Bassist and composer Gabriel Espinosa's "The Brazilian Project" is the realization of a lifelong devotion to the music that first stirred his imagination in the 1960s, when the sounds of Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Sergio Mendes reshaped the global jazz landscape. Raised in Mexico on boleros and the Beatles, Espinosa later found in bossa nova a language of melodic grace and rhythmic subtlety that would define his artistic path through Berklee, North Texas State, and to his present home in Iowa. For his eighth solo album, his bass is set aside while his compositions are brought vividly to life by a Brazil-based nonet, with scintillating arrangements by trombonist Rafael Rocha and flugel hornist Bruno Santos. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro and enhanced by the Tallinn Studio Orchestra, the album radiates warmth, elegance, and rhythmic vitality. The Brazilian Project stands as a joyful summit in Espinosa's decades-long journey-an inspired cross-cultural collaboration that honors tradition while speaking in a fresh, contemporary voice. "Bossa nova literally means "new tendency" or "new thing". Gabriel Espinosa renews the genre with his imaginative compositions and top-class musicians." Music Web International " - a mellifluous musical expedition led by this mature bassist, who crafts his music with utmost confidence and grace - The depth of emotion of his music is truly touching." - Latin Jazz Net

With HOMETOWN, trumpeter and composer Jared Hall brings listeners into a musically rich reflection on place, purpose, and artistic growth. Born in Spokane and seasoned by vibrant creative communities from Bloomington to Miami and Seattle, Hall returns to his roots with a lyrical voice shaped by decades of performance and collaboration. Here, he celebrates the grounding power of family, shared history, and the joy of reconnecting with the people and experiences that shaped him. From the clever nods to jazz lineage in "Step by Step" and "Echoes and Origins," to the wistful inspiration behind "Room 111," this recording maps Hall's journey with clarity, heart, and unwavering musical intention. Supported by a stellar quintet - including saxophonist Troy Roberts, pianist Ben Markley, bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Kyle Swan - HOMETOWN unfolds with both rooted tradition and forward-looking spirit. The result is resonant and compelling. "There is truth here, unabashed, direct to the listener." - All About Jazz. "... Hall's expressive, probing trumpet style, offers a masterful, wide ranging sound, and varied emotional landscape." All About Jazz

Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project's Addis Ken (New Day) is a deeply evocative journey where jazz becomes both vessel and invocation. Drawing from Ethiopian Jewish liturgical traditions, pan-African rhythms, and modern improvisational language, they fuse ancient memory with contemporary expression in music that feels timeless and urgent all at once. Berihun's commanding tenor and soprano saxophones are matched by his remarkable vocal presence-earthy, elastic, and prayerful-capable of moving seamlessly from guttural incantation to soaring, skyward cries. Joined by pianist Roy Mor, bassist David Michaeli, and drummer/percussionist Nitzan Birnbaum, the quartet operates with intuitive empathy, shaping grooves and atmospheres that breathe and expand around Berihun's impassioned lead. Moments such as the stirring "Behatitu Kadush Kadush," featuring vocalist Rudi Bainesay, reach directly into sacred terrain, while pieces like "Addis Ken" and "Jerusalem" balance reverence with forward momentum. Rich in texture, spirit, and blues-rooted intensity, Addis Ken is music as lived experience-honoring lineage while speaking vividly in the present tense. "They are a joy to behold." Jerusalem Post. "The quartet of brilliant musicians drew inspiration not only from across the planet but also from the depths of time." - Tom š S. Pol¡vka (Prague)

GIANTS is jazz guitarist Barry Greene's most fully realized recording to date-a powerful tribute to the players who shaped his musical voice, including Pat Martino, Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, and Russell Malone. Spanning organ trio, modern ensemble, and solo guitar settings, the album reflects a lifetime of deep immersion in the jazz tradition, delivered with authority, swing, and an unmistakable personal voice. With Pat Bianchi on B3 organ and drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., Greene captures the raw energy and soulful drive of the classic organ trio. The broader sound palette of his quintet setting with David Kikoski on piano, Steve Nelson on vibraphone, bassist Marco Panascia, and Owens, yields richly textured performances that balance fire, lyricism, and harmonic depth. More than a tribute, Giants is a statement-an artist at the peak of his powers honoring the lineage while speaking unmistakably in his own voice. "Monster chops, soulful feel, full/rich classic jazz tone, and virtuosic harmonic techniques establish him as a top-tier guitarist." - Benedetto Guitars. Barry Greene is just about one of the best; not only as a player, but also as a writer and a teacher & a world-class musician. Pat Martino

On Bright Dawn, his 21st recording as a leader, Harvie S reaffirms why he remains one of the most expressive and sought-after bass voices in modern jazz. Long celebrated for bass lines that function "like the deep roots of a tree," Harvie uses this session to explore the full sonic and emotional range of the instrument, shaping music that is at once grounded, lyrical, and quietly adventurous. His original compositions-thoughtful, rhythmically alive, and rich with harmonic implication-sit naturally alongside inspired interpretations of Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty" and Bob Dorough's wry classic "Devil May Care," creating a program that feels both personal and expansive. Surrounded by Peter Bernstein's warm, articulate guitar, Miki Hayama's elegant and probing piano, and Matt Wilson's ever-responsive drums, Harvie leaves generous space for interaction, nuance, and collective discovery. The result is a recording that breathes, melodies unfolding organically and grooves emerging with unforced authority, all anchored by the unmistakable sound of a master bassist whose imagination and touch continue to evolve. "The bassist's horn-like, bebop-based phrasing is as engaging as it is inventive, leaving no doubts about his stature as one of the preeminent bass voices..." All About Jazz " a fecund mind that is continually searching for new horizons towards which to stretch, taking with him a bass violin that sings with almost limitless possibilities." Raul da Gama

Vocalist and composer Chenxi Pan introduces herself as a thoughtful new voice in contemporary jazz through this set of all original music. Unfolding as a series of reflections drawn from lived experience, emotions are rendered through a fluid blend of poetry, song, and instrumental writing, often using the voice as an expressive instrument within the ensemble as she dissolves the line between sung narrative and pure sound. Born and raised in China, her path shifted from literature to music during her early studies, eventually leading her to pursue jazz in New York City at the New School. Her writing reflects that lineage: lyrical yet searching, precise yet open to spontaneity. Produced by master drummer Matt Wilson, This Very Moment was recorded soon after her 2024 debut as a bandleader at The Stone NYC. Balancing intimacy with collective interplay, Pan allows each composition to breathe and evolve. Her emergence as a musical voice signals an artist attuned to nuance, collaboration, and storytelling-one who invites the listener not toward spectacle, but into a shared, resonant present.

Composer Anthony Branker unveils a powerful new chapter in his ongoing exploration of music as cultural narrative, social inquiry, and collective expression. Leading his newly formed ensemble Other Ways of Knowing, Branker brings together an exceptional group of improvisers-saxophonist Steve Wilson, guitarist Pete McCann, pianist Simona Premazzi, bassist John H'bert, drummer Rudy Royston, and vocalist Aim'e Allen-for a program that is as rhythmically vital as it is conceptually resonant. Drawing inspiration from histories and lived experiences within the African and Indigenous diasporas, these expansive compositions balance cinematic scope with deeply personal storytelling. Like Branker's acclaimed earlier work, praised for it's ability to unite musical beauty with intellectual depth, Manifestations of a Diasporic Groove & Spirit stands as a compelling statement-one that invites listening not only as an aesthetic experience, but as a way of knowing, remembering, and bearing witness. "Musical beauty in the service of thought, or perhaps the reverse" Paris-Move "a sweeping opus with sociopolitical and poetic content woven into a musical tapestry at once cerebral, emotive and viscerally exciting." DownBeat

It was Dave Slonaker's fascination with the sounds of big bands in his early teens that led him to Pittsburg's Carnegie Library to research the nuts & bolts of how it was created. An orchestrator, arranger, and composer for film & TV over decades now, it's with his 15-year-old Grammy nominated ensemble - comprised of LA's finest jazz and studio musicians where he explores the paradigm shifts within his own writing and aesthetic as time goes on. With this third album for Origin, his exploration of orchestration, harmony and rhythm is as expansive and vivid as ever, as band members including Peter Erskine, Bob Sheppard, Clay Jenkins and Bill Reichenbach lend world-renowned musicality to whatever twists and turns he conjures up - always celebrating the big band legacy while joining the other visionary composers in charting the path forward. "His charts are modern, invigorating, full of variety, and clearly an inspiration for his sidemen." Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene "Exemplifying the best of contemporary big-band jazz - fresh and sparkling, with more than enough dynamism and ingenuity to capture a listener's interest and hold it..." All About Jazz

Peter Erskine and Vienna's JAM Music Lab All-Stars celebrate the music of two iconic Viennese composers who, after moving to Hollywood in 1929 & 1934, transformed the dynamics of film as they set the standards for movie scoring. Through their work on Gone With the Wind, King Kong, and many dozens more, their role in shaping popular culture since is legion. First exposed to the music in the late '70s as he was touring with Weather Report, Erskine heard Joe Zawinul playing a beautiful melody and learned it was by Korngold, a fellow Viennese composer. He was moved to search out transcripts and recordings ever since. With his artist-in-residency at Vienna's cutting-edge JAM Music Lab University, his desire to reimagine this music in an improvised jazz setting finally became a reality. "... Erskine and the Jam Music Lab All-Stars demonstrate virtuosity, versatility and a keen attention to detail... creating a fitting tribute to the most influential figures in 20th-century music." The New York City Jazz Record

Clarence Penn has been one of the most dynamic drummers in jazz since his New York City arrival 33 years ago. His work with Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter, Diane Reeves and Michael Brecker has been extensively documented, as have his own musical explorations, including 2014's "Monk: The Lost Files." "Behind the Voice" goes a whole new direction as Penn unfurls inventive reimaginings of the works of influential drummers behind some of the greatest pop music created. Songs by Phil Collins, Levon Helm, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel & Dave Grohl receive expansive modern treatments through Penn's production along with a bevy of collaborators, including vocalists Kurt Elling, Aaron Marcellus & Toku, guitarists Adam Rogers & Gilad Hekselman, and many more. "... a celebration of their artistry, their passion, and their indelible mark on the music we cherish." "... gesture and space surging from a place of heart-felt and fluid integrity... Penn exudes such enthusiasm and love for the music-it is simply impossible not to feel uplifted." - JAZZ TIMES

A towering cultural figure throughout the second half of the 20th century, Leonard Bernstein mediated between different musical worlds, borrowing freely from jazz, blues and popular music, eventually shaping a "classical" sound that became his deeply influential signature. From his decades of working alongside Austria's most illustrious musicians, Vienna's JAM Music Lab University was inspired to celebrate his music & legacy. With the addition of drumming great Peter Erskine as a Visiting Artist in 2021 - bringing along his own decades of contributions to blending popular musics at the highest levels - they handed him the task of shaping the ambitious project. With this live recording, Erskine, JAM students and faculty, and pianist/musical director Danny Grissett, honor Bernstein's genius and fulfill JAM's chief mission - inspired by the jazz masters, educate and nurture jazz's next generation - and on this night, Peter Erskine, and Leonard Bernstein, led the charge.

Galper's dazzling runs are often complemented by his punchy pointillism... stunning... - DownBeat. During a rich musical period in the late '70s with many performances around New York City and two European tours together, pianist Hal Galper and guitarist John Scofield recorded a pair of legendary albums that demonstrated the well grounded paths they were on, their concepts coalescing in a hub of scorched earth intensity. Scofield's "Rough House," was followed by Galper's "Ivory Forest" recorded in October 1979, both originally on the German Enja label and with Adam Nussbaum on drums. Now 40+ years later, and the legacy set with countless thousands of musicians inspired to follow in their steps, the sounds remain modern and vital.

No one sounds quite like Barth. His solos are characterized by robust swing, his ability to tell a story, and by his rich, beguiling sound. -Zan Stewart, The Newark Star-Ledger. A pivotal member of New York's Jazz scene for 40 years, pianist Bruce Barth's inspired vision and generous accompaniment has always led to rich musical collaborations, none more so than with his working trio of many years with bassist Vincente Archer and drummer Montez Coleman. Their collective voice found it's perfect setting, which makes the release of "Dedication" a profound and emotion-filled moment, as Montez passed away 5 months after the recording session at the age of 48. Celebrating the joy and camaraderie Montez brought to their work, the thread of relationships, inspiration, guidance and gratefulness that imbued the recording revealed itself, leading Barth to present the music as a display of mindfulness of those gifts. "Dedication" is for the ones who give and is filled with life, dance and swing.

Pianist Hal Galper disbanded his Ahmad Jamal-inspired trio in 2000 after a productive decade of steady touring and recording. Returning to 'the shed' for several years to work on concepts, teach and write, he came to realize that a rubato approach to time and movement-a concept he was first exposed to with Sam Rivers in the early '60s-was where he was being led. With bassist Tony Moreno & drummer Billy Mintz, Galper found able & willing partners to explore new territories in 2005, recording "Agents of Change" in 2006. The trio was the first stone cast in that direction for the eclectic pianist, a remarkable late career modernization that ushered in one of the most significant innovations in the art of the trio since Bill Evans' conception of equal partnership in the early '60s. This trio was a foray into a more melodic and beauty focused approach to rubato, before the more explosive and wide-roaming version portrayed by Galper's last touring trio of 2007-2019, with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop. "Invitation to Openness" was a brief return to the original rubato trio with Moreno & Mintz, recorded in 2008, live in upstate New York. This indomitable period of innovation, that so remarkably occurred a half century into his career, was enabled by his trio association with Marino and Mintz, so beautifully portrayed by the tracks contained within.

Austin-based pianist, composer, singer and producer, Sean Michael Giddings has had a wide-ranging career since moving through the University of North Texas 1:00 Lab Band a decade ago. Tours with pop icon Christopher Cross, country star Pat Green, or virtuoso guitarist Eric Johnson, offer a deep musical well to draw from when expressing his own songwriting voice or with this, his debut piano trio album. His compositions and musical touch evoke major influences such as Vince Guaraldi, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau, while the central Texas setting of his home recording studio, with his childhood Baldwin baby grand, add a patient, comfortable embrace to the session. With the calypso-esque "Sebastian," or the '70s Jarrett-influenced "First Cup," bassist Sam Pankey and drummer Daniel Dufour propel and support, while the moving ballad, "In the Light of the Unfinished Moon," personifies the sound of deep musical connection.

Chicago composer Doug Lofstrom has been writing prolifically since the 1970s, with his wide-ranging style reflecting ongoing involvement in dance, film, theater and symphonic music. He has been composer-in-residence for the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and musical director of Chicago's Free Street Theater, while his works have been performed by numerous American Symphony Orchestras and chamber ensembles. "Music for Strings" is comprised of select pieces Lofstrom began work on in the late '70s, starting with the composition by the same name, originally recorded in 1984 and premiered by the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra. Here, Lofstrom presents these pieces together for the first time with fresh interpretations by Moscow's Russian String Orchestra.Conducted by the orchestra's founder, Misha Rachlevsky, the ensemble is now in it's 3rd decade. "Simply beautiful!" - The Intermezzo. "An aesthetic risk-taker, Lofstrom straddles too many categories to be easily classified." - Chicago Reader.

Saxophonist Carlos Vega's band crackles... crafty arrangements, spirited group interplay, and ear-grabbing freshness and spontaneity in their soloing. - All About Jazz. Chicago-based tenor saxophonist Carlos Vega taps into the energy of the hard bop movement of the late 50s, with this quintet session that channels the vision of Art Blakey's iconic Jazz Messengers. Filtering Blakey's forward thrusting style through his Puerto Rican heritage and extensive time spent with latin and salsa bands in his native Miami, Vega's concept reveals itself on the driving opening cut, "Art of the Messenger." Propelled by the powerful rhythms of drummer Xavier Breaker, bassist Josh Ramos and pianist Stu Mineman anchor the quintet throughout the session, with trumpeter Victor Garcia joining Vega on this formidable front line. Subsequently, Vega turns this hard bop powerhouse on it's collective ear with "Bird's Word," a rousing latin jazz homage to Charlie Parker. Vega's take on the hard bop lineage incorporates stops in Chicago and Miami, allowing his mentors to clearly speak through his work. His take on the lexicon through these eleven originals is in no way nostalgic, but expressively looking forward through the lens of personal history.

New York-based drummer/composer Greg Germann has spent the better part of the last 2 decades touring the world with Broadway shows, and then making his mark as a Telly Award winning film composer, utilizing his background in classical percussion and jazz to guide his hand. With encouragement from an important mentor, drummer Clarence Penn, Greg turned his attention to documenting a collection of his wide-ranging compositions for modern jazz quartet. With Penn producing, they pulled together a group of supreme improvisors including saxophonist Donny McCaslin, pianist Luis Perdomo and bassist Yasushi Nakamura to tackle Germann's rhythmically expansive & melodically rich works. Recorded in November of 2020, the compositions present a dynamic view of life during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the relentless post-bop opener, "Rush Hour," to the reflective "Quarantine," Tales of Time is Germann's calling card for jazz fans worldwide.

What Freelon is building is not just a castle of love, but an expanded repertoire for jazz singers - The Washington Post. Multi Grammy nominated vocal artist Nnenna Freelon is back, delivering her eleventh album after a decade-long hiatus from the studio. With Time Traveler, she offers a celebration of love and a prayer of hope for those living with loss. The sessions for the album stretched over two years, between 2018 and 2020, coinciding with the loss of Freelon's soulmate and husband of forty years, Phil Freelon, to ALS. Freelon draws from her & Phil's shared love of jazz and rhythm and blues, to step through an imagined doorway where past, present and future collide. From the album's centerpiece, a medley of Marvin Gaye classics, to standards such as "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Moon River," or her self-penned title song, Freelon reminds us of the grace and elegance that naturally accompanies her approach to interpreting melody. Inspired by her emotive glances to the past, and soulful presence in the here and now, she paints a portrait of reverence and gratitude for the gift of love that permeates every aspect of the human condition.

... SOMEONE needs to remind all of us what an alto sax is supposed to sound like! Auditory riches like a balm in Gilead. - Jazz Weekly. In 2001, alto saxophonist Brent Jensen released "The Sound of a Dry Martini: Remembering Paul Desmond." Resonating immediately with radio stations and their audiences, the album has been a consistent presence on the airwaves and has been streamed thousands of times a week since that technology was first conceived. Some twenty years later, Jensen now offers the house another round. Joined by guitarist Jamie Findlay, his long time partner in interpreting Desmond's works, Jensen improvises new melodies as rich and satisfying as the tunes from which they are based, subtly coloring his lines with romance, melancholy and joy. He shares a stylistic affinity with both Desmond and Lee Konitz in a lyrical sense, weaving singing, free-flowing lines in his own singular voice through Desmond favorites such as "Take Ten," and "Desmond Blue," or standards like "These Foolish Things" and "Alone Together." Supported by an outstanding Seattle cast - drummers Stefan Schatz and John Bishop, bassist Chris Symer and pianist Bill Anschell - Jensen creates another irresistible tribute to an iconic musical voice. "If this is the sound of a dry martini, then make mine a double. Highly recommended." - JAZZ REVIEW

(Friedman's) music often stems from personal, social interaction, and this kind of music finds it's way into people's hearts... - Ha'aretz. Saxophonist and composer Amit Friedman is a guiding light in the Israeli jazz scene. His inspiringly lyrical compositions are arranged with his group of master musicians in mind and are rooted solidly in the jazz tradition, along with rich influences of the Middle East interwoven throughout. In the liner notes to "Unconditional Love," Amit recounts the story of his late father taking him, as a young teen, to New York and a night at the Blue Note. Implied is a great sense of gratitude for all of those influencing his life, and with the album's dedication to his father, offers the inspiration behind this collection of performances. Between the fiery "Home At Last," the subtle Bossa, "Alma," with vocals and lyrics by Brazilian vocalist Joca Perpignan, "Rill-Rool," the sweeping duo with pianist Tom Oren, the hard-swinging "Blues for Jackito," or the one cover, the melodic "Junk" by Paul McCartney, Friedman displays a deep connection to 'the moment,' his audience, and those who inspire him. "... Friedman's "Sunrise" is one of those rare albums that I want to blast from the rooftops, convinced that if the whole damn world could just hear it, the planet would be a much happier place." - DAVE SUMNER, BIRD IS THE WORM

Patterson displays creativity as a soloist and arranger... and a technical virtuosity that is quite impressive. - Trombone Journal. Trombonist Ben Patterson's fiery technique and expansive compositional vision combine for a thrilling quintet session of 10 wide-ranging originals. From the opening title tune, a master-class in form & fire with tight ensemble passages and soaring solos, to the straight-ahead, Messengers-esque "Suits Me Fine," Patterson unveils thoroughly compelling vehicles for his Washington, DC-based group. All inspired soloists and master musicians, Patterson features guitarist Shawn Purcell, pianist Chris Ziemba, Paul Henry on bass and drummer Todd Harrison.

Led by Les DeMerle's dynamic drumming, his band swings hard with tight arrangements... Bonnie Eisele is the powerful centerpiece of this exciting act... - Downbeat. The 10th recording of renowned drummer Les DeMerle for Origin Records, "Hot Night In Venice" captures the fire, excitement and bristling energy Les has been bringing to world stages for over 50 years. And a show it is, as his longtime quartet offers up tight arrangements of jazz classics and serious in-the-pocket blues, but most of all, the band is groovin' hard, havin' fun and swingin' big time. Bonnie Eisele's sensitive, sassy vocals highlight the set, creating an ambiance that adds to the feeling of being at the club enjoying the set. From his ground-breaking Transfusion band of the late '60s, taking over Buddy Rich's seat with the Harry James Orchestra for 12 years, or his tours with the Manhattan Transfer and Wayne Newton, Les DeMerle has always been about elevating the band, bringing a visceral, unbridled dynamism to the stage. "Eisele and DeMerle are a hot combination. Her powerful voice and natural feel for rhythm come across in an explosive stage performance. His energy is absolutely contagious." - Florida Times-Union

John and his music are unique... He always has a great deal to say in his quiet, sincere way, and it resonates. - Just Jazz Guitar. Master guitarist and improvisor, John Stowell, has spent the last five decades touring the world, most often immersed in the universal jazz repertoire improvising with artists from wherever he's visiting. Through his recordings with "Scenes," and his quartet with Bay Area saxophonist Michael Zilber over the last 20 years, Stowell has had the chance to perform and focus on his own compositions more than ever before. It was through the mastering of those recordings that engineer, bassist, vocalist, producer Dan Dean discovered the nuances of Stowell's writing. The idea of collaboration came when Stowell heard Dean's recent classical voice recording, "Songs Without Words," where he layered multiple tracks of himself in what writer Raul da Gama called "... music-making of the highest order, which plumbs the depths of all of the emotions from wonderful joys to abject lamentations." Taking 10 of Stowell's compositions, Dean & Stowell layered voices, bass, and guitars over the course of a year, discovering unique avenues into the music with the end result feeling spontaneous, joyous and in the moment. "Dan Dean will redefine what you think is possible to achieve with the human voice. Prepare to be astonished." - Melinda Bargreen, Author & Music Critic

What comes out when Norway and Cuba team up musically: earthy bass, filigree rhythms, melancholy, charm, humor - and an almost unbelievable lightness. Badische-Zeitung (Germany). Norwegian vocalist/composer Grete Skarpeid's "Beyond Other Stories" is contemporary word painting at it's finest, with rhythmic contours beautifully enhanced by a quartet of master musicians, led by Cuban pianist Aru n Ortiz. Skarpeid draws us into the interior landscape of life with an eerily beautiful sense of freedom in her voice, mixing melancholy and joy, vulnerability and splendor. Ortiz's beautifully crafted arrangements of variety and sensuousness, are captured in every caressed phrase by Skarpeid. The music shines from the ethereal magnificence of "Singing Again," which sets to music a poem by the noted Norwegian poet Olav H. Hauge, through the feelings of spiritual loss evoked in "Adam and Eve," to the existential weightlessness of "Flying High." The unlikely musical partnership of Grete and Aru n began by happenstance when Ortiz passed through Grete's remote hometown while touring Norway with Don Byron. Grete shared some of her original songs with Ortiz, who instantly fell in love with her music and encouraged her to write more, later collaborating in New York on Skarpeid's first album, "My Songs" in 2016. "Skarpeid fills us with so much joy as she reveals herself to be an artist of the first order..." - Raul da Gama.

Five brilliant and focused musicians who against odds imposed by history and impossibility, have risen to the occasion to create a recording that provides depth, joy and emotional outreach in times of isolation and hardship. Developing their musical voices on the Seattle jazz scene, bassist Ben Feldman and saxophonist Santosh Sharma moved to New York for school and opportunity, while drummer Xavier Lecouturier, pianist Dylan Hayes and guitarist Martin Budde became invaluable creatives in Northwest music circles. Sidelined from various tours in 2020, the five ended up gathering in Alaska, learning to fly planes, composing, playing, and discovering that as a quintet, the joy of music and creation was rekindled, the weight of the moment lifted. Setting up in an airplane hangar, the quintet live-streamed performances through the summer and with their new compositions in tow, self-recorded and produced "Second Wave." The commonality of language acquired through hours of musical conversation between this group of friends quickly rose to fruition, producing sublime results for the listener.

Hard charging, high octane stuff that never let's you down, or even comes up for air, this is a must for big band fans... Killer stuff. - Midwest Record. Saxophonist, composer, arranger Greg Yasinitsky created his YAZZ Band project as a laboratory for his contemporary, original big band compositions. Made up of mostly Pacific Northwest-based improvisors and ensemble veterans, "New Normal" reflects the times when gathering as a group is not an option. Recorded ensemble tracks from before COVID-19 emerged were combined with recordings done in isolation from faraway outposts including Los Angeles, Baton Rouge, and Italy, allowing for some dynamic new musical options to be explored. From the blazing "G.P." and "Diva," to the heartfelt "Song for Laura," or the funk of "Blues for Brecker," Yasinitsky's YAZZ Band offers a wide ranging set of hard-swinging and joyful original music.

(Mike & Randy Brecker) comprised a blistering front line. Galper was in aggressive form, playing with an energy reminiscent of McCoy Tyner, a spirit of embellishment reminiscent of Art Tatum and a harmonic knowledge reminiscent of Bill Evans. Dockery and Moses formed a heart-pounding tandem. - JAZZTIMES. Captured during a pivotal, trailblazing period of his five decade career, pianist Hal Galper had come off the road with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet looking to establish his new working band. Pulling in Michael & Randy Brecker, whom he had recorded & worked with in the early '70s, along with bassist Wayne Dockery and drummer Bob Moses, Galper set up Sunday matinees at NY's Sweet Basil Jazz Club for a year to woodshed the group concept and new compositions. In the studio, 1977's 'Reach Out!' displayed an astonishingly original collective, with all matching Galper's chance-taking, high-spirited, free-wheeling approach to music making. 1979's "Speak With a Single Voice" captured the energy of the quintet live, but on this 1977 Berlin Jazz Festival performance, the band shifts into an other-worldly overdrive. From the opening salvos of Galper's "Now Hear This," the mission is defined - jazz giants, in the prime of their youth, set free to blow, pushed to the limits by Galper's facility, full-bodied sound, and fertile imagination.

Once in a great while, a musician emerges with such authority and such seemingly effortless originality that his place in the front ranks of his instrument is unquestioned. So it is with David Friesen. - Nat Hentoff. A major international jazz figure for over 50 years, bassist-composer David Friesen continues his unflagging process of creating new defining works, with the ambitious, expansive, and deeply personal musical explorations found on Testimony. Through the desire to better understand his Mother's Ukrainian heritage, and with inspired leg-work from his Czech-based assistant, Natalie Digtyar, Friesen found himself on a 2015 tour of family landmarks in Smila, Ukraine, fully researched and led by a television crew and the local historical museum. Meeting Oleksandr Pirozhenko, director of the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine, set in motion the collaboration heard here, beginning with a sold-out 2016 "homecoming" concert in Smila's Concert Hall, followed by this live recording from Kiev's National Philharmonic Hall in December, 2018. Arrangements of Friesen's profoundly spiritual compositions unfold, offering passages exploding with orchestral grandeur alongside lone whispers from solo piano, vibes or bass, and intimate quartet vignettes, all reflecting the myriad emotions exposed through his journey of ancestral discovery.

There are incantations and supplications to be found here. Also: elegies and headlines, howls and mantras, reveries and outbursts. They instruct and affirm. They urge you to dance while offering road maps to reflection. They rouse you from deep slumber and offer solace for your worst nightmares. - GENE SEYMOUR. "The Poets Are Gathering" is the third in a series of acclaimed recordings from saxophonist/composer Benjamin Boone that integrate the music & poems from some of America's leading jazz musicians and Poet Laureates, Guggenheim fellows and Pulitzer Prize winners. Where "The Poetry of Jazz" volumes offered the voice of the late U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine, here, notable contributors include Tyehimba Jess, Juan Felipe Herrera, Patricia Smith, T.R. Hummer, and Edward Hirsch, along with pianist Kenny Werner, guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Ari Hoenig, among many others. This recording possesses a visceral, in-the-moment force as the poetry responds to the roiling, insurgent energies against racism and other societal ills. The themes of immigration, racism, homelessness, poverty, abuse, protests, and war can overwhelm and distress, but through the voices of some of the world's great literary minds there are clues to be found to absorb the blows, summon the spirits, engage the moment and as Tyehimba Jess suggests, "murder the silence" that threatens to immobile us, to keep us away from the reasons to commit, to deal, to hope – and, above all, to imagine. "Boone knows where the thing called poetry lives, an ocelot among the waters, a sky-shaped Rain God that flares down upon us. He does this with a myriad of instruments, with human breath chiseling and burning through brass and string, reeds and skin and hands and resin." U.S. POET LAUREATE JUAN FELIPE HERRERA.