There are no written rules for NEA Jazz Masters. Clearly, they have earned the right to undertake their long-dreamed-of projects. Or to buck the music establishment with something unexpected. Or to fulfill a “bucket list” item. George Coleman with Strings (High Note, 2025), unequivocally the most gorgeous album of the tenor saxophonist’s storied career, meets […]
Despite its jagged start, listen to Cantica Profana – The Béla Bartók Field Recordings (Sunnyside, 2025) its whole way through as it evolves into gorgeously flowing music. On the album- those who purchase the two LP set will also receive The Athenaeum Concert (Sunnyside, 2025) by the same artists – pianist Lucian Ban, violist Mat […]
Fresh off their appearance at the Big Ears Festival, which this author unfortunately missed, the trio Fieldwork return with their first album in almost two decades, Thereupon (Pi, 2025). You will likely not find three more decorated individuals in any trio than those in this band: Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, and Tyshawn Sorey. Pianist Iyer […]
Caelan Cardello is breaking out. As part of vocalist Tyreek McDole’s backing quartet at this summer’s Newport Jazz Festival, the pianist-composer impressed the audience with his comfort with hard swinging numbers and his duetting with McDole on the standard “Lush Life.” Few in attendance knew Cardello’s forthcoming debut, Chapter One (Jazz Bird, 2025), would arrive […]
Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at the Village Vanguard (Miel Music, 2025) is alto saxophonist-composer Miguel Zenón’s first live album with his quartet and eighteenth overall. Its eight tracks were recorded over two nights in September 2024 at the hallowed jazz shrine in Greenwich Village. Zenon employs his longstanding quartet of pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, […]
Strap yourself in for an exhilarating ride. Trombonist and composer Jacob Carchik’s Ye Olde 2: At the End of Time (Yestereve, 2025) is the follow-up to the first Ye Olde (Yestereve, 2015) from a decade earlier. The older album imagined a band of heroes journeying through an imaginary medieval Brooklyn. For the second voyage, many […]
The comparison of a familiar hell to a strange heaven drives Australian-born bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh’s thinking for her trio album Strange Heavens (Biophilia, 2025). It is far too easy to be lulled by society into complacency and benign acceptance of social and political conditions. Strange Heavens stands opposed to this status […]
The well-decorated Cuban-born, Brooklyn-based pianist Aruán Ortiz has developed his reputation in the avant-garde or free jazz world. Typically, when thinking of a free jazz pianist, Cecil Taylor, or more recently, Matthew Shipp, comes to most people’s minds. Ortiz only barely resembles either, rarely taking free-form rollicking excursions on this album. He is far more […]
Tenorist Eric Alexander and altoist Vincent Herring celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their first saxophone ‘battle’ on Split Decision (SMOKE Sessions, 2025), recorded live at NYC’s SMOKE Jazz Club. This is the third time on record that the two giants have sparred, with each session growing a little friendlier since 2005’s The Battle (Highnote, 2005). […]
It has been quite some time since we heard from second generation AACM members Adegoke “Ade” Steve Colson and Iqua Colson, but GLOW: Music for Trio … Add Voice (Silver Sphinx, 2025) sums up their artistry well: protest pieces, spirituality, and pure jazz that is more accessible than you might think. The couple has been […]
