2018 release. The Painted Lady Butterfly is a remarkable and mysterious little creature. It's flamboyant coloration and wing ornamentation makes it one of the world's most beautiful insects. But, it is it's incredible migration, which spans over 9,000 miles and six generations, that makes it so intriguing. The journey of these miniscule travelers inspired trumpeter/composer Michael Leonhart to write and record his Painted Lady Suite for the Michael Leonhart Orchestra (MLO).

2018 release. During the brutal cold, Mooney and Omura met in New York City to record with a small ensemble. It was a warm, reunion-like atmosphere in the studio, as Mooney had long friendships with all involved. But apart from pianist Glenn Zaleski, it was the first time Omura had met the assembled cast, which included John Ellis, bassist Matt Clohesy and engineer Michael Perez-Cisneros. Penman's compositions are meant to stimulate the ensemble into reactions and conversations within their framework. The pieces either present musical puzzles or are think pieces for reflection on topics, mainly natural or political. The ensemble handled the task with aplomb over three days of recording at Brooklyn Recording during the spring and summer of 2017.

Paris is a city that has been immortalized in arts of all mediums. From poetry to painting and song to shutter, the City of Light remains one of the most romanticized and beloved cultural centers of the world. Dominique Cravic and friends have put together the recording Paris Cinema, a tribute to Paris's forays into classic French film and film music from the 1930s to the 1970s. // Cravic has established himself as an expert in the field of French popular music from the early 20th century, including chanson and musette. As the leader of the fabulous ensemble, Les Primitifs Du Future, he has developed long relationships with other connoisseurs in the field, including accordionist Daniel Colin and vocalist Claire Elzi�re.

2018 release. Judy Niemack's experiences, and friendships created in New York have shaped her career and life. One of the most important friendships turned out to be that of the great pianist, composer and arranger Jim McNeely. Niemack's new recording with McNeely, New York Stories, shows the depth of their musical and personal affinity as they present pieces they arranged together over the years, and, finally, have recorded together, along with the Danish Radio Big Band.

2018 release by the jazz pianist. "By 2009, Buster Williams, Matt Wilson, and I had been performing as a trio for eight years, and this recording of a night at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola captures some of our best music-full of surprise, exploration, confidence, excitement, nuance, and empathy. The program has some of my favorite originals and standards. I had recorded all of them previously; they have always provided a special springboard into improvisation." - Denny Zeitlin.

2018 release. Bassist/composer Matt Penman has spent much of the past decade developing and presenting music for the illustrious SFJazz Collective and the fantastic James Farm collective. That had left a gap between solo recordings that he felt it was time to abate. The result of his efforts are presented here on Good Question, a poignant recording of pieces meant to challenge, engage and entertain both it's listeners and the musicians involved in it's creation. Originally from New Zealand, Penman, since his arrival in 1995, has been an essential voice in the musical landscape of New York. His experience in the States has provided him with both inspiration and exasperation. He has chosen to address his feelings as a part of his new music:

2018 release. It's almost trite to mention the indelible mark that saxophonist Charlie Parker left on the world of culture at large, and more specifically with the practitioners of jazz, the music that he redefined. In the years since his death, his music has been covered incessantly, which in many ways, has robbed the music of it's essential vitality. One solution to this ubiquitous problem lies in the stunning invention of the NYC based quartet Walking Distance and their second album, Freebird, which features the resplendent piano playing of Jason Moran on a number of tracks.

2018 release. Pianist-composer Edward Simon presents the album Sorrows and Triumphs, featuring Afinidad, his quartet with alto saxophonist David Binney, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade. The richly textured Sorrows and Triumphs is also colored by very special guests: vocalist Gretchen Parlato, guitarist Adam Rogers and chamber quintet Imani Winds.

2018 release. Our light shines brightest in the darkness and things in life don't always turn out the way that we have planned. It is with these maxims in mind that the brilliant pianist and composer Shamie Royston presents her new recording, Beautiful Liar. Her second release is a testament to perseverance and the proposition that learning from mistakes will help in the pursuit of goals and subsequent triumphs.

2018 release. Having just completed a solo acoustic guitar record (Alleviation), Mikkel Ploug very much had a sound in his head for a meeting of his vintage Gibson Banner acoustic guitar and Mark Turner's saxophone sound (though he plays electric on half of the record), and he wrote a number of pieces while playing the guitar and singing what would become Turner's parts. Each piece was written or adapted to Turner's strengths and this becomes evident as the distinction between written and improvised music becomes blurred.

2018 live release. The recording Chano & Colina was culled from the duo's live performance at Sala de Camara del Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid on January 19, 2017. The performance captures the musicians' incredible musical breadth and skill, not to mention their fascinating rapport as musicians and friends.

2018 release. Duduka Da Fonseca Trio Plays Dom Salvador was born from the leader's love of Salvador and his music and Fonseca's effort to make a proper tribute to his friend and mentor. The featured trio was born of a 2000 meeting with pianist David Feldman, who was studying then at the New School in New York, and with whom Fonseca recorded with later in 2009 in Brazil, where he also met the trio's bassist, Guto Wirtti.

2018 release. When Caroline Davis found out that her father had heart arrhythmia the news prompted her to do detailed research on the physical aspects of the human heart. It was with all of this in mind that Davis decided to compose pieces relating to the heart, whether it was an emotional connotation or the utilization of rhythms derived from heartbeats. Composing really helped to get her through much of her emotional transition. Heart Tonic finds Davis employing more standard jazz elements than much of her previous work, including formal harmonic changes and shifting meters.

2018 release. "This recording captures the sound of three friends and their instruments, relating, reacting, breathing, listening, and playing. Our first album from this recording, Recurring Dream (Sunnyside 1431), released in April 2017, features compositions. While I love playing compositions with Art and Steve, it is equally amazing to improvise with them. My first introduction to Steve's playing was in the chamber music - like improvisations of his trio with Jimmy Giuffre and Paul Bley; the first time I played with Art we were improvising dance music at a wedding! At the beginning of this particular session Art suggested that we start with nothing. So after we set up, without a word, we improvised for an hour. This led to a lovely afternoon of mostly first takes, captured beautifully by Systems Two's Mike Marciano. I hope you enjoy this music as much as I enjoyed making it." - Mike McGinnis. This album should be thought of as a trio in a sense between Sanchez, the scope of Mendoza's arranging and the WDR Big Band. Vince Mendoza for decades has been one of the most in demand arrangers and composers whose stylistic brush is incredibly wide from pop to jazz.

2018 release. Upon receiving a commissioning and residency grant from The Jazz Gallery of New York City, Fili� was able to compose his Quarteria. His goal was to create a suite of music that involved an eclectic range of musical styles performed by a diverse group of musicians. In composing, Fili� utilized a number of methods, including writing by transcribing piano improvisations, playing his saxophone, singing the melody or even without the influence of an instrument, putting his thoughts straight to paper. Through the entire process, Fili� made sure that the pieces served improvisation.