A long-time fan of the front-line pairings of the 1950s bands of Miles Davis, Art Blakey and Horace Silver (for whom "Silver Mine" is dedicated), Swainson shaped both his compositions and the blue-chip rhythm section of pianist Renee Rosnes (with whom he'd worked in the 1990s cross border band Free Trade) and Lewis Nash around this stylistic post-bop conception. With compositional dedications to musical influences (the aforementioned "Silver Mine"), to impactful places ("Kyushu," a musical reflection of time spent on this Japanese island), to people ("Fell Among Thieves" references a biblical parable that Swainson relates to some "wonderful" people he has known who fell into difficult company and circumstance), this new recording offers a personal glimpse inside Swainson's musical and compositional mind.

Dark Night, Bright Stars - Sharon Minemoto - A captivating collection of original compositions by indomitable pianist Sharon Minemoto that reveal a wealth of emotional depth. Her new album for Cellar Music entitled 'Dark Night, Bright Stars' is lyrical, playful and introspective with a wealth of emotional depth. It features a fantastic quartet comprised of Jon Bentley on tenor saxophone, Darren Radtke on bass and Bernie Arai on drums.

FOREST FOR THE TREES

There is something to be said for moving the music forward while remaining deeply rooted in and respectful of the tradition. North Carolina-born jazz pianist Thomas Linger threads that needle masterfully on his debut album Out In It. Joined by an all-star cast of musicians Peter Bernstein on guitar, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums

HERE FOR A WHILE

Warren Wolf - History Of The Vibraphone. Warren Wolf releases a stunning new album 'History Of The Vibraphone' paying tribute to some of the top players who've ever held a pair of mallets. Warren Wolf is a vibraphone player and multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, Maryland. He is a member of the SFJAZZ Collective and Christian McBride & "Inside Straight". On his stunning new album 'History of the Vibraphone' Wolf pays tribute to some of the top players who've ever held a pair of mallets including; Terry Gibbs, Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Gary Burton, Roy Ayers, Dave Samuels and Joe Locke. He's joined by a stellar band of Tim Green on saxophones, Alex Brown on piano & Fender Rhodes, Vicente Archer on bass and Carroll "CV" Dashiell III on drums.

FORWARD

Imogen Moon - When They Start Rebelling Singer/songwriter Imogen Moon returns to Cellar Music with a reimagining of the 1971 release 'Songs for the New Industrial State'. A cult-classic LP by her grandfather Doug Randle that tackled issues of social justice and the environment. The album teams Moon with the amazing Dap-Kings production team/rhythm section, famous for their work with Sharon Jones, and Amy Winehouse on 'Back To Black'.

BIEN ENSEMBLE

SMOKE IN THE SKY

New York based Canadian Bria Skonberg is a Juno award winning triple threat trumpeter, singer and songwriter. Called the "shining hope of hot jazz" by the NY Times, Bria has performed hundreds of festivals and stages the world over including the New Orleans, Monterey, Newport and Montreal Jazz Festivals. Described as "one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation" - 'What It Means' is a return to what first inspired Skonberg: the sounds of New Orleans jazz. Recorded at Esplanade Studios during Mardi Gras of 2023, Bria is joined by an ensemble of established veterans and up and coming talent, including master Crescent City drummer Herlin Riley. This collection tells stories of life lessons that range from upbeat to down-to-earth to emotionally deep, all the while exhibiting both her mastery of the trumpet and her soulful and undeniably connective voice. Traditional jazz excursions such as "Petit Fleur" and "Elbow Bump;" a hard bop take on the Sonny & Cher hit "The Beat Goes On;" a duet with NOLA notable Gabrielle Cavassa on Van Morrison's "Days Like This;" a heartfelt dedication to her new child, John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy);" these and so many other tracks show how with her seventh studio album, Bria has solidified her artistry, mastering her signature style as one of the most distinctive artists in jazz.

Vinyl LP pressing. New York based Canadian Bria Skonberg is a Juno award winning triple threat trumpeter, singer and songwriter. Called the "shining hope of hot jazz" by the NY Times, Bria has performed hundreds of festivals and stages the world over including the New Orleans, Monterey, Newport and Montreal Jazz Festivals. Described as "one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation" 'What It Means' is a return to what first inspired Skonberg: the sounds of New Orleans jazz. Recorded at Esplanade Studios during Mardi Gras of 2023, Bria is joined by an ensemble of established veterans and up and coming talent, including master Crescent City drummer Herlin Riley. This collection tells stories of life lessons that range from upbeat to down-to-earth to emotionally deep, all the while exhibiting both her mastery of the trumpet and her soulful and undeniably connective voice. Traditional jazz excursions such as "Elbow Bump;" a hard bop take on the Sonny & Cher hit "The Beat Goes On;" a duet with NOLA notable Gabrielle Cavassa on Van Morrison's "Days Like This;" a heartfelt dedication to her new child, John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy);" these and so many other tracks show how with her seventh studio album, Bria has solidified her artistry, mastering her signature style as one of the most distinctive artists in jazz.

Jalen Baker - 'Be Still' is an album about reflection and new beginnings showcasing Baker's exceptional skills as both a vibraphonist and composer. Jalen Baker - Be Still - Rising star Jalen Baker takes the helm for the 6th release in Cellar Music's black artist led series curated by Jeremy Pelt. 'Be Still' is an album about reflection and new beginnings that showcases Baker's exceptional skills as both a vibraphonist and composer. He is joined in this memorable quartet by Paul Cornish on piano, Gabe Godoy on bass and Gavin Moolchan on drums.

STEPPING STONES

HITTIN' IT