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"

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.

Amanda Ginsburg & Andy Fite

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.

Renowned drummer and Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Adonis Rose, releases his new ballads album 'For All We Know,' featuring his trio and vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, on Storyville Records. Gabrielle Cavassa (winner of the Sarah Vaughan competition in 2021) represents a new generation of wonderful and very talented vocalists who know the tradition. Behind her, she has the Adonis Rose Trio, two young and very talented musicians, pianist Ryan Hanseler who has also contributed with two original songs to the album, and one of the most exciting new bassists right now, Lex Warshawsky.

“Life has a way of taking us places we never thought we would return to,” AR reflects, tracing the journey that led him to this captivating project. With over three decades of musical prowess and a career steeped in collaborations with jazz legends, his artistic evolution has been nothing short of extraordinary. From his early days, sharing the stage with trumpeter Terence Blanchard to his tenure with Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts and more, Rose has cultivated a legacy of excellence.

Amidst his journey, an unfulfilled desire lingered – a yearning to create a standards record. AR found himself contemplating his musical legacy, recognizing that he had yet to craft a record primarily dedicated to the enduring classics.

“I’ve always wanted to do a standards record, but never made it a priority,” AR admits. “As the years went by, I found myself thinking about my body of work as a musician and artist. Realizing that I’ve never done a tribute album or a recording primarily playing standards.”

This recording is an embodiment of this sentiment – a soulful homage to the timeless classics that have shaped jazz history. This project marks a poignant departure from the norm, as AR and his trio take on a selection of standards with fresh arrangements and invigorating spirit. In the landscape of modern jazz, dedicated standards recordings are a rarity. Recognizing this void, AR embraces the challenge with 'For All We Know,' the first of several standards projects he envisions crafting in the foreseeable future. He ventures into this territory with a passion to pay homage to the classics.

'For All We Know' was initially intended to feature the iconic Ellis Marsalis, AR’s friend and mentor. Tragically, the project shifted course when Marsalis succumbed to COVID-19. This album now stands as a poignant dedication to the musical legend’s memory. Hanseler’s piano artistry, Warshawsky’s dynamic basslines, and Cavassa’s emotionally charged vocals meld seamlessly with AR’s drumming, creating a tapestry of sound that resonates with audiences across the globe.

AR recalls the genesis of the album, stating, “their love and generosity are felt with each note played…” The recording process was a joyous endeavor, with the trio recording in a relaxed and laid-back environment. A touch of New Orleans magic was added when vocalist Cyrille Aimée joined the sessions. The album radiates with the camaraderie and musicianship of the trio: Ryan Hanseler, Lex Warshawsky, and Gabrielle Cavassa. Their synergy is palpable, as they effortlessly breathe new life into each arrangement. The sessions captured the trio’s collaborative spirit, resulting in an intimate and engaging collection of tracks. Adonis Rose and his trio have delivered an album that not only pays homage to the rich legacy of jazz standards but also infuses them with new energy and passion

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! 

“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.

A young Swedish star and a veteran New York jazzman team up on a collection of new songs expressing hope, longing, sympathy, sensuality, impatience, fighting, bitter regret, secrecy and sweet romance. Singer Amanda Ginsburg, born and raised in Stockholm, has captured a wide audience since her album debut in 2018. That album won a Swedish Grammy the following year in the category Best Jazz Album. In 2020 she released her second album which again won for Best Jazz in 2021. She sings like an angel, with the tantalizing combination of innocence and wisdom that the word implies. Andy Fite came to Sweden from New York City in 1994. He is a highly regarded jazz guitarist, singer and songwriter with over 900 songs written and 56 albums released. The duo features sweet harmony, interplay, some wild improvising and a lot of humor.

Over the years, Danish Jazz singer, Cathrine Legardh and award-winning Icelandic alto saxophonist Sigurður Flosason have collaborated on musical compositions. This time, the outcome is a collection of 15 brand new Danish-language songs called Stilhed & Storm, with music composed by Flosason and words by Legardh. Legardh and Flosason have assembled a Ny Nordisk Kvintet (New Nordic Quintet) for this recording, which includes pianist Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir, double bassist Jesper Thorn and drummer Espen Laub von Lillienskjold. Legardh is Danish, but has both Norwegian and Swedish blood running through her veins, and Flosason is Icelandic out-and-out, set the groundwork for an album with a distinctly Nordic – somewhat inspired by Nordic folk music. The album explores themes like life and death, losing a loved one, faith in a higher power, the circle of life, motherhood, raising children, the daily grind and the love of animals.

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.