From country music to rhythm and blues, Robin McKelle has made an entire career exploring the rich vastness of American music. With Impressions of Ella, McKelle returns to her traditional jazz roots and finds herself right at home. McKelle wisely eschews Ella’s scatting and note-bending style in favor of thoughtful arrangements and keen musicianship that revivify these timeless standards.

“For me, “Impressions of Ella” feels like a homecoming of sorts. Like a family reunion after years of separation. A reconnection with the music that fueled my most formative musical years and it was Ella Fitzgerald that left quite an impression. I admired the effortless way she made herself a part of the band, even though she was the star. Her powerful voice and explosive scat to the most delicate tones had me hooked. I wanted to celebrate her and the style of her sound but in doing so, keeping my own individuality.

To help bring her concept to life, McKelle enlists a brand new trio of venerated jazz players: Kenny Washington on drums, bassist Peter Washington, and NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron on piano. “I wasn’t intimidated to make music with them, but [their] résumés were like, ‘Wow!’ [Am I] going to be good enough? Are we going to connect? The exciting thing was having the opportunity to sing over them as a trio; that was such a huge joy.” The bond between a vocalist and an accompanist is perhaps one of music’s most profound and extraordinary unions.

With Impressions of Ella, she doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel or limit her potential for creative expression. While it lauds our “First Lady of Song,” the album also marks an inevitable coming of age for McKelle’s career in jazz, as the fruits of her hard work and years of training finally ripen and bear fruit.

“Which album is that song on?” is a question I often get asked after a concert at signings. Since our set lists invariably include a mixture of old and new repertoire, the answer is sometimes, “it’s not on any album.” This album is therefore a collection of those songs. It’s a response to all those people who have said over the years, somewhat disappointed, “you haven’t recorded If You Go Away?” and so on. This is also the first time I’ve recorded a song twice on the same album. If You Go Away entered my repertoire in 2018 when Jim wrote an orchestral arrangement for a concert in Paris. I was also singing Jacques Brel’s original, Ne me quitte pas, from time to time. But whatever the language, someone would ask why I hadn’t sung it in the other. Some singers have responded by interpolating both languages into the same version. Since both sets of lyrics are beautiful on their own terms and are equally deserving of inclusion, I chose to record them both. So, whilst not exactly a requests album, Summer Me, Winter Me is a response to that informal and unscientific sounding, a representative selection of some of these “requests”. With love, SK.

Quality Time in NYC is a vocal jazz project by Erik Leuthauser, recorded in New York with esteemed collaborators such as Alan Broadbent, Ken Peplowski, Allen Farnham, Steve LaSpina, and Rich DeRosa. The album features 19 tracks, including standards, rare gems, and one bonus track with Erik's original German lyric to Miles Davis's "Little Willie Leaps"

Swedish vocalist Anna Pauline celebrates over two decades in jazz with her new album, Lucky To Be Me, out June 26 on Storyville Records. The album is a culmination of years of artistic exploration, mentorship, and collaborative discovery. It features standout performances, including a trumpet solo by jazz legend Randy Brecker on Pauline's original composition "Just One Song" and a duet with Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer on the title track. This 10-track recording includes one original composition and nine interpretations of jazz standards, cinematic favorites, and musical-theatre classics. The repertoire reflects Pauline's deep engagement with the Great American Songbook, the narrative richness of musical theatre, and the improvisational possibilities of jazz. Each track captures a moment of musical conversation and spontaneous discovery, anchored by Pauline's luminous voice and emotional depth. The project gained momentum in 2023, when Pauline met Siegel in Sweden through pianist Mattias Nilsson. Their first duet sparked a musical understanding that quickly evolved into mentorship and collaboration. Siegel later introduced Pauline to pianist, arranger, and producer John Di Martino, whose arrangements and artistic direction shape the album's sound. Di Martino assembled a group of top New York jazz musicians and crafted each arrangement to showcase both Pauline's voice and the ensemble's improvisational interplay. The sessions were recorded in New York with a strong emphasis on live interaction, allowing the music to unfold naturally. For Pauline, Lucky To Be Me realizes a long-held dream while marking a personal and musical turning point. Recording in New York, the birthplace of much of the music that inspired her, was both symbolic and deeply meaningful. Working closely with Di Martino, Pauline blended her Nordic sensibility with the rhythmic vitality and storytelling of American jazz. This creative dialogue has produced arrangements that honor the original material while highlighting her distinctive interpretive voice. This collaborative approach shapes the album's repertoire, which combines an original composition with reinterpretations of classics from jazz, film, and musical theatre. Tracks like Leonard Bernstein's "Lucky To Be Me" and Michel Legrand's "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg" showcase Pauline's capacity to inhabit each song fully, while Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" and Josef Myrow's "Autumn Nocturne" highlight her subtle phrasing and improvisational creativity. Collaborators including saxophonist Aaron Heick, trumpeter Freddie Hendricks, and percussionists Khalil Kwame Bell and Vince Cherico bring drive and textural richness to each performance. Recorded at Trading 8s Recording Studio in New Jersey, with duets tracked in Sweden and mixed and mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studio in New York City, the album unites two musical worlds: a Nordic jazz voice in dialogue with American tradition, enriched by mentorship and musical lineage. Lucky To Be Me is a celebration of connection, creativity, and the joy of jazz storytelling, bringing together musicians, traditions, and generations in a shared musical journey.

Amanda Ginsburg & Andy Fite

The Sisters of Jazz release their self-titled debut album on legendary Storyville Records on September 15, 2023. Sisters of Jazz is a dynamic all-female ensemble consisting of bandleader and renowned vocalist Anna Pauline, Danish Music Award-nominee saxophonist Pernille Bévort, accomplished trombonist Lis Wessberg, virtuosic pianist Catrine Ullerup Frølund, versatile bassist Ida Hvid and Ben Webster Prize winner, drummer Benita Haastrup.

The project began in 2014, when jazz singer, composer and lyricist Anna Pauline, as a bandleader, was commissioned to put together a band consisting solely of female musicians for a concert during International Women’s Day. The concert, which was a great success, led to the formation of the current Sisters of Jazz. This debut album consists of 13 tracks, one of them sung in Danish and another in Swedish. On this recording, they embark on a musical journey that celebrates and pays tribute to the contributions of oft-forgotten female jazz composers and musicians like Nancy Hamilton, Ann Ronell, Marian McPartland and Mary Lou Williams – just to name a few!

Many of these female musicians are incredibly important stylists in jazz, who in turn paved the way for others and have been mentors to several of the jazz icons considered role models of jazz, :Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Coltrane and many others. Sisters of Jazz brings together six remarkable women, who share an unwavering passion for jazz music. Individually, they have won accolades and garnered attention for their exceptional talents, but it is their collective energy that truly sets them apart. Their unique blend of musical prowess and unwavering dedication to highlighting the hidden ladies of jazz, who may not have received the proper limelight during their lifetime, is quite frankly inspiring.

Beyond paying homage to the underappreciated female jazz legends, Sisters of Jazz aim to contribute to the evolution of jazz music in the modern era. With their collective musicianship and individual voices, Pauline, Bévort, Wessberg, Frølund, Hvid and Haastrup are breaking barriers and redefining what it means to be women in jazz. Their performance on this album is characterized by fearless exploration, pushing the boundaries of convention, and embracing the freedom of expression that jazz offers. Through their interpretations of the works of the composers covered on this project, the ensemble showcases their profound respect for jazz history while bringing a fresh perspective to their compositions.

Sisters of Jazz’s commitment to celebrating the female jazz composers and their inspiring approach to jazz has garnered the attention of critics and audiences alike. By paying their respect to the past and shaping the future for women in jazz, Sisters of Jazz aim to leave an indelible mark on the jazz landscape! 

A Timeless Form, Reimagined for Today With Ya Man Itha, Lebanese singer Rima Khcheich brings to life an album she has carried in her heart for decades. It is a deeply personal tribute to the late Egyptian composer Fouad Abdel Majeed, whose music shaped her artistic voice from an early age. In this recording, Rima revisits ten of Abdel Majeed's Muwashahat-classical Arabic vocal compositions often set to poetry and marked by intricate rhythms and modes-and places them in dialogue with the colors and sensibilities of French chanson. At first glance, chanson may seem far removed from the Arabic Muwashah, yet both traditions share a deep commitment to poetic expression, lyrical nuance, and the marriage of words and harmony. This cross-cultural resonance became the spark for the ensemble's refined arrangements, created by Maarten Ornstein, Tony Overwater, and Juan Rodriguez.

With It's All About Love, seasoned jazz vocalist Donna Byrne makes a radiant return to Challenge Records, delivering her ninth studio album and reaffirming her place among the great interpreters of song. Spanning a rich career of nearly four decades, Byrne remains true to her roots, offering a heartfelt collection that honors the traditions of jazz while showcasing her timeless artistry. This 16-track album brings together a thoughtfully curated blend of jazz standards, bossa novas, blues, and contemporary gems.�Each performance reveals Byrne's effortless storytelling, exquisite phrasing, and unerring sense of swing.

It's Never Over is a collaborative project featuring British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Ola Onabul�, whose extensive career includes work with major European big bands and critical acclaim for his vocal range and songwriting. The album is recorded with the Hazelrigg Brothers, recognized for their chamber jazz arrangements and technical expertise, and includes seven original compositions by Onabul� alongside a cover of Prince's "Condition of the Heart." The repertoire blends elements of jazz, soul, world music, and pop. The release aligns with Aliud Records' focus on immersive, unembellished audio production and supports cross-genre market reach. It is supported by an official launch concert at the Sendesaal in Bremen, with further tour dates planned. The album's artist lineup and label reputation provide an opportunity for positioning within both the jazz and broader contemporary music markets.

Polyphony, contrast, expression - these timeless Baroque qualities find new life in Klara Cloud's latest work with The Vultures. This album unfolds as a deeply human journey through emotion, memory, and rebirth - a musical tale spanning from the first spark of life to the quiet afterglow of death. Each track opens a new chapter of introspection and feeling, the serene melancholy of Peony blossoms beside the flowing energy of Waterfalls, Se Tu Me Dimentihi brings Pablo Neruda's poetry to life, while Funeral transforms loss into light - a meditation on the kind of silence that already knows the way forward, at it's heart shines Stephanie - a symbol of endurance and wonder - framed in a soundscape as vivid and intricate as a Baroque painting. With contributions from an ensemble of masterful musicians - Mateusz Smoczynski (violin), Mateusz Gaweda (piano), Adam Tadel (double bass), Piotr Budniak (drums), and guest violinist Bartosz Dworak - Cloud's vision achieves both intimacy and grandeur. Produced by Klara Cloud and recorded in Poland's Sound & Wave Studio, this record captures the essence of transformation: fragile yet fearless, lyrical yet raw. Dedicated to her children, Stefania and Julian, the album stands as both a personal diary and a universal reflection - an echo of beauty born out of silence.

Here We Are finds acclaimed jazz vocalist Lori Williams at the heart of a soulful, cross-continental collaboration with top-tier European jazz artists. Born out of friendships from the Poysdorf Summer Jazz Workshop, the album blends original songs and timeless standards with Brazilian grooves, romantic ballads, and classic swing. Williams' warm, expressive voice shines across each track whether delivering heartfelt lyrics or improvising with grace and nuance. Backed by a band that listens and responds as one, Here We Are is a celebration of connection, creativity, and the joy of making music together.