Tyreek McDole - Open Up Your Senses - Artwork Records
Rising jazz vocalist Tyreek McDole will release his much-anticipated debut album, Open Up Your Senses, on June 6 via Artwork Records. A rich baritone with a deep connection to the jazz tradition, McDole makes a bold and enthralling statement on this rich debut, establishing him as one of the most compelling young jazz vocalists of his generation. At just 25 years old, the Haitian-American, New York-based baritone has already earned significant acclaim, including winning the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2023 — one of only two male vocalists to achieve this honor in the competition’s 12-year history. Jazz scholar Will Friedwald, who also contributes liner notes to the project, referred to McDole as “the leading jazz voice of his generation” and acclaimed DJ Gilles Peterson said “it is refreshing to hear a new voice that is so clearly connected to the tradition but also pushing it forward with such strong energy. This is a brilliant opening statement from someone I reckon will be around for some time.” Open Up Your Senses is a bold statement from a young artist who masterfully blends tradition with innovation. Featuring standout performances by pianist and arranger Caelan Cardello and saxophonist Dylan Band, McDole’s debut evokes the legacy of jazz greats while forging his own distinctive path.
Antonia Bennett - Expressions - Independent
Expressions is a deeply personal project where I had the chance to tell my story—both through original songs inspired by my own life and through interpretations of pieces from the Great American Songbook and beyond. Many of the songs were born from experiences I was navigating for the first time: becoming a mother, learning how to balance family and career, and discovering new emotions along the way. I had the great pleasure of collaborating with Christian Jacob, who arranged the entire album. His vision and sensitivity helped shape each song, and together we created something that feels honest and heartfelt. The core band—Christian Jacob on piano, Kevin Axt on bass, Kendell Kay on drums, and Larry Koonse on guitar—are all extraordinary musicians. Their artistry brought subtle nuance to every note. We were also fortunate to feature some incredible special guests. On trumpet Randy Brecker added his signature sound, and Dave Thomas of Take 6 lent his unique vocal stylings to the background vocals on “Wherever You Go,”. This record is a reflection of where I am in life and the stories I’m ready to share.
Mark Masters Ensemble ft. Billy Harper - Dance, Eternal Spirits, Dance! - Capri Records
On a pair of thrilling new albums for longtime label home Capri Records, acclaimed arranger and bandleader Mark Masters works his re-compositional magic on the work of two masters of the tenor saxophone, both very different but equally brilliant composers. With Sam Rivers 100, Masters honors the 2023 centenary of avant-garde jazz pioneer Sam Rivers, while on Dance, Eternal Spirits, Dance! he explores the wide-ranging compositions of spiritual jazz legend Billy Harper. Both albums, to be released in June 2025, feature ingenious new arrangements for different configurations of the Mark Masters Ensemble, and are graced by the breathtaking solo work of Billy Harper. “Billy Harper is a longtime hero of mine,” says Masters, who first invited the tenor great to guest on his 1990 album Priestess, which also featured trombonist and Charles Mingus sideman Jimmy Knepper. “Billy is a very gifted composer whose music is singular, and I also love his playing.”
Greg Murphy - Snap Happy – Whaling City Sound
Snap Happy, pianist Greg Murphy’s eighth album as leader, abounds with infectious rhythms and jubilant melodies. This recording showcases a unique blend of technical prowess and musicality across a wide variety of jazz styles, from the finger-popping original Snap Happy and Chick Corea’s Humpty Dumpty, to the luscious ballad I Fall in Love Too Easily. Bassist Obasi Akoto and drummer Steve Johns complete what is arguably one of today’s nest jazz piano trios. Mark Whitfield adds his signature warm soulful guitar to the title tune Snap Happy, George Duke’s Geneva (augmented by vocalist Sy Smith) and Lenny White’s The Shadow of Lo. Snap Happy concludes with brilliant fresh takes on a couple of Monk tunes (Pannonica as a bossa nova and Monk’s Mood as a jazz waltz) and the blazing up-tempo version of the jazz standard All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm. With uplifting tunes performed by some of today’s best musicians, Snap Happy exudes happiness, achieving Greg’s objective “… to make people happy.”
Elijah Rock - Memories Unleashed - Impulse 1 - The Elijah Rock Foundation Inc
Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1 features Elijah Rock performing nine beloved standards from the Great American Songbook, with arrangements provided by Rayford Griffin and Todd Hunter. Their arrangements for the project are fresh, swing, and wrap the music around Elijah Rock’s voice. In his busy and productive career, Elijah Rock has accomplished a great deal as a singer, an actor, and an entertainer, including recording three well-received albums. But Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1 is a particularly special project. “My Dad is living with Alzheimer’s disease so I was on a mission to see how my artistic work could help,” he explains. In addition to being a performer, Elijah Rock is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health from the Global Brain Health Institute at the University of California, San Francisco. “These are songs that Dad grew up with and they bring back memories. It is about treasured moments and reflects the emotional and neurological impact of music.” All of the proceeds from the sale of Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1, which is dedicated to his father and all of the families affected by Alzheimer’s and related diseases, will go towards brain health advocacy.
Lucía - Lucía - La Reserve
Three years ago, 23-year-old singer Lucía was a finalist at the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition – and the first Mexican artist to enter the contest. For the final round, she picked a standard that reflected her musical sensibility, colored in equal parts by the beauty of jazz and the Latin American songbook – a mash-up of “What a Difference a Day Makes” with its initial incarnation as a bolero in Spanish written in Spanish by María Grever. Lucía won the competition. “What a Difference a Day Makes” is now the opening cut of the self-titled Lucía, an exquisite debut album that showcases the luminous qualities of her voice, and her superb technique and versatility. From her velvety reading of McCoy Tyner and Sammy Cahn’s “You Taught My Heart To Sing” and an achingly vulnerable cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Lacy” to a mournful “Alfonsina y el Mar” and a version of “Veracruz” that brims with Lucía’s Mexican pride, the Matt Pierson-produced album finds the emerging singer surrounded by a cadre of jazz virtuosos: Venezuelan pianist Edward Simon, American double-bassist Larry Grenadier, Mexican drummer Antonio Sánchez, and Puerto Rican saxophonist David Sánchez.