Cornetist Kirk Knuffke, hailed as “one of modern jazz’s most skilled navigators of the divide between freedom and swing,” unveils another striking SteepleChase album this March. Following acclaimed projects like Cherryco, Tight Like This, Play Date, and Super Blonde, Knuffke again redefines ensemble possibilities with daring instrumentation and imaginative repertoire. His warm, distinctive cornet tone—played on the rare double shepherd’s-crook horn—anchors a program balancing tradition and innovation. Standards, early jazz gems, and soulful classics are transformed through collective improvisation, while Knuffke’s originals sparkle with wit and lyricism. Critics have praised his ability to honour past masters while sounding entirely himself. This new release continues that legacy: colourful, inventive, swinging, and deeply memorable.
This new release confirms his stature and offers another dazzling chapter in his ongoing story. For longtime admirers, it is a welcome continuation; for newcomers, it is an ideal entry point into the world of a cornetist whose artistry bridges past and present, inside and outside, swing and freedom.
“Cornetist Kirk Knuffke’s exquisite taste is long established. _at aesthetic has always arrived subtly and cleanly, as it does on this beguiling new album”. (Peter Margasak - Downbeat on SCCD31964 Super Bonde)
For over four decades, Danish guitarist and composer Pierre Dørge has pushed the boundaries of jazz with a highly personal voice—combining Nordic lyricism with global rhythms, and crafting what critics call “pan-cultural jazz.”
On Songs for Mbizo, Dørge returns in a stripped-down quartet setting that showcases his singular tone and spiritual depth, this time in tribute to South African bassist Johnny “Mbizo” Dyani, whose legacy courses through Dørge’s music like a vibrant thread.
Following celebrated small-group releases such as Ballad Round the Left Corner and Blui, this new live recording features Kirk Knuffke (cornet), Thommy Andersson (electric bass), and Martin Andersen (drums)—a dynamic international lineup that breathes fresh intensity into Dyani’s compositions.
Swedish bassist and composer Thommy Andersson makes his long-awaited SteepleChase leader debut with Shimmering Blue, a striking trio recording featuring Kirk Knuffke (cornet) and José Davila (helicon, tuba, didgeridoo, euphorium, and bass flute).
Known for his work with Pierre Dørge’s New Jungle Orchestra, Andersson now steps forward with a highly personal sound world—drumless, low-brass rich, and full of lyrical nuance.
Drawing on his background as a trombonist and cellist, Andersson crafts compositions that shimmer with color and emotional depth. From rustic tone poems to avant-garde textures, the album explores space, resonance, and melodic interplay with chamber-like intimacy.
Critics have praised his “supremely weighted bass playing” and ability to “facilitate exalted music.” Shimmering Blue is a bold, poetic statement from a seasoned artist—grounded in Nordic tradition, yet open to global textures and sonic surprise.
Thad Jones (1923 - 1986) was best known as the leader / composer / arranger of one of the best big jazz bands of the 1960s and 70s. But Thad was also a superb instrumentalist in smaller settings. This was Thad's first quartet recording in 30 years (recorded in Copenhagen, October 1984). The newly remastered 24 bit/96 kHz 180g vinyl edition draws a vivid, intimate portrait of Jones the storyteller: reflective, free, and full of tunes. The session finds Jones in inspired form-'the way his notes fall,' as Mel Lewis once said, is fully on display-mixing relaxed authority, sly humor, and a deeply personal sense of swing. Joined by pianist Ole Kock Hansen, bassist Jesper Lundgaard, and drummer Ed Thigpen, Jones moves effortlessly from buoyant blues to spacious ballads, stretching himself with the same curiosity that marked his early Mingus collaborations '... Jones' harmonically advanced style and crisp sharp sound... very much intact on this relaxed quartet date... His improvisations are thoughtful... easily recommended.' (Down Beat)
