a new quartet on the album Francesca. Featuring talented younger musicians Marta Sanchez on piano, Luke Stewart on bass, and Russell Carter on drums, the ensemble delivers a captivating blend of jazz tradition and fiery soloing across eight tracks.

The album kicks off with the title track, a joyful and expressive piece dedicated to Murray’s wife. Maintaining a straightforward 3/4 time signature, the tune, harmonically transparent, never loses composure even when Murray gets out of orbit with his improvisational extravagance and fervency. “Ninno”, originally recorded for Murray’s 2023 trio album Plumb (with Questlove and Roy Angry), reappears here with crossover potential and immersed in groove. With a catchy four-note riff at the center, this cut blends funk, Latin, and swinging jazz elements in different proportions. 

Murray’s pronounced hooks, all quirky but uplifting, are not reserved to the tenor saxophone. We can hear him playing the bass clarinet on “Shenzhen”, where he mixes oriental and bolero flavors with sumptuous moves and great piano work by Sanchez, and Don Pullen’s mid-tempo waltz “Richard’s Tune” (penned for Muhal Richard Abrams), introduced by a nice rubato preamble crafted by him and the pianist.

“Come and Go”, flowing at 5/4 time with some moments of romanticism, puts together a sequence of avant-garde and post-bop ingredients, displaying saxophone obliques that traverse the rhythmic tapestries with cyclonic fury. “Am Gone Get Some” exudes humor and cool bluesy deliberation with some Monk’s mood, while “Free Mingus”, underpinned by a rock-steady backbeat, infuses gospel and R&B tinges, showcasing Stewart’s loosened groove and soloing skills.

Exhibiting a variety of tempos and tones, Francesca finds Murray living up to his potential in stark, charming, and dynamic ways.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Ninno ► 04 - Come and Go ► 05 - Am Gone Get Some

Borderlands Trio - Rewilder

Label: Intakt Records, 2024

Personnel - Stephan Crump: acoustic bass; Kris Davis: piano; Eric McPherson: drums.

The Borderlands Trio, a unit co-led by resourceful musicians and established figures in the creative music world such as bassist Stephan Crump, pianist Kris Davis, and drummer Eric McPherson, is adept at amorphous, often knotty musical settings that sound natural to the ear. Their third release, a double album called Rewilder, is marked by assured improvised frameworks built with freedom and patience, and with a penchant for nuance and subtlety. Drawing spontaneously from a wide musical palette that spans avant-garde jazz, modern classical, experimental chamber music, and even world fusion, the trio crafts mesmerizing sonic tapestries.

The opener, “Cyclops Mountain”, starts off languidly, immersed in a rubato introduction before delving into intriguing grooves and motions. Piano motifs succeed one after the other, and folk melodies appear here and there over hazy bass walks and rattling percussion. “Axolotl” follows suit, initially somber and contemplative - centered on bowed bass and prepared piano with a vibing, percussive trait - before transitioning into melodic and harmonic clarity.

Spanning over 18 minutes, “Monotreme” showcases bemusing and fearless interplay. Bass and drums take their way, riding avenues with more or less speed and impetus, ending up in a swinging buoyancy over which Davis propagates thrilling cascades, prominent pulsations, and oblique melodic invention. On the heels of a compelling arco bass statement and moments of fun piano activity, the trio concludes on a symbiotic groovy note. “Tree Shrimp” closes the first disc, infusing an intrinsic hip-hop vibration in the beat, irresistibly funky bass imprints, and wooden xylophone-like sounds via prepared piano, before a decisive swinging flight toward abstraction. 

The second disc comprises three large-canvas improvisations delivered with control and authority. The tense pulsations of “Echidna” stand out, forming a delightfully percussive bubble that keeps you trapped in its confines. Rewilder provides a thrilling listening experience filled with surprises and musical liberation.

Favorite Tracks:
02 (CD1) - Axolotl ► 04 (CD1) - Monotreme ► 02 (CD2) - Echidna

Kenny Garrett & Svoy - Who Killed AI?

Label: Mack Avenue, 2024

Personnel - Kenny Garrett: alto and soprano saxophone, vocals; Svoy: programming, vocals, piano, keyboards.

Mighty saxophonist Kenny Garrett hasn’t lost any of his improvisational soulfulness while playing over a totally electronic backdrop in Who Killed AI?, a duo album with pop/electronica star Svoy.

The album kicks off with “Ascendance”, a keyboards-soaked piece driven by invigorating rhythms and punctuated by warped chords over which Garrett’s sweltering phrases stand out with angular hooks and an effortless inside/outside malleability. “Miles Running Down AI” channels the spirit of Miles Davis’ electric album Bitches Brew in an exuberant fusion pinned by a funky wah-wah groove and occasionally punctuated by vibing clouds of poise. 

However, not every track hits the mark; “Transcendence” unfolds under a sparse, dull beat in a controlled atmospheric setting that lacks provocation, while the duo's rendition of the standard ballad "My Funny Valentine” falls short of capturing its charm and luster.

Yet, there are highlights worth noting. “Divergence Tu-Dah” presents an alternative R&B-meets-hip-hop fusion cooked up with ominous noir undertones, vocals, and a hypnotic backbeat. The solo here - emulating a guitar - flows with an empathetic language bursting with dramatic expression. Equally enticing, “Convergence” appears as a muscular EDM-inspired cut, reminiscent of Donny McCaslin’s intrepid dancefloor excursions. Here, Garrett exhibits strong motivic inclinations.

While the duo’s bold attempt to create something out-of-the-box is laudable, the album ultimately left me with mixed feelings, as not all tracks manage to leave a lasting impact.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ascendence ► 04 - Divergence Tu-Dah ► 07 - Convergence

Wadada Leo Smith / Amina Claudine Myers - Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens

Label: Red Hook Records, 2024

Personnel - Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet; Amina Claudine Myers: piano, organ.

In their enlightened duo recording, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and pianist Amina Claudine Myers venture into magnetic sonic terrain. The album, titled Central Park’s Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens, includes seven moving and contemplative tracks - six by Smith and one by Myers - inspired by New York’s Central Park and the world’s urgent need for peace and justice. It marks the first collaboration of these two musicians since their early days in the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians).

Inviting listeners into a world of glistening textures and shared musical imagination, the duo opens with the lyrical and serene “Conservatory Gardens”, whose soulful languidity results from the juxtaposition of an immersive textural harmonization and piercing trumpet cries. This piece ends with glorious constellations of notes freed by Myers on the higher octaves of the keyboard. “Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir” blends the solemnity of the Hammond B3 organ with the candor of muted trumpet, creating a compelling sonic landscape.

The sublime atmosphere continues with “Central Park at Sunset”, where chiaroscuro tonalities evoke an autumnal palette. Myers showcases her classical inclinations and intriguing cluster chords in "When Was," a solo piano recital that balances melody with avant-garde exploration.

The album closes with introspective pieces paying homage to musicians who championed peace and justice: “Albert Ayler, a Meditation in Light” transports listeners to a tonally splendorous universe, while “Imagine, a Mosaic for John Lennon” retains wide spaces and smooth articulation.

Smith and Myers convey a sense of longing with sheer emotion and profound depth while making intelligent use of their instruments. This is a light-emitting album to be revisited many times in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Conservatory Gardens ► 04 - When Was ► 06 - Albert Ayler, a Meditation on Light

Kenny Barron - Beyond This Place

Label: Artwork Records, 2024

Personnel - Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Kenny Barron: piano; Steve Nelson: vibraphone; Kiyoshi Kitagawa: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Pianist and composer Kenny Barron, a towering figure in the jazz world with 13 Grammy nominations and induction into the American Jazz Hall of Fame, has been at the helm of sophisticated post-bop for many decades, never shying away from reinventing jazz standards, reshaping his own originals, or composing anew. He does all that in his latest album, Beyond This Place, for which he enlisted a multigenerational group featuring rising star saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, veteran vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and his regular rhythm team of bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake.

The quintet starts off with a rendition of the timeless standard “The Nearness of You”, smoothly introduced by piano and saxophone, and later reinforced by dulcet bass lines and sizzling brushwork. Wilkins’s remarkably soulful statement makes this number memorable. Two other standards appear in the song lineup: “Softly as In a Morning Sunrise”, is a fantastic piano-drums duet where Barron deconstructs and rebuilds his narrative by stretching the melody to the breaking point; and Monk’s “We See”, seamlessly translated into piano-sax duo idiom. Curiously, Barron, who included more than a dozen Monk tunes in his extended discography, had never recorded this one before.

Notable among Barron’s original compositions is “Scratch”, a burning post-bop cut from 1985 that, stressing rhythmic accentuations, swings impulsively with confident elan. It’s lavishly delivered and stately paced with fluid yet tension-imbued solos from Wilkins, Nelson, and Barron. “Innocent”, whose original version was recorded in 1978 with saxophonist Sonny Fortune, is now revitalized with Wilkins’ fresh approach and Blake’s dynamic contribution. The drummer also shines on “Tragic Magic”, a lilting hard-bop number penned in honor of late pianist Tommy Flanagan, and contributes a composition of his own, the smoky “Blues on Stratford Road”, which evolves into a relaxed if familiar setting. 

In turn, the freshly penned title track is a gospel-infused ballad that reflects Barron’s refined pianism and melodic sensibility. Beyond This Place marks a strong return for Barron, characterized by stimulating conversational exchanges and masterful musicianship. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Nearness of You ► 02 - Scratch ► 07 -  Softly As in a Morning Sunrise