A Jazz Landmark of the Black Diaspora Reborn First released in 1971 as part of BYG Records' groundbreaking Actuel series, Jacques Coursil's Black Suite remains one of the boldest expressions of the Black Diaspora's creative and political awakening. Recorded in Paris on June 10, 1969, this visionary work now returns in a newly restored and remastered edition, revealing it's full depth and clarity for the first time in decades. Featuring a transatlantic ensemble - Jacques Coursil, Anthony Braxton, Arthur Jones, Burton Greene, Beb Gu�rin, and Claude Delcloo - Black Suite bridges the radical spirit of the American avant-garde and the intellectual fire of postcolonial Europe. Across two long, meditative movements, Coursil transforms jazz into a language of liberation, evoking the writings of Frantz Fanon, L�opold S�dar Senghor, and Aim� C�saire as well as the fierce energy of the Civil Rights era. "Black Suite is a work of Black Excellence." - Kevin Le Gendre Born in Paris to Martiniquan parents, Coursil embodied the dialogue between African, Caribbean, and African-American identities, turning sound into philosophy and music into movement. With it's blend of intellect, emotion, and resistance, Black Suite stands alongside the seminal works of Pharoah Sanders, Eddie Gale, and Frank Lowe - timeless statements of self-definition and artistic freedom. Half a century later, Black Suite still speaks powerfully to our time: a sound of struggle and pride, of beauty and becoming - still unbroken.

LINDSEY WEBSTER is the undisputed queen of Smooth/Contemporary Jazz vocalists. She is the first vocalist to score 4 #1 smooth jazz radio hits in a row, and continues to garner the most plays and highest chart positions of any smoothjazz vocalist! MUSIC IN ME, featuring a star-studded Grammy winning cast, elevates Lindsey Webster's sensuous artistry to a new level. Highlights include Lindsey and Stokley's reimagining of the classic "Two Hearts," her romantic duet with Anthony Hamilton, "Best In Me," and much more!

STELLA

Acid Jazz Records introduces the new Jazz Sessions series, with a very special album from prolific drummer Steve White, in his first album as a leader, performing as the Steve White Trio. White is known for his long association with Paul Weller, as a member of the Style Council, playing on the hit single "Long Hot Summer" and Weller's biggest solo albums: Wildwood, Stanley Road, Heavy Soul and As Is Now. Alongside this, he continued to record in both jazz and soul settings, under names such as Trio Valore, The Groove Train and of course the Jazz Renegades - his great late '80s Hard Bop outfit that recorded an LP for Polydor, another for Acid Jazz-precursor label Re-Elect The President, and an EP for Acid Jazz. On Soul Drums, his return to Acid Jazz Records, he plays glorious tribute to his jazz roots and filmic influences, performing alongside long-time collaborator Chris Hague. The perfect album to introduce this new jazz series, with a midcentury-inspired sleeve to match. Leading with the single "Changes," the album also includes a clever reworking of the Style Council's "My Ever Changing Moods."

Always on the lookout for new musical adventures, alto saxophonist Angelika Niescier is one of the most prominent voices on the European jazz scene. Her discography reveals close ties to the New York scene, where she has collaborated with musicians such as Tyshawn Sorey, Chris Tordini and Gerald Cleaver. More recently, she has turned her attention to the Midwest, specifically Chicago, and found a key partner in cellist Tomeka Reid, with whom she released the acclaimed album Beyond Dragons in 2023, together with Savannah Harris. With Chicago Tapes, Niescier expands this circle to include some of Chicago's most influential and exciting musicians. "Through such artistic exchanges, Niescier has built a fascinating career by continually forming new partnerships and nonchalantly adapting her own language to the needs of each new context, without ever compromising or dampening her voice. Chicago Tapes captures a new chapter in this journey, and judging by what we hear here, we can only hope that her connection to Chicago is just beginning," writes Peter Margasak in the liner notes.

HIPERBOREA

STARS ALIGNED

SMOOVE VIBES is the electrifying new release from acclaimed Baltimore vibraphonist and multi-instrumentalist Warren Wolf. Blending jazz, soul, and groove-based rhythms, this self-produced album showcases Wolf's mastery across instruments-from vibraphone and drums to Fender Rhodes and vocals-recorded largely in his home studio. Joined by longtime collaborators Brent Birckhead, Elan Troutman, Terence Cunningham, Brandon Lane, and Imani-Grace Cooper, Wolf delivers a vibrant, accessible jazz experience that's both musically rich and irresistibly smooth. Featuring reimagined classics and standout originals like "Will the Real Kenny Gee Please Stand Up?", Smoove Vibes is a must-have for fans of groove-forward contemporary jazz.

Intimate is exactly what it's title promises: a quiet, close-up musical conversation shaped by subtlety, warmth, and emotional honesty. On this new album, Andrea Motis reveals her most delicate and refined side, placing her voice at the center while weaving in understated trumpet lines within an intimate acoustic setting.

BEING

Venezuelan-born, UK-based guitarist Aleph Aguiar returns with Sugar on my Blackbeans, his third release and a nostalgic yet modern take on the lively, swinging Latin jazz of the 1960s. Across nine original compositions, Aguiar pays tribute to one of his favourite musical eras, when artists were boldly experimenting with Latin American rhythms and percussion. Recorded live to tape over just two days, the album captures the spontaneity and energy of Aguiar's quintet which features leading British musicians Quentin Collins (trumpet), Liam Dunachie (Hammond organ), Will Fry (percussion) and Shane Forbes (drums). Aguiar's choice of instrumentation - trumpet and Hammond organ rather than the typical saxophone-and-piano combination - draws inspiration from guitar greats such as Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. For Aguiar, the trumpet's timbre is central to Latin American musical traditions and pairs naturally with the guitar's phrasing, while the Hammond organ offers harmonic space and flexibility that enhance the guitar's range and bring added depth to the ensemble's sound.

STILLE

New York composer-drummer Willy Rodriguez presents his profoundly thoughtful second album as a leader, In The Unknown (I Will Find You), shaped by grief, memory, and the search for spiritual reunion. Deeply personal in origin yet expansive in sound, the music reflects a journey toward connection in the absence of certainty, with music serving as the sole space where reunion feels possible. Leading an unconventional trio without bass, Rodriguez joins forces with master musical polymath Leo Genovese and boundary-pushing saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock to form a fluid, boundless collective. Free of stylistic constraints, the trio allows the music to unfold multi-directionally through open forms and deeply responsive improvisation. The compositions function as emotional canvases rather than fixed structures, shaped equally by trust, intuition, and shared experience. Recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, In The Unknown (I Will Find You) is an exploratory and intimate musical statement, brought vividly to life by three highly creative voices working in profound communion.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer, and artist Shabaka (a.k.a Shabaka Hutchings) announces his third solo album Of The Earth, his first solo album to be released via his own label 'Shabaka Records', and an album entirely written and produced by Hutchings himself. Of The Earth sees Shabaka return to his signature saxophone sound, alongside accomplished electronics and production, as well as traditional woodwind and percussion instruments from around the world, a combination indicative of Hutchings' diverse talents and the overall sound on Of The Earth. Hutchings is highly regarded for his work with The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet, Shabaka and the Ancestors, and from his two most recent solo projects 'Perceive it's Beauty, Acknowledge it's Grace', and 'Afrikan Culture'. As a musician he has also worked with a wealth of prestigious artists such as Andre 3000, Floating Points, Mulatu Astatke, The Sun Ra Arkestra, Lianne La Havas, Saul Williams, and more. Of The Earth is released on black vinyl, limited edition cornflower blue vinyl, and CD. Both vinyl editions come with an insert featuring Hutchings' own artwork.

Cory Wong and The Green Screen Band" gets a long-awaited CD reissue in April 2026 A vibrant showcase of Cory Wong's boundless creativity, this exclusive release brings the project's explosive funk, razor-tight grooves, and playful energy into a high-fidelity format designed for collectors and fans who want the music in their hands-not just on their screens. Originally crafted as a digital-first project, The Green Screen Band quickly became a cult favorite thanks to it's brilliant arrangements and it's joyful, technicolor spirit. Now, for 2026, the album finally receives the premium physical treatment it deserves. This limited edition CD features expanded artwork, a premium booklet, and mastering optimized for the format-delivering crisp, punchy sound that highlights every detail of Cory's signature production and musicianship. A celebration for fans. A must-have addition to any Cory Wong collection.

Bill Frisell, Kenny Wollesen, and Carol Emanuel are The Gnostic Trio and their unique blend of minimalism, early music, and jazz has resulted in some of the loveliest music Zorn has ever created. Sing Me Now Asleep is their first CD in over five years and not surprisingly it explores some unexpected new directions - notably two ambient-influenced pieces in the spirit of Zorn's Absinthe and Redbird, and a dramatic long form composition in the style of his cinematic file card works. Enhanced by the moody electronics of Ikue Mori on one hypnotic track, this ninth CD in the legacy of The Gnostic Trio is their most gentle and soothing to date, and heralds a striking new musical direction for this beloved super group.

From March to May 2015, John Zorn composed 300 new tunes that were eventually collected into a book of music he called The Bagatelles. Volume 7 is a remarkable solo piano performance by Brian Marsella who has become a lynchpin of Zorn's crew of musical masters. Blending classical and jazz into an exhilarating and varied suite, Brian presents a group of thirteen Bagatelles as a beautiful set of theme and variations. This is piano virtuosity at it's finest-a profound exploration into the world of Zorn's Bagatelles.

OCTOBER SONGS

Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase is the first ever release of saxophone titan Joe Henderson and his quartet featuring pianist Joanne Brackeen, bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Danny Spencer captured live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, IL in February of 1978. The 2-CD set was mastered from the original tapes by George Klabin and John Koenig.

KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT

SONIC

BLOSSOM

Return to the Enchanted Forest by Heisenberg Uncertainty Players is a vivid and imaginative exploration of memory, nostalgia, and transformation. Led by composer and bandleader John Dorhauer, this genre-blurring jazz big band album features eight tracks-six originals and two inventive covers of pop hits by the Backstreet Boys and Wilson Phillips. With hypnotic grooves, rich harmonies, and emotionally charged improvisations, the album invites listeners on a journey through memories as they evolve and distort over time. The result is both accessible and artful, blending memorable melodies with bold, unexpected turns. A must-hear for fans of progressive jazz, cinematic arrangements, and fresh big band energy.

IN THE BRASS PALACE

ESSENTIAL RAY BRYANT: TRIO & SOLO ALBUMS 1956-59