Following their first two albums, the Naoko Sakata Trio is one of the most popular and interesting improvisation groups in Sweden. The trio plays lyrical improvisation with attitude as well as musical maturity on this new release. The moods on this self-composed album vary from beautiful and wild to contemplative and still.
This is one of the most “cult” experimental records in the entire history of jazz. Jo Jones, an immense drummer—a pioneering reformer with peerless technique—here gives us a complete demonstration of his art. Part 1 is devoted to drumming technique while Part 2 focuses on the great historical drummers in classical jazz. First released as two separate vinyl records in 1974, these titles were digitized, restored and reassembled in 2002 by Laurent Verdeaux, who also proposed extended versions. This is a vital set: it improves the quality of the listening-experience and increases the historic experimental value while enhancing the quality of the music. Drum-records, of course, but not just for drummers, whether they are amateurs or experts: this set is just as much for musicians, jazz fans, music historians and beat makers of all kinds.
Because Avishai Cohen’s previous outing—a 2017 album titled 1970 (Sony)—was his most commercially successful release thus far, one wouldn’t blame him for revisiting a similar artistic wellspring. Instead, for his 17th leader date, the bassist went in another direction, recruiting an entirely different set of musicians for the deeply personal, nostalgia-fueled Arvoles. Half the program here consists of trio recordings with pianist Elchin Shirinov and drummer Noam David, and on the other half, the band expands to a quintet with trombonist Björn Samuelsson and flutist Anders Hagberg. - DownBeat Magazine Editors' Pick
Avishai Cohen, one of the most innovative bassists and composers today, will release Gently Disturbed, his first release with his newly configured trio, from May on his own Razdaz Recordz label. While to outward appearances the trio would seem to be the standard piano-bass-drum formula, the music they've created on Gently Disturbed is far from the standard jazz trio repertoire. Featuring nine original compositions (written either by Cohen or by the trio collaboratively), including one traditional Israeli song, Gently Disturbed is an amalgamation of melody and groove, complexity and simplicity that nearly redefines the concept of jazz. With the departure of long-time pianist Sam Barsh, Cohen has slightly reconfigured his trio with the addition of Israeli pianist Shai Maestro. Since Cohen is an accomplished pianist in his own right and has performed on bass with such acclaimed jazz pianists as Danilo Perez, Brad Mehldau and of course Chick Corea, and because the previous keyboard players in his bands (Sam Barsh and Jason Lindner) have been exceptional, it is even more striking to note that Maestro is just 21 years old. Rounding out the trio is the brilliant Mark Guiliana on drums, who has been playing and touring with Cohen since 2003 and who Modern Drummer Readers Poll 2007 cited as "one of the best up-and-coming stars of today's drumming scene." Cohen's releases on Razdaz, which he founded with manager Ray Jefford in 2003, have consistently earned critical approbation, beginning with 2003's Lyla, followed by at Home in 2005, and through to 2006's critically acclaimed Continuo then followed by last year's Double Live CD/DVD release, As Is... Live at the Blue Note (Razdaz / Half Note).
‘At Home’ Includes the iconic track ‘Remembering’, probably Avishai Cohen’s soundtrack to date. Avishai Cohen is an Israeli jazz double bassist, composer, singer, and arranger. He began playing the piano at 9 years old but changed to the bass guitar at the age of 14, inspired by bassist Jaco Pastorius. In 2002, Cohen founded his record label, Razdaz Recordz. "I've always been interested in several genres of music, including jazz, rock, pop, Latin and funk," says Cohen. "I'm always packed with ideas. I decided to start my own label because I'm involved in so many different projects." Cohen's signature sound is a blend of Middle Eastern, eastern European, and African-American musical idioms.
Coming under the form of a beautiful antique pink and dark green 3-shutters digipack and two-LPs Gatefold, 'Two Roses' is by Avishai's words "a once in a lifetime project". Associating his core trio (Mark Guiliana, Elchin Shirinov) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Avishai Cohen offers a very cinematic project between Jazz, Mediterranean Folklore and Classical music, reexploring a part of his musical journey. Not only proposing new orchestrations of his most successful works, 'Two Roses' is also strongly supported by 'When I'm Falling', an original composition showing how far the sound of Avishai Cohen has developed. The vinyl edition features 2 exclusive tracks in addition to the 12 songs already listed on the digital and CD editions; including a Symphonic version of Seven Seas which is one of Avishai's most beloved compositions.
Coming under the form of a beautiful antique pink and dark green 3-shutters digipack and two-LPs Gatefold, 'Two Roses' is by Avishai's words "a once in a lifetime project". Associating his core trio (Mark Guiliana, Elchin Shirinov) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Avishai Cohen offers a very cinematic project between Jazz, Mediterranean Folklore and Classical music, reexploring a part of his musical journey. Not only proposing new orchestrations of his most successful works, 'Two Roses' is also strongly supported by 'When I'm Falling', an original composition showing how far the sound of Avishai Cohen has developed. The vinyl edition features 2 exclusive tracks in addition to the 12 songs already recorded; including a Symphonic version of Seven Seas which is one of Avishai's most beloved compositions.
Memorabilia was written in 2016 followed by a premiere at JazzFest in Trondheim. The music is written by jazz bassist and composer Mats Eilertsen and performed by two trios: Mats Eilertsen Trio (Harmen Fraanje, piano: Thomas Strønen, drums and Mats Eilertsen, bass), and the vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval (the acclaimed trio of Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth and Jorunn Lovise Husan), both known for numerous recordings for ECM. This recording was made in Newtone studio in Oslo January 2020. The music unites the two trios in a sacred, lyrical expression, giving the piano trio room to improvise and the vocal trio space to shine. The lyrics are a mixture of traditional masses and poems by the Norwegian lyricist Tor Ulven. About faith, doubt, nostalgia and time.
Multiquarium Big band feat. Biréli Lagrène: "Remembering Jaco" is a tribute to Jaco Pastorius's music, made by André Charlier (drums) and Benoit Sourisse (piano) from the Multiquarium Big band, one of the best French Big Bands. Jaco Pastorius is a big star in the Jazz-Rock scene (and beyond), an icon for the bass players all around the world, the one who brought to electric bass the possibility of becoming in some case a soloist instrument in a band. Jaco Pastorius made very famous solo albums and wrote amazing big band music. He played with Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell but was also a very important member of the famous Jazz-rock band, Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Peter Erskine (who participates to this album with some spoken words!)... The virtuoso gypsy guitar player, Biréli Lagrène, has been invited to play electric fretless bass on the album. Biréli, who, as a young genius of the guitar, began to play in Montreux when he was 14, he is now 50 and played one year and a half with Jaco Pastorius on stage when he was 19 years old. Biréli is an amazing bass player, he perfectly integrated how Jaco's Music was working and pushed it beyond it's borders.
Two years after the revelation "Opening" which was awarded the Django Reinhardt Prize from the Academie du Jazz, Fred Nardin is back with the bass player Or Bareket and the drummer Leon Parker for the Fred Nardin Trio's second album: "Look Ahead. " "You can be both as intellectual and as soulful as you want, and the swing beat is powerful but subtle. I think you have to devote yourself to it exclusively to do it at that level". (Mulgrew Miller, DownBeat Magazine. ) A pianist bred on experience(s) and tradition, Fred Nardin has only one aim in life: to play as well as he can, just as long as it swings. Reasonable but determined, passionate and enthralling when it is a question of tackling the great masters - Kenny Barron, McCoy Tyner or Mulgrew Miller -every day Fred Nardin gets a little closer to his objective, and Look Ahead is the resounding proof. Co-founder of The Amazing Keystone Big-Band, chosen sideman for Cecile McLorin Salvant, Bria Skonberg, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Natalia M. King, Stefano Di Battista, Jesse Davis and Gael Horellou, regular feature "After-Hours" at the Duc Des Lombards in Paris: Fred Nardin is everywhere where jazz is happening but it is with the trio of the album "Opening" that he was really discovered in 2017.
His new album "Dedication II" is an expansive affair (nine long songs provide a playing time of 73 minutes) and covers a lot of musical landscapes. Chick Corea once said that he made music to make people happy, and Moises P. Sanchez can certainly concur with this viewpoint. And "Dedication II" – the first "Dedication" album was released with the same line-up – is a bit reminiscent of the music of Chick Corea, who was open to the most diverse influences.
Olivier Le Goas: Recording a new album for piano–bass–drums trio felt like an important step in my career, since it is at the piano that I compose most of my music. Kristjan Randalu's rhythmic precision, the depth of his sound and the sensitivity of his touch confirmed without a doubt that he was the pianist who wasperfectly suited to my music.
His compositions are ambitious, idiosyncratic and imaginative. Nevertheless, the purely physical component of making music is an essential factor for Jonathan Salvi. "When I play the vibraphone, I dance!" This is also conveyed when you experience him live, as people tell him time and again. The impression of dancing is reinforced by the fact that the Swiss musician always plays with four mallets. His excellent technique goes hand in hand with improvisational brilliance
The Leipzig pianist and composer Jonas Timm and his seven-piece band not only captivate the listener with all his senses, but also take him along in the variety of his emotions. What seems to begin like an acoustic film noir, becomes more cheerful as the album progresses, and continues to go through more and more emotional states without ever becoming predictable. Much is reminiscent of Latin American dances, French chansons, soundtracks from old films and sometimes jazz.
Gnar Gnar Rad - Jazz Thing Next Generation, Vol. 102
Double Moon Records
CD
$16.99Apr 26, 2024
Oscar Pettiford. The Clash Art Blakey. A Tribe Called Quest. Charles Mingus (with Eric Dolphy). Only People Do The Killing. Cannonball Adderley. Primus. The Ornette Coleman Quartet. When Moritz Koser, bassist and composer from Frankfurt/Main, talks about points of reference and important influences, it goes all the way through music history. Gnar Gnar Rad, the quartet from Frankfurt, is his band. "Gnar Gnar Rad" is the album debut: a strong statement with which he effortlessly bridges the gap between jazz history and current trends.
Magic … is one of the most overused terms for describing music. You seldom hear something that is really magical. On the other hand, the American bandleader Ray Anderson is a magician if there ever was one. His magic wand is the trombone. He masterly breaks down the boundaries between magic and reality, spirit and the physical, tradition and utopia.
A leading drummer and producer, Nate Smith seamlessly blends jazz, funk, R&B, and hip-hop, driven by a groove that is both razor-sharp and deeply musical. LIVE-ACTION quickly made an impact, earning two GRAMMY® Award nominations in the categories of Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Arrangement, Instruments & Vocals for the track featuring säje. With LIVE-ACTION Deluxe, Smith expands on the album's live energy, staying true to his organic, hands-on approach while once again collaborating with top voices in contemporary jazz, including Braxton Cook. Nate Smith envisioned LIVE-ACTION as a producer-driven project inspired by the legacy of Quincy Jones. "As a producer, I wanted to activate all the relationships I've built over the past five or six years, especially since the pandemic, many of them through social media," he explains. The album features an all-star cast of collaborators including Josh Johnson and Marquis Hill, rapper JSWISS, guitarists Charlie Hunter and Lionel Loueke, bassists Michael League, Ben Williams, and CARRTOONS, keyboardists DJ Harrison and Keifer, the vocal group säje, singer Jermaine Holmes, and Lalah Hathaway. Hathaway delivers a standout performance on a bold reimagining of the Pointer Sisters' 1984 classic Automatic, fully reharmonized and reworked alongside Smith. While LIVE-ACTION is highly collaborative, Smith maintains a strong sense of cohesion through intentional creative limitations. "I wanted the record to feel like it was recorded to tape in my bedroom. I limited myself on purpose, using analog gear and the same instruments throughout. I did just two or three takes per part, with no copy and paste or studio tricks. Everything you hear was played live. Nothing is programmed or sequenced." With the release of LIVE-ACTION Deluxe, Nate Smith builds on that momentum, introducing new collaborations and previously unreleased performances while celebrating the success of the original album, which earned two GRAMMY® Award nominations.
The Guesthouse is about collaboration, inclusion, and the essence of welcoming which is the essence of an open door. It's my most ambitious project to date, sonically and compositionally. It involves so many incredibly talented people: some are in the front, playing music together with me, offering their insight, time, effort, and love, and some incredibly talented and hardworking people are behind the scenes, facilitating, allowing, and inspiring me to keep pushing forward. Musically speaking, the color palette on The Guesthouse is huge. It introduces many musical guests that I admire deeply: MARO, Immanuel Wilkins, Michael Mayo, and many more. It includes lyric writing for the first time, electronic instruments, guitars, trumpets, flutes, flamenco musicians, in-depth production work, my quartet, solo piano, odd meter explorations, improvisations, songs with no time, strings, two pianos conversing and more and more and more.. I dove as deep as I could into these deep waters. The result is my attempt to turn the creative chaos that lives in mind mind into one coherent artistic statement, always having a simple melody as a thread that tells the story of this collective. Shai Maestro Shai Maestro (b. 1987) is one of the most inventive and influential pianists of his generation. Since debuting with his own trio in 2011, he has developed a distinctive musical voice that is fluid, expressive, and profoundly lyrical. His artistry has made him a defining figure in contemporary jazz, merging improvisation, composition, and global influences into a sound that is both cinematic and deeply personal. Maestro began studying classical piano at the age of five and discovered jazz at eight through the recordings of Keith Jarrett and Oscar Peterson. At nineteen, he joined bassist Avishai Cohen's trio, co-writing the acclaimed Gently Disturbed and performing worldwide. In 2011, he formed his own trio, recording six albums that solidified his reputation as a singular voice in modern jazz. His years with ECM Records, under the guidance of Manfred Eicher, placed him among the lineage of pianists such as Keith Jarrett, Paul Bley, and Chick Corea. With drummer Ofri Nehemya and bassist Jorge Roeder, he recorded his first ECM album "The Dream Thief", later joined by trumpeter Philip Dizack for the second - "Human", both expanding the expressive language of the modern jazz quartet. Today, Maestro continues to evolve artistically with a new quartet featuring keyboardist Gadi Lehavi, drummer Ofri Nehemya, and bassist Jorge Roeder. Gadi, the new wild card in the group, brings a distinctive energy and vision; his presence as another pianist opens fresh possibilities for dialogue, texture, and experimentation between two keyboards. This lineup functions as a powerful, cohesive engine driving Maestro's musical exploration, blending jazz improvisation with modern production into a sound that is organic, cinematic, and forward-looking. In 2025, Maestro signed a long-term partnership with the Paris-based label naive records, a defining milestone that opened an expansive new chapter in his artistic life. The collaboration with naive marked a moment of renewal and bold creative ambition, setting the stage for a period of profound exploration. The first fruit of this partnership was his solo piano album, Solo: Miniatures & Tales. Introspective and deeply personal, it revealed the most intimate side of Maestro's artistry; a work of quiet reflection, nuance, and restraint. This album stands in deliberate contrast to the broader, outward-looking vision of his forthcoming project, The Guesthouse, highlighting the duality at the heart of Maestro's creative world: the tension between introspection and expansion. In March 2026, Maestro will release The Guesthouse, a record that features Portuguese singer MARO alongside Immanuel Wilkins, and Michael Mayo. The album represents a bold leap forward, combining the sensitivity of modern jazz with electronic sound design and the harmonic depth of classical music. The Guesthouse creates a lush, cinematic space where boundaries dissolve, embodying Maestro's exploration of openness and collaboration.
GRAMMY-nominated drummer Nate Smith, known for his deep groove and genre-blending style, has worked with legends like Pat Metheny and Jose James, and wowed millions with his viral drum videos. Following acclaimed projects like KINFOLK: Postcards from Everywhere and Pocket Change, Smith returns with a new album, out August 29, continuing his journey through jazz, R&B, and beyond. Some of the most renowned names in the jazz scene have joined him on the project, including Lalah Hathaway, Michael League, Lionel Loueke, and more.
The jazz quartet 2in2out was founded by saxophonist Nela Dusova and guitarist Jan Lacina, who are also the authors of the band's modern jazz repertoire. The duo invited drummer Adam Sikora and now also Slovak double bassist Peter Korman. In recent years, 2in2out has managed to develop from an originally student project into one of the most interesting Czech jazz acts. In 2024, the quartet will release it's debut album, Living Stories. The album was created in collaboration with long-time bandmates, double bassist Klara Pudlakova and drummer Adam Sikora. Living Stories presents a view of the world through the eyes of two jazz artists and authors with different aesthetic approaches, yet united in their musical narrative. "What I appreciate most about 2in2out's compositions are the original ideas, interesting formal solutions and also the overlapping of content, which is far from always commonplace in modern jazz today, and I would dare to say that it is often lacking." David Doruzka, leading Czech guitarist and pedagogue
SAKOBI is a new project of the Vilem Spilka Quartet. The band consists of Radek Zapadlo on saxophone, Vilem Spilka on double bass and Martin Kleibl on drums. Since they have been together for a long time in other ensembles, they are closely connected musically. Radek Zapadlo has been successfully active on the Czech jazz scene for two dozen years, most recently alongside Matej Benko, Ondrej Ruml, playing in the Cotatcha Orchestra, his own Four in Blue formation and the aforementioned Vilem Spilka Quartet. Martin Kleibl, after an eight-year stint with the Brno Philharmonic, oscillates in genre from classical to pop, plays in the OK Percussion duo with European-class marimbist Martin Oprsal, accompanies singer Petr Bende and is the driving force behind the Vilem Spilka Quartet. For the SAKOBI project, Vilem Spilka replaced his main instrument, the guitar, with the double bass, which he began to play during the pandemic of the cover band. The trio's debut recording is released by Bivak Records. All members contributed to the album not only as players but also as composers. Zapadlo contributed the melancholic dirgeCesta za modrým sluncem (Journey to the Blue Sun), while Martin Kleibl's Na ceste (On theRoad) is typical uplifting Latin jazz. Vilem Spilka added the rest of the repertoire, his individual opuses revealing a variety of musical and non-musical inspirations-from his native Brno to Japan, to which the cryptogram in the band's name refers. In the spirit of Japanese realities, the debut album is titled Banzai!, something like a shout of Hurrra or Yeehaw! Stylistically, the album is more or less unclassifiable, drawing on the traditions of jazz and other African-American styles, as well as folk music from Moravia and beyond.
Czech trumpeter Jiri Kotaca and Swedish pianist Alf Carlsson release a new album with their band, featuring nine of their own original compositions. Besides being firmly rooted in the tradition of modern jazz, the album, entitled Our Stories, draws on various other styles by which the individual players swear, including jazz rock, modern mainstream, pop, and Scandinavian lyricism. Alf Carlsson and Jiri Kotaca, both respected musical personalities, first met in Rotterdam and then during Alf's visit to the Czech Republic, which eventually turned into a short common tour and later into a proper band as the two leaders were joined by two of the most sought-after jazz Slovak musicians of the youngest generation - double bassist and bass guitarist Peter Korman and drummer Kristian Kuruc. The band has been performing in this line up ever since. The new album, which is published five years after their critically acclaimed debut Journeys, will be introduced on a tour including Czechia, Slovakia and other countries. Eager listeners can get a tasting of the album and listen in advance to Alf ´s piece Alf ´s Groove, which is now being released on all digital platforms, and to Relief by Jiri Kotaca, which will be available as of 10 May.
After two years of solo touring, Yaron Herman presents his new album Radio Paradise. He returns with an exceptional ensemble, joining forces with two of the finest saxophonists in the world: Maria Grand, a rising international star, and Alexandra Grimal, a major figure in improvised music. This album takes us on a quest for lyricism, depth and sincerity, with elegant melodies and powerful rhythms, in a project that is both spiritual and deeply moving. "When I started working on this album, the first thing that came to my mind was melody. I have been writing a lot over the last few years, mostly in my notebooks, for myself. On the road or at home, anything from long lines to short fragments. With time, (and hard work) these "motifs" started to take shape and turn into "songs". While playing them, exploring what they could become, I realized I was looking for a sound that wasn't "just» the piano. These melodies required another voice. Saxophonists Maria Grand and Alexandra Grimal have different approaches, yet both have a mysterious, powerful and lyrical quality that I was looking for. Those qualities, combined with Haggai Cohen Milo's beautiful tone and rhythmic versatility and the playing and precious ideas throughout the Process of my longtime musical brother, Ziv Ravitz, made these songs truly come to life. In the studio we were fortunate to have the experience and perspective of producer Daniel Yvinec who encouraged us to push the music further, taking risks. I imagined each composition as a different scenario, a landscape offering a fertile ground from which improvisation could grow. Improvisation: a quest for the sweet spot between freedom and constraint. The playfulness of it all. Providing the tools but not the final edifice, providing the canvas but not dictating what to paint on it. That's how Radio Paradise happened. We stumbled upon the title in the studio, while discussing how opposites complete each other, and how our role as artists is to try and reconcile that which seems in opposition. To find the space where music flows effortlessly, and from the heart." YARON HERMAN
On her new album; trumpetist and composer Štepánka Balcarová; the recipient of the Andel Award for the best jazz album of 2022; delves deep into human emotions. She quotes her recent experience of becoming a mother as her main source of inspiration: “Certain emotions receive a totally new dimension with motherhood. I used to think I knew what it meant to be angry or indignant; for example; and was able to rationalize such emotions; draw relevant consequences and thus come to term with them. With children; however; one often finds oneself in situations that don’t allow for such distancing. This immediacy affects both negative and positive emotions. I’ve come to see them in an entirely new light.” In the eight compositions comprised in her new album; Štepánka represents eight basic human emotions; as they have been defined by American psychologist Robert Plutchik: joy; trust; fear; surprise; sadness; disgust; anger and anticipation. A concert programme based on the concept of Emotions was premiered in 2022. Štepánka Balcarová recorded the album with a Czech-Polish quartet featuring Nikola Kolodziejczyk (piano); Jaromír Honzák (double bass) and Grzegorz Maslowski (drums). The same line-up also collaborated with her on the album Life and Hapiness of Julian Tuwim (Animal Music 2017) and the live album Štestí (Happiness; Radioservis 2022) which includes orchestral versions of the repertoire for which Štepánka Balcarová received the Andel Award.
Ashley Henry presents it's second album "Who We Are", a London-born jazz journey that unites devotion, collective dreaming, and the fight for freedom. Featuring acclaimed artists like Judi Jackson and Aja Monet, this record is a powerful anthem for our times-echoing Nina Simone's legacy while finding inspiration in the pulse of the city and collective dreaming. Praised by global medias such as Wonderland, Notion and the BBC, Ashley Henry is set to become one of the most influential jazz acts in Europe with it's signature piano touch and soothing vocal tones.
Ashley Henry presents it's second album "Who We Are", a London-born jazz journey that unites devotion, collective dreaming, and the fight for freedom. Featuring acclaimed artists like Judi Jackson and Aja Monet, this record is a powerful anthem for our times-echoing Nina Simone's legacy while finding inspiration in the pulse of the city and collective dreaming. Praised by global medias such as Wonderland, Notion and the BBC, Ashley Henry is set to become one of the most influential jazz acts in Europe with it's signature piano touch and soothing vocal tones.
Grammy-winning producer and musician Ondrej Pivec is coming back to his homeland after years overseas with the project""Greatest Hits 4000." It blends elements of genres like jazz, funk, gospel, hip-hop, and soul in the tradition of American music with a fresh twist. Accompanying the Czech jazz icon on the album are talented musicians - Jan Steinsdörfer, the keyboardist of the Czech music group Chinaski, Jan Jakubec, a bassist whose resume includes names like Lenka Dusilová and Raduza, and Filip Ernst, the drummer of Top Dream Company and DYK band. The album is based on Pivec's live performance at JazzFestBrno in the studios of Czech Television.
In his upcoming album, «Brightlight,» Cohen showcases his multifaceted talents alongside a stellar ensemble of musicians. Among these are some of the brightest young talents from the new jazz scene, including drummer Roni Kaspi, pianist Guy Moskovich, his working core trio as the centre on many of the titles and joined by saxophonist Yuval Drabkin and many others hand-picked talented artists. Roni Kaspi brings a youthful vigor to the album, infusing the music with a sense of spontaneity and drive. After more than 3 years of touring with Avishai Cohen, she's even got a dedicated title on this recording ("Roni's Swing"), wrote by Cohen as an homage to her dynamic and energetic drumming. Guy Moskovich, a pianist whose harmonic sensibilities and technical prowess have garnered him recognition as a rising star in jazz, provides the perfect complement to Cohen's bass lines. Yuval Drabkin, on saxophone, adds another layer of richness to the extensive ensemble. His emotive playing and nuanced interpretations bring a compelling voice to the project, enhancing the album's overall depth.
