Nicole Zuraitis - The Devil I Knew - NicoleZMusic
The Devil I Knew is the seventh album from 2X Grammy-winning vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Nicole Zuraitis — a cinematic, five-part concept album exploring self-reckoning, accountability, and emotional agency through the lens of a collapsing love story. Blending jazz virtuosity with literary inspiration and deeply personal songwriting, the album unfolds across five thematic movements — The Mirror, The Martyr, The Malediction, The Reckoning, and The Requiem — each connected through poetry by iconic female writers including Dorothy Parker, Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Francis Ellen Watkins Harper. The album positions Zuraitis within a burgeoning New Romanticism in jazz — music that is lush, literary, emotionally expansive, and unapologetically human in an age that keeps asking us to be smaller, quieter, and easier to process.
The Paul Carlon Trio - Between Us Three - TRR Collective
Triple threat saxophonist/composer/arranger Paul Carlon’s second trio release highlights the intensely intimate conversation between three virtuosic musicians speaking the language of Jazz and Afro-Caribbean music traditions. Featured on congas and percussion is Grammy-nominee Chembo Corniel, and on bass, the masterful Alex “Apolo” Ayala. Both bandleaders in their own right, Corniel and Ayala bring deep knowledge, feel, and passion to the music, as well as the desire to amplify their instruments’ respective roles. Carlon’s absorption of the Jazz tenor tradition is on full display through his horn’s deep and soulful tone, his rhythmic adventurousness, and his willingness to expand on the Sonny Rollins-inspired tenor trio. Highlights include the driving original cha-cha “Papasito Rides Again”, the epic reimagining of Woody Shaw’s “Katrina Ballerina” over a Cuban Abakua rhythm, and Carlon’s tribute to his late sister Meg, the danzón “Baile M”.
Gabriel Mark Hasselbach - Mid Century Modern Vol 4 - Windtunnel Records
MidCentury Modern Vol. 4 is a 20-track powerhouse — the culmination of a lifelong journey to leave the unmistakable mark of a highly decorated professional player on the tracks he loves most. Gabriel Mark Hasselbach honed his sound on the legendary recordings of the Blue Note and CTI eras, crafting a heartfelt homage to major influences like Blue Mitchell, Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis, while also shining a light on underrated masters such as Carmell Jones and Joe Gordon. Impossible to categorize, the trumpeter, flutist, flugelhorn and valve trombone player — who also lends his voice as a singer — channels the hard swinging, groove-driven spirit of jazz from the ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s with authenticity and style. There are 5 bonus tracks (16-20) online at all DSPs that did not fit on the physical CD.
Michael Eckroth Minas Messengers - New Paths - TRR Collective
Truth Revolution Recording Collective is proud to announce the June 19 release of New Paths, the latest album from pianist and composer Michael Eckroth and his Minas Messengers. Recorded in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the album is the product of a Fulbright Scholar residency and draws on the folkloric Congado traditions of Minas Gerais, finding the intersection of these cultural forms with jazz improvisation, Brazilian popular music, and Eckroth’s personal compositional voice. The album features longtime collaborators and new musical connections, including bassist and co-producer Eneias Xavier, guitarist Magno Alexandre, drummer Cyrano Almeida, percussionist Talles Bibiano, and special guest, Minas guitar legend Toninho Horta.
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra - Ellington Masterworks - MCG Jazz
The variety that characterized the abundant composition legacy of Duke Ellington is masterfully captured on this eight-selection program that is bookended by two compositions from 1940, “The Flaming Sword,” a Latin swing tune and “Jack the Bear,” most noted for the bass work of the legendary Jimmy Blanton on the original recording. In between are a couple of stand-alone numbers, “Tattooed Bride” and “Shepherd.” There are two pieces inspired by the world-wide travels of the Ellington band, “Ad Lib on Nipon” that grew out of a 1964 tour in Japan, and “Oclupaca,” part of the Latin American Suite. The other selection came from Such Sweet Thunder, the suite that was inspired by the works of Shakespeare, the selection here being “Madness in the Great Ones,” a take on the story of Hamlet. The informative liner notes by Thomas Cunniffe provide wonderful background and analysis of each selection. The execution by the band of these demanding charts is exactly what the material demands.
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.
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.
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.