Eva Cortes - La Malinche - Truth Revolution Records
La Malinche is a record born from urgency. From ICE raids and systemic racism to abuse of power and erased histories, this album is Eva Cortés singing back—loudly, rhythmically, and without apology. She calls it “Protest meets Rhythm”: music as vindication, memory, and collective dance floor. The title references La Malinche, the Indigenous woman enslaved during the Spanish conquest who became translator, survivor, and mother of the first mestizo child recorded in colonial chronicles. Cortés reclaims her not as a traitor, but as a symbol of resilience, forced hybridity, and Indigenous endurance. From Ushuaia (Argentina) to Utqiagvik (Alaska), the album insists on a radical truth: despite borders, colonization, and attempts at erasure, the Indigenous peoples of the Americas are one continuum—alive, strong, and still reclaiming their destiny. Musically, La Malinche blends jazz with flamenco, Afro-Latin and Indigenous influences. The result is music that invites you to dance, think, and stand up at the same time. At its core, La Malinche isn’t about nostalgia or victimhood. It’s about joy as resistance, rhythm as survival, and music as a place where history, protest, and hope move together.
Lakecia Benjamin - We Dream - Artwork Records
We Dream is the new studio album by New York–based alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin. Conceived as a deeply band-driven project, her sixth album and Artwork Records debut centers on Benjamin’s frequent collaborators in pianists Oscar Pérez and Miki Hayama and bassist Elias Bailey — along with new associates in trumpeter Sean Jones, and drummer Jonathan Barber — alongside an expansive cast of guest collaborators drawn from across jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and experimental music. We Dream reflects what Benjamin describes as a shift in perspective — a response to the present moment and the world around her. “I started thinking about the idea of being a bright light in a dark space. Things feel really dark right now — everywhere — and we’re trying to be that light.” Rather than assembling guests for ornamentation, Benjamin approached the project as a collective statement, bringing together artists she admires for their capacity to evolve, innovate, and reshape musical language.
Thelonious Monk - Live In Paris,1967 vol 1 - Rhythm-A-ing
The Thelonious Monk Estate presents Monk Live In Paris, 1967, Volume One, a newly restored recording of one of the most elusive performances from Monk’s European tour. Captured at Salle Pleyel in 1967, this release documents Monk at the height of his creative powers, leading his classic quartet: Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales, and Ben Riley. Long circulated in unauthorized form, this performance is now officially released as part of a new archival series—reclaiming and preserving Monk’s legacy. A rare, expanded ensemble with Phil Woods, Jimmy Cleveland, Ray Copeland, and Johnny Griffin. A performance that unfolds—spontaneous, exploratory, alive in real time.
New Jazz Underground - Hoodies - Artwork Records
The jazz trio, especially the chordless jazz trio, has long been a genre staple, and has historically provided a vehicle for the boldest of musicians to venture forth and explore new territory. New Jazz Underground (“NJU”), a viral internet sensation of a trio comprising saxophonist/vocalist Abdias Armenteros, bassist Sebastian Rios, and drummer T.J. Reddick has been lauded for this very thing. Described by NPR Music as “classy and classic,” NJU are a group of musicians who “clearly know the jazz tradition but push at the corners of hard bop and hip-hop.” (NPR, 2024). Assembled during the COVID-19 pandemic to perform in open-air spaces as a way to cope and survive, the trio quickly became a powerhouse of three unified minds whose history-crossing sensibilities took the hearts and minds of their listeners, both in-person and across the internet, by storm. Now, after having performed, as the band poignantly states, “from the streets all the way to the stage of Newport Jazz Festival” in the span of only a few years, NJU releases “Hoodies” on May 29, an homage to brotherhood, culture, and identity.
Dave Penn - Next Step - CreativeTone
Next Step is an extraordinary new album from Bassist David Penn that exemplifies his continued trajectory in the jazz world as an artist and composer. The album is a follow-up to his debut album Back On Track which was well received and initiated his musical resurgence. David composed all but one of the songs on this album which musically captures his lifelong musical experience. His group, CreativeTone, consists of vocalist Raquel Lozano, saxophonist Fareed Mahluli, pianist Joel Stewart, and drummer Tracy Williams. The group clearly comes through as a cohesive unit that provides clarity and authenticity to the music that connects with the listener in a special way. The arrangements breathe with intention, allowing each instrument to occupy its own space while cleverly contributing to a cohesive whole. Raquel’s vocals on “Sunrise” and “You Are The One For Me” are icing on the cake to an album that provides the listener with a wonderful overall musical experience.
Eliane Elias - AO VIVO - Candid Records
Captured in its entirety during a singular night at the SFJAZZ Center’s Miner Auditorium, AO VIVO is an intimate and vibrant portrait of multi-GRAMMY® winner Eliane Elias in her element. Performing alongside her stellar quartet—guitarist Leandro Pellegrino, drummer Rafael Barata, and bassist Marc Johnson—Elias delivers a masterclass in the rich rhythmic spectrum of Brazil, from high-octane samba and bossa nova to baião and Afro-Brazilian grooves. The repertoire draws from Elias’s GRAMMY-winning and nominated discography featuring works by iconic composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ary Barroso, and Dorival Caymmi, the album also highlights Elias’s own evocative composition “At First Sight” and a piece by the celebrated Armando Manzanero. Elias continues to define the intersection of jazz brilliance and classical sophistication. AO VIVO captures the unmistakable elegance and exhilarating energy of a world-class artist sharing an authentic, high-level musical dialogue with a live audience.
Juan Carlos Quintero - The Story of Love - Moondo Music
Juan Carlos Quintero & the quartet return with a new collection of Latin Jazz classics that will charm loyal fans and rally new ones! Recorded in Los Angeles, veteran Latin Jazz guitarist Juan Carlos Quintero invited legendary artists Justo Almario (Colombia) and Luis Conte (Cuba) to join the band and enrich the sound for the new album, The Story of Love. The collaboration showcases an outstanding woodwind performance by Justo, exceptional percussion by Luis, and the ever-famous infectious guitar work & groove from JCQ & his renowned combo. Steeped in a profound reverence for the legends who came before, JCQ masterfully fuses the irresistible energy of Latin rhythms (Cha-Cha-Cha, Bolero, Mambo, Bossa Nova, & Danzón) with the timeless sophistication of Jazz.
Chick Corea - Forever Yours: Farwell Performance - Candid Records
Capturing 28-time GRAMMY-winner Chick Corea’s final performances before his passing, the album showcases a series of solo piano offerings at the peak of his virtuosity. With Corea’s death leaving an unfillable hole in the jazz landscape, the album stands as both a definitive document of the Chick Corea solo experience and a deeply affecting goodbye to the beloved Jazz master.
Ricardo Bacelar & Airto Moreira - Maracanos - Jasmin Music
Maracanós, an original project bringing together composer and percussionist Airto Moreira and pianist, composer, and producer Ricardo Bacelar. Essentially an instrumental album, with a bold aesthetic approach, Maracanós explores unconventional paths, combining acoustic instruments and synthesizers with a sonic architecture that balances improvisation, harmonic density, and timbral experimentation. Creativity and freedom guided the making of the album, according to Ricardo Bacelar, who also produced the Project: “I wanted to honor the freedom and experimentation that are so present in Airto and Flora Purim’s music, their own history. Maracanós also features the Kalimera String Quartet, from Rio de Janeiro, on two tracks, with arrangements by Liduíno Pitombeira, a member of the Brazilian Academy of Music. The result is a work that departs from predictable formats, exploring structural freedom and spontaneous interaction among the musicians.
Bobby Broom - Notes of Thanks - Steele Records
Notes of Thanks is a studio reunion of sorts for guitarist Bobby Broom’s working trio, who haven’t recorded a full album as a standalone unit since 2009’s Bobby Broom Plays for Monk. But more than that, Broom expresses gratitude to Sonny Rollins who he worked alongside for eleven years of his career saying, “I wanted to thank Sonny while he’s here.” It’s a rich and remarkable thank you. Broom continues to unfurl solos that have dubbed him as “one of the most musical guitarists of our times.” Carroll, and Watkins complete this “trio of undeniable chemistry,” offering up a few of Rollins’s best-known compositions (“Doxy,” “Alfie’s Theme,” and “Pent-Up House”), along with a handful of his eclectic, lesser-known tunes. With a clever nod to the saxophone trio pioneer, Notes of Thanks is an extraordinary homage to and by extraordinary musicians.