Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's latest project, Woven, is a fascinating album that fuses more traditional aspects of 21st-century jazz with the myriad possibilities of electronic synthesized sound. This collection of mostly original compositions showcases Pelt's instrumental artistry together with his commitment to composing works that explore new dimensions in jazz. Each track on Woven is meticulously crafted, perfectly balancing innovation with communicative emotional depth. The full range of contemporary jazz can be found here, from neo-bop, hard-driving rhythms to touchingly intimate balladic utterances. But Pelt's trumpet can also weave through electronic textures, creating a sonic landscape where the group's kaleidoscopic tone colors become a fundamental part of the melodic content. Joined by an impressive ensemble of musicians, Pelt and his collaborators create a fluid interplay of acoustic and electronic sounds, displaying their skill in integrating bold, contemporary elements while simultaneously underlining the very essence of jazz.

Jaki Byard always personified the past, present and future of jazz, wherever or whenever one might have been fortunate enough to experience his challenging ideas. An icon in the history of jazz, Jaki was Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Bud Powell, Ran Blake, Cecil Taylor and Bill Evans, all in one. Yet, like these fellow icons, he was his own uncompromising, unique, living entity. He isn't a household name, but most likely his low profile is the result of an irresistible need to constantly reinvent himself, the sure sign of the consummate artist.

His playing was rich, masterful and above all, versatile, covering everything from stride and ragtime to bebop and free jazz. Pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and teacher Jaki Byard had a career that followed the music and along the way he became a master of every style of jazz. Nowhere was his imagination quite as unbridled as it was in solo performance and HighNote Records is pleased to release this second volume of Jaki Byard live at the famed Keystone Korner.

George Cables should be declared a National Treasure. As a pianist he is surely second-to-none on today's jazz scene. Listen only to "A Valentine for You" on Cables' current offering to hear what a jaw-dropping beauty of tone he can produce from the pile of wood and metal we call a piano, and how much critical mass is behind every sonorous voicing of his chords. As a musician he possesses endless imagination and creativity, shown by his strikingly new takes on tunes we thought we knew, particularly the title track, "Too Close for Comfort," which retains little trace of it's pop song origin. As a composer he has quietly amassed a catalog of works of extremely wide range and extraordinary quality, such as his compositions on this new release, "Circle of Love," "This is My Song," "Klimo" and the aforementioned "A Valentine for You." And finally, the album's cover photo perfectly captures George Cables the man - full of boundless energy, a love of his instrument and the music he makes on it and an impish sense of humor, evidenced by his titling the record Too Close for Comfort during a pandemic where social distancing has become the order of the day. The artist Edward Hopper said, "Great art is the outward expression of an inner life of the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world." That would explain why the world according to George Cables is such a wonderful place to be.

The mythical Phoenix speaks of reemergence and continual development, flying higher with each rebirth, riding on the winds of creation. So too does the man of this moment. A pianist of vast skill and experience, Dave Kikoski's eminence in serious jazz circles is beyond dispute. He's taken deep dives with everybody from Randy Brecker to Roy Haynes, served as the harmonic host for the Mingus Big Band, contributed to expansive cooperative enterprises like Opus 5, and pushed his own music to the limits and beyond. Kikoski has seemingly done it all during his three-plus decades on the scene, yet his playing somehow remains something of an underrated asset. The Phoenix metaphor, hyperbolic though it may be, proves apt in it's embrace of this monumental talent's steady surge. This exciting endeavor makes that case in inarguable fashion.

Houston Person is the real deal. With a lifetime of experience Houston continues to grace concert stages with his expressive style which stubbornly defies categorization. One moment he is letting loose with some hard-driving swing and the next he is caressing your ears with his mellifluous, baritonal utterances on a beautiful ballad. "I just play good music," explains Houston. "I look for a great melody and great lyrics." Houston's preoccupation with the art of melody is on full display in this live recording captured during his appearance at the Festival Jazz a la Villette in 2019. This is Houston's first live recording in some time and it is quite an unforgettable experience, with the legendary man taking great care in putting just the right set list together for his audience, covering a wide variety of styles drawn from his remarkable career. Having recorded his first album as a leader in 1966 titled Underground Soul, coincidentally also an organ-tenor quartet, Houston Person has been a standard-bearer of so-called "soul jazz," but that is a misnomer in his case. The truth is Houston plays soulful jazz rather than "soul jazz"; music that communicates with the listener and touches the heart. How appropriate it is then, that this live recording originates from Paris, also known as the "City of Love."

George Cables has been the pianist of choice for saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper; Pepper called him his favorite pianist. Cables also recorded a lot with jazz stars Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Frank Morgan. On Cables' own new trio album, he is so fluent in the ways of the keyboard, song structure and harmony, so aware of his available options at every second, the compositions themselves seem as if they are being made up on the spot. But not all of the trio's decisions are made in the moment. As a structural feature, he loves yoking together his left hand and Essiet Essiet's bass, to give the music an extra-fortified low end. They play in tight unison so often, those doubled bass lines have become the trio's signature. Fused piano and bass have such a distinct color, when they merge it's almost like another instrument making an appearance. The trio polishes it's music to a high gloss, which is so unassumingly good, you could miss just how good it is. It gives good taste a good name.

Houston Person is the real deal. With a lifetime of experience Houston continues to grace concert stages with his expressive style which stubbornly defies categorization. One moment he is letting loose with some hard-driving swing and the next he is caressing your ears with his mellifluous, baritonal utterances on a beautiful ballad. "I just play good music," explains Houston. "I look for a great melody and great lyrics." Houston's preoccupation with the art of melody is on full display in this live recording captured during his appearance at the Festival Jazz a la Villette in 2019. This is Houston's first live recording in some time and it is quite an unforgettable experience, with the legendary man taking great care in putting just the right set list together for his audience, covering a wide variety of styles drawn from his remarkable career. Having recorded his first album as a leader in 1966 titled Underground Soul, coincidentally also an organ-tenor quartet, Houston Person has been a standard-bearer of so-called "soul jazz," but that is a misnomer in his case. The truth is Houston plays soulful jazz rather than "soul jazz"; music that communicates with the listener and touches the heart. How appropriate it is then, that this live recording originates from Paris, also known as the "City of Love."

Houston Person may be one of the few still-active players in the long history of blues-drenched "boss tenors" that stretches back to  Gene Ammons, Arnett Cobb, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Bullmoose Jackson and others.  Person has long exhibited a keen ear for simpatico musicians, ranging from his classic partnership with Etta Jones, to his series of superb duo encounters with bass master Ron Carter the man chooses his company skillfully.  This date is no exception, as he negotiates his tenor in the company of first class players.  It's clear that his band mates took his studio-made admonition of "Right note or wrong note it's got to swing!" to heart for each one stands in complete harmony with Houston Person's noble intentions for this date.

Jazz pianist par excellence, Cyrus Chestnut, returns to the HighNote catalog with a superb new piano quartet recording. This highly anticipated album showcases Chestnut's rhythmic precision, emotive touch, and improvisational flair complemented by an ensemble that provides both subtlety and drive. The combination of Chestnut's expressive piano playing with the string bass of Gerald Cannon and the propulsive beats of Chris Beck creates a sound that provides a luxurious background of vibrant color for the saxophone of Stacy Dillard. Chestnut's previous recordings on HighNote Records, including Kaleidoscope, and My Father's Hands, were met with widespread critical acclaim. JazzTimes lauded his "virtuosic piano playing," while Down Beat declared him "one of the finest jazz pianists of his generation." This new recording is sure to add to that legacy, as Chestnut and his colleagues offer an imaginative set list comprised mostly of the leader's original works, spotlighting his distinctive compositional voice. It is required listening for anyone who appreciates the extraordinarily communicative depth of jazz piano ensembles.

George Coleman's resume is the stuff of legend. He cut his jazz teeth alongside some giants of the art form, joining Max Roach's ensemble in the 1950s, the Miles Davis Quintet, along with the bands of Herbie Hancock, Chet Baker and Elvin Jones. Mention must also be made of his work as a leader, which has inspired literally generations of saxophonists. Even with such an all-inclusive career, Coleman is still full of surprises and here on his new recording he gives his audience something they've never heard from him before - his first recording backed by a string orchestra. If you're into jazz history, you know this kind of project has some serious roots. Think Charlie Parker's "With Strings," or Stan Getz's "Focus"-albums where sax players let their lyrical side shine through lush orchestral arrangements. Coleman Hawkins did it. Ben Webster, too. Now, George Coleman joins the club, and it was certainly worth the wait. So why strings, and why now? Because Coleman is still growing. Still reaching. He's telling you a story he's been holding onto for years. This project isn't just another notch in his belt-it's a gift, plain and simple. An autumnal gem from a living legend, it gives us all a new way to hear George Coleman-still pushing boundaries, still playing from the heart.

Jeremy Pelt's latest recording is one of his most culturally aware and musically astute projects yet. Pelt observes in his liner notes that the social realities "in these United States all but force you to constantly examine the virtues and contributions of your own community, if only for the sake of positive reinforcement... and the music I've produced herein for the world to hear seeks to be a part of that positive reinforcement." That perspective, echoed in his multi-volume book series "Griot: Examining the Lives of Jazz's Great Storytellers," anchors a program that balances cultural heritage with musical innovation. Pelt's compositions flow effortlessly across straight-ahead neo-bop, spacious ballads, post-impressionist color, and the tasteful integration of electronics. Legendary bassist Buster Williams and acclaimed drummer Lenny White bring deep authority and experience, giving the album it's solid grounding, while pianist Orrin Evans supplies a modern harmonic foundation that keeps the music vibrant and alive, as Lasse Corson sprinkles in subtle electronic colors. The result is a thrilling, forward-looking statement from a trumpeter and composer whose voice continues to grow with purpose, presence, and unmistakable personality.

With "Love Is Simple," Jeremy Pelt returns to the art of balladry, distilling eight deeply felt performances into his first vinyl-only anthology and shining a light on one of the most quietly persuasive sides of his artistry. Drawn from his HighNote recordings, the set favors emotional honesty over grandstanding, pairing a few familiar titles with lesser-known gems that reward close listening. From Pelt's own disarmingly direct title track to relaxed, assured readings of songs by Rodgers & Hart, Jule Styne, Adams & Strouse, and Marian McPartland, the music unfolds with patience, grace, and a deep sense of purpose. Recorded primarily at the legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studio and featuring a heavyweight cast including George Cables, Buster Williams, Billy Hart and others, these sessions offer a rare balance of warmth and clarity, leaving plenty of room for breath, nuance, and atmosphere. Long celebrated as one of jazz's most eloquent ballad players, Pelt bares his soul here with confidence and restraint, offering a retrospective that feels timeless without ever sounding self-conscious. "Love Is Simple" marks his first appearance on LP, a format perfectly suited to music that asks you to slow down, lean in, and stay awhile.

More than perhaps any other jazz vocalist the name Chris Connor is mentioned with an almost mystical reverence. From her stints with Claude Thronhill and Stan Kenton, through her illustrious solo career, to her most recent appearances and reocrdings on HighNote, Chris brings a lifetime of experience to every song she sings, making it not just a track on a record, but a commentary on life itself.