Boomtown is guitarist/composer Miles Okazaki's latest work for large ensemble. It follows on his Miniature America from 2024, which was described by Ethan Iverson as "meticulously assembled, absolutely a blast to listen to, and informed by a generous - even carefree - spirit." The idea for the new album came to Okazaki on a drive across Wyoming. Unlike much of his recent work with his band Trickster, which are often precise mechanical devices driven by intricate rhythms, Boomtown is filled with grand gestures - a journey that swings from desolate, pastoral beauty and tumultuous ruin that befit a western landscape. The music tells the story of an imaginary boomtown: the exhilaration of hopes and dreams, and it's collapse into destructive lawlessness and abandonment. To help conjure that duality of sublime and ominous, Okazaki assembled a collection of ten musicians: saxophonists Caroline Davis, Jon Irabagon, and Anna Webber, trombonists Jacob Garchik and Kalia Vandever, bassists Chris Tordini and Hannah Marks, pianist Matt Mitchell, drummer Dan Weiss and Okazaki on guitars. Together, they make music that is by turns filled with profound beauty and menacing dread.

Puerto Rican Saxophonist and Composer David S�nchez has followed his acclaimed 2019 album 'Carib' with a years-long exploration of the commonalities found in seemingly separate communities. His travel took him from Loiza, Puerto Rico - first to Haiti where he studied field recordings and the work of Haitian masters - then to San Basilio de Palenque, Colombia where he collaborated with Palenquero percussionist Franklin Tejedor. Both communities, though separated by geography, are united by their Afro-descendant roots and by music's enduring role as a vessel of memory, identity, and freedom-whether in Lo�za's bomba seis corrido and seis rule or Palenque's lumbal� and it's rhythmic variations like mapal� and bullerengue. This next chapter in David's journey builds substantially on 'Carib,' showing the depth of his commitment and interest in the true story of musical evolution. "The African diaspora has played a crucial role in redefining music and culture throughout the Americas. From the first moment I encountered it, I felt a deep nourishment and connection to my ancestors." - David S�nchez

Legendary Jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker is back with his first album of all new and original compositions in many years. Composed, Arranged, and produced by the Architects Of Sound (Claude Villani & Jeff Lorber), Esp�rito is a celebration of a career and a man that has helped shape the sound of Jazz, R&B and Rock for over six decades. His performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Parliament/Funkadelic to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa.

Cecile Licad plays piano music by Scott Joplin Scott Joplin (1868-1917), along with James Scott and Joseph Lamb, forms what are often called the "three B's" of classic ragtime. While hundreds of ragtime composers were active at the turn of the twentieth century-many of them itinerant African American pianists performing largely unnotated rags throughout the Missouri Valley states-it was Joplin who brought the genre into a fully realized, notated art form. These pianists, almost all male and rarely formally trained, were brilliant improvisers who earned their livelihoods in the so-called "tenderloin districts." Often referred to as "professors," they formed a vibrant musical network that fueled the ragtime craze from roughly 1890 until World War I. Joplin himself stood apart. Born in Texarkana shortly after the Civil War to a formerly enslaved father and a freeborn mother from Kentucky, he showed early musical promise and received formal instruction from a Czech-Jewish immigrant teacher. Joplin's respect for disciplined musical training-and his sense of obligation to the genre-shaped the course of ragtime history.

Em Julho is the second album by singer Elsa Johanna Mohr and guitarist Fl�vio Nunes, following their 2023 debut Passadinha. Recorded in Bonn in August 2025, the album brings together Brazilian classics and original songs in an intimate, warm setting shaped by voice, guitar, and subtle rhythmic detail. The repertoire moves from "�gua de Coco" and "Tico-Tico no Fub�" to Mohr's own compositions, including "Beijo da Lua," "Jaguar," and the title track "Em Julho." Drawing on Mohr's deep connection to Brazilian language and culture and Nunes's virtuosic seven-string guitar playing, Em Julho blends M�sica Popular Brasileira, singer-songwriter intimacy, and jazz-inflected elegance. The result is a musical summer of warmth, longing, and Brazilian joie de vivre-light, lyrical, and transportive.

A jubilant dialogue between Mandingo music and acoustic jazz, �The Following� was born from the collaboration between French jazz pianist Olivier Hutman and Senegalese kora player Lamine Cissokho. Each track, which blends modern improvisation with elements of traditional music, acts as a bridge that enriches the global musical heritage. This exceptional project is enhanced by the participation of the legendary American bluesman Eric Bibb. Essential for all lovers of jazz, blues, and world music. Augustin Bondoux / Patrick Fr�meaux

This box set brings together three major albums by Riccardo del Fra, an essential double bassist and composer on the European jazz scene. From the intimacy of the duets on A Sip of Your Touch, a sensitive and deeply personal tribute, to the ambitious orchestral writing of My Chet My Song, Riccardo del Fra explores the legacy of Chet Baker while reinventing it. With Moving People, he anchors his approach in a resolutely contemporary language: open, committed music inspired by the upheavals of today's world. Through these three complementary facets emerges the portrait of a complete musician, exploring and reshaping memory while always looking to the future, for whom sound, silence, and precision remain essential. A reference box set for understanding the aesthetic of the great Italian double bassist. Augustin Bondoux / Patrick Fr�meaux

Sonny Criss is an unsung hero in the history of jazz. A brilliant alto saxophonist of the bebop era, his unparalleled talent nevertheless remained in the shadow of Charlie Parker. Published at the same time as Alain Gerber's biographical novel Ne laissez pas le soleil se lever sur vos larmes (Don't Let the Sun Rise on Your Tears), this anthology highlights the musician's extraordinary virtuosity and expressiveness. An unexpected tribute to one of the greatest forgotten masters of 20th-century jazz. Patrick Fr�meaux

When Josefine entered her second half-century in 2021 (sometimes it's permissible to mention the age of a lady...), Norrbotten Big Band decided to celebrate her achievements by commissioning six big band pieces from composers who, at different times and on different occasions, have been connected with Josefine. We are very happy with the result and confident that the sometimes challenging nature of the music will create a portrait of Josefine with all her magnificence on full display.

In Good Company marks the powerful debut of Argentine alto saxophonist Tomás Martínez on SteepleChase in June 2026. At just 26 Martínez brings a rich tone, agile bebop phrasing, and a deep command of jazz tradition. The album features two standout groups: a New York quartet with Michael Weiss, David Wong, and Kenny Washington, recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, and a vibrant trio session from Buenos Aires with Paul Sikivie and Teo Pérez. Mixing classics, bebop lines and originals, Martínez honors mentors like Charlie Parker, Barry Harris, and Charles McPherson while asserting a voice entirely his own. A fresh, swinging new presence on the international jazz scene. Martínez has performed at major venues across Argentina and Europe, and was named a Distinguished Personality and Cultural Ambassador of his hometown. He is also an active educator, teaching jazz saxophone at the college level and leading workshops and masterclasses. Currently based between Buenos Aires and New York, he continues to perform, record, and teach.

Horace Parlan’s Glad I Found You is his second quintet date for SteepleChase which captures a rare meeting of inspired musicians at a peak moment, recorded in Copenhagen with Thad Jones — making a vibrant late career comeback — and the always inventive Eddie Harris. Parlan leads the quintet full of warmth, swing and spontaneous interplay. The album blends Parlan’s own tunes, soulful obscurities, and modern jazz classics like “Afternoon in Paris,” all delivered with the rhythmic looseness and deep blues feeling that defined his style. This new 24bit/96kHz remaster brings fresh clarity to one of Parlan’s most spirited SteepleChase sessions, revealing the nuance and energy of a group of masters enjoying every moment together. “...it’s another fine addition to Parlan’s discography.” (Jazz Journal)

On June 19, Storyville Records releases Between Then and Now, a new trio album by acclaimed American pianist Christian Sands, joined by Danish bassist Thomas Fonnesb�k and Swedish drummer Rasmus Kihlberg. An international collaboration that captures contemporary jazz at the intersection of American tradition and Nordic musical sensibility. The album features nine tracks, balancing original compositions by Sands and Fonnesb�k with inspired reinterpretations of jazz standards and classic repertoire by Bobby Timmons, Richard Rodgers, Luiz Bonf�, and John Coltrane. Recorded in the spirit of Copenhagen's jazz tradition, it presents jazz as both a living art form of the present and a dialogue with it's past-hence the title Between Then and Now. The collaboration grew from Sands' relationship with the Copenhagen jazz scene, initiated when former Montmartre musical director Christian Brorsen discovered him online and invited him to Denmark. Like earlier generations of American jazz musicians, including Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon, Sands quickly became a compelling presence in Copenhagen, where attentive listening and subtle interplay guide every performance. Over the years he has been a frequent guest in Denmark and loved by the audience there. Together, the trio represents a truly international jazz language. Sands is celebrated for his virtuosic piano playing, rich harmonic imagination, and improvisational energy. Fonnesb�k, one of Europe's leading bassists, offers melodic clarity and technical brilliance shaped by the Danish jazz tradition, while Kihlberg contributes a refined rhythmic approach marked by elegance, precision, and responsiveness. Together they create a compelling sound of openness, yet you always feel the classic American jazz tradition in the music. This is modern American/Scandinavian music, not just jazz. Listen to Sands' inventive arrangement of "Giant Leaves," which merges John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" with Joseph Kosma's "Autumn Leaves," served as a tribute to legendary Danish drummer Alex Riel, who influenced both Sands and generations of jazz musicians in Europe. Original compositions such as Sands' "Where Children Still Play" and "Where the Light Settles," and Fonnesb�k's "Searching in Sahara" reveal the trio's lyrical and exploratory approach. The Nordic hymn "Til ungdommen (To the Youth / Kringsatt av Fiender)" is another beautiful example of how this trio sounds together. Enjoy this contemporary recording with three of the most interesting musicians on the Scandinavian and American jazz scenes right now.

This June 19, Danish pianist Ole Matthiessen, one of the most inventive voices in Scandinavian jazz, celebrates his 80th birthday with the release of Subcurrents on Storyville Records-a remarkable compilation spanning more than five decades of musical exploration. The album brings together seven performances from 1968 to 2025, offering a rare glimpse into some alternative, improvisational currents that have defined Matthiessen's career. From the early energy of the Poul Ehlers Quartet in 1968, featuring the rare collaboration with free-jazz drummer Bo de Richelieu and a young Jesper Zeuthen, to his contributions in Erling Kroner's Quintet in 1970, Matthiessen's pianism has always blended melodic sensitivity with a restless curiosity. The album also includes the electrifying Turkish-inspired jazz of Atilla Engin Group in 1981, where Matthiessen fuses complex rhythms with the swinging spirit of jazz, as well as boundary-pushing improvisations with Global Units in 2011, incorporating electronics and experimental textures. Later recordings, such as Testmann Jazz in 2023, highlight Matthiessen's lyrical side, paying homage to Ben Webster while demonstrating his enduring command of ensemble interplay. Framing the album are two solo improvisations, "Subcurrent 1" and "Subcurrent 2," recorded in 2025 at The Village Studio, capturing the pianist at his most spontaneous-exploring sound, touch, and flow in real time with no rehearsals or retakes. Subcurrents is more than a retrospective; it is a journey through the subtle undercurrents of jazz and the threads connecting tradition, experimentation, and collaboration across decades. Produced, remastered, and annotated by Matthiessen himself, the album presents both longtime fans and new listeners with an intimate portrait of a musician whose adventurous spirit remains undiminished at 80.

John McNeil (March 23, 1948 – September 27, 2024) launched his professional career with debut LP "Embarkation” SCS 1099) on SteepleChase in 1978 a few hours before he turned 30. Age 30 was his goal to release his first and he remarked “I just made it!” John McNeil’s There Is No Greater Love (SCCD 34007) unveils a previously unheard 1983 Odense, Denmark session, capturing the trumpeter at a creative peak during his extensive Scandinavian tour. Joined by Danish masters Jesper Lundgaard (bass) and Aage Tanggaard (drums), McNeil delivers a warm, incisive set blending standards, bebop classics, and his own “Out”. His bright, agile phrasing — long praised for its roots in Miles, Hubbard, and the Parker lineage—meets a deeply swinging Nordic rhythm team. This newly discovered trio date highlights McNeil’s lyrical clarity, spontaneous invention, and enduring place in the modern jazz tradition.

Echoes of the Unknown is the debut album by German drummer and composer David Giesel-a modern jazz statement built on trust, attentive interplay, and the courage to let music unfold in real time. Recorded live as a band in one room at Jazzcampus Studio Basel (Jan 9-10, 2026) and co-produced with mentor Paulo Almeida, the album treats uncertainty as fuel: play first, understand later-an approach that turns instinct into form and risk into clarity. Leading an international quartet with Albin Ormegard, Moritz Langmaier (piano/keys) and Thomas Fuller, Giesel shapes a sound world where groove and modern harmony meet openness and space-drawing on contemporary jazz aesthetics while absorbing subtle rock/indie edges. Most pieces are Giesel originals, complemented by one composition each from Ormegard and Langmaier, reflecting the group's shared voice. At the album's center, "Moods" opens a reflective window that includes spoken word by Dae Bryant, anchoring the record's human, hopeful core. The result is a vibrant, deeply personal snapshot: four musicians listening hard, moving as one, and inviting the listener into the mystery-where familiarity meets discovery.

Recorded on a cold January night in 2013 in Copenhagen, Into the Storm brings together renowned Danish pianist Carsten Dahl with one of the most formidable rhythm sections in modern jazz, American bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Across nine tracks consisting of a mix of, the trio delivers a masterclass in trust, shared pulse and fearless improvisation. Into the Storm will be released on Storyville Records on March 6, 2026. The concert was part of a series of one-off encounters pairing leading American jazz musicians with Danish artists, an approach rooted in Copenhagen's unique jazz history. From 1959 onward, the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre became a second home to figures such as Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Oscar Pettiford, and Johnny Griffin. Their presence helped shape generations of Danish jazz musicians and forged a lasting bond between American jazz and Copenhagen. Carsten Dahl stands as one of the most significant figures of the post-Montmartre generation. A central voice in Danish and European jazz, Dahl combines profound respect for the tradition with a restless, exploratory spirit. His playing is marked by a highly dynamic touch, sudden shifts in density, and a willingness to let form emerge in the moment. Dahl's musical upbringing under drummer Ed Thigpen, who settled in Copenhagen in 1972 and mentored many young Danish musicians, gave him deep roots in swing, form, and interaction. Jazz history is defined by great rhythm teams, Ray Brown & Ed Thigpen, Ron Carter & Tony Williams, NH�P & Alex Riel among them. In our time, Reuben Rogers and Gregory Hutchinson stand firmly in that lineage. Rogers' sound draws deeply from the Oscar Pettiford school: grounded, resonant and melodically rich. Hutchinson's musical DNA was shaped through his work with Betty Carter and in Ray Brown's trio. Together, they share a rare, almost telepathic connection and an elastic sense of time that lifts everything around them. On Into the Storm, their interplay doesn't simply support the piano, it actively shapes the music's direction. Dahl moves constantly between control and abandon, shaping the music in real time with hard swing giving way to lyrical ballads, spontaneous structures and daring transitions. Throughout, his close musical dialogue with Rogers and Hutchinson reinforces the sense of discovery. The rhythm section's deep groove and unshakeable internal time keep the music grounded, even at it's most adventurous. Captured in a single winter night in Copenhagen, Into the Storm displays Carsten Dahl's unpredictable swing meeting the drive and authority of Rogers and Hutchinson. A perfect example of jazz as a living art form: rooted in tradition, shaped by risk, and realized through the rare trust shared between three musicians listening as deeply as they play.