New Jazz Releases – 01/12/2026
By Russell Perry
Anat Cohen
We are off to a good start in the new year. Dave Stryker has released one of his best. Rick Roe brings us another solid set of Gregg Hill compositions. An Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers live set has been discovered from the 1982 band with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, Jr. We’ve caught up on several releases from Anzic Records that hadn’t made their way to us until now, notably releases from Anat Cohen, the 3 Cohens and Joel Frahm.
Carolyn Trowbridge – Found Memories (Self Produced, release 01/09/2026). Carolyn Trowbridge – vibraphone / percussion, Bryan Sunderman – guitar, Mario Castellanos – bass, Nick Tozzo – drums / percussion with Jason Frey – tenor saxophone, Alex Coke – flute, Elaine Barber – harp, Caitlin Palmer – vocals.
Austin vibraphonist Carolyn Trowbridge comes to this release with a lot of pop music in her background. There is a decided tinge of vintage exotica to the release from the blending of vibes, flute, guitar and harp – with the flute of Alex Coke prominently featured.
Review: Paris Move, JW Vibe
Dave Stryker – Blue Fire (Strikezone, release 01/09/2026). Dave Stryker – guitar, Jared Gold – organ, McClenty Hunter – drums.
Guitarist Dave Stryker alternates between organ – guitar – drums sessions and sets with big bands or sizable string sections as he releases a steady stream of annual recordings. I tend to more appreciate the trio sessions and this time he has settled into the storied Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs to record one of his best. The original compositions are bluesy, boppy and comfortable while the covers add depth to familiar works without being flashy. The setting and the familiar company has brought out the best in a fine soul jazz performer. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, Making A Scene, AllAboutJazz
Luke Maratz & Simon Jermyn – Echoes (Chilltone Records, release 01/09/2026. Luke Marantz – piano / synthesizers / Rhodes, Simon Jermyn – electric guitar / electric bass, Josh Dion – drums.
Berlin-based, Dublin-native guitarist Simon Jermyn and Brooklyn-based pianist Luke Maratz have recorded an asynchronous duo collaboration that seems to have involved music passing back and forth pan-continentally with increasing layers of sound and complexity. It’s awash in textural depth.
Review: Paris Move, Jazz Chill
Kris Davis & Lutoslawski Quartet – The Solastalgia Suite (Pyroclastic Records, release 01/09/2026). Kris Davis – piano, Roksana Kwasnikowska – violin, Marcin Markowicz – violin, Artur Rozmyslowicz – viola, Maciej Mlodawski – cello.
Grammy-winning pianist / composer Kris Davis, this time in the company of an adventurous string quartet has delivered a suite of turbulent and challenging music. In 2023, the Lutoslawski Quartet released a set with James Brandon Lewis (These Are Soulful Days) that I liked a lot. These folks have something unique to offer on the avant-garde side of things.
Review: The Hippo, Paris Move
Glenn Makos & Bru – Arrowsic (Stop Time Records, release 01/02/2026). Glenn Makos – trumpet, Craig Yaremko – soprano saxophone / alto saxophone, Victo Lin – Fender Rhodes, Sebastian de Urquiza – electric bass, Daniel Silva – drums.
New York trumpeter Glenn Makos and his trumpet – sax – keys – bass – drums quintet is full of players who are new to me. The program is ten solid original hard bop pieces from the leader.
Chris Fagen – Fortune Telling (Pony Boy Records, release 12/01/2025). Chris Fagen – tenor saxophone / clarinet, David Rosenblatt – guitar, Matias Correa – bass, Joao di Sabbato – drums / percussion.
Seattle-based tenor and clarinet player Chris Fagen decamped to Rio to join a pair of local musicians in recording a bossa nova / samba-inflected set of very groovy originals.
Rick Roe – Wake Up Call (Cold Plunge Records, release 11/24/2025). Marcus Elliot – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Rick Roe – piano, Robert Hurst – bass, Nate Winn – drums.
As we have seen over the past several years, there have been a rush of releases featuring the work of Michigan composer Gregg Hill including Rick Roe’s Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill (previewed 01/13/2025). This release is one of the better ones. Pianist Rick Roe’s Detroit-based saxophone – piano – bass – drums quartet struts and dances through this set of ten Hill compositions, four of which have been included among the fifteen or so other recent recordings of Hill’s music by other artists, Highly recommended.
Review: The Jazz Word, Paris Move, Making A Scene
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – Strasbourg 82 (Gearbox Records, release 10/25/2025). Terence Blanchard – trumpet, Donald Harrison, Jr – alto saxophone, Billy Pierce – tenor saxophone, Johnny O’Neal – piano, Charles Fambrough – bass, Art Blakey – drums.
The Jazz Messengers had a tough time during the 70s, as did many acoustic jazz outfits, then came a resurgence with two years (80 – 82) of the Marsalis Brothers in the band. Drummer Art Blakey had a preternatural ability to discover and mentor new jazz talent and this next edition of the Jazz Messengers is no exception, featuring 20-year-old Terence Blanchard on trumpet and 25-year-old Donald Harrison Jr on alto, both also of New Orleans. This unit, with these two future stars, would make only two studio albums and two live releases during a three year stretch, so this adds hugely to our understanding of these players at the beginning of their tenure with Blakey. The set is burning and important for more than just its historical place in the discography. Highly recommended.
Review: Glide Magazine, Musoscribe
Anat Cohen / Quartinho – Bloom (Anzic Records, release 09/27/2025). Anat Cohen – clarinet, Vitor Goncalves – piano / accordion, Tal Mashiach – bass / guitar, James Shipp – vibraphone / marimba / percussion.
Clarinet maestro Anat Cohen brings back her quartet, once again punching above their weight with Vitor Goncalves doubling on piano and accordion, Tal Mashiach doubling of bass and guitar and James Shipp tripling (is there such a word?) on vibes, marimba and percussion. We expect a dose of Brazilian folk inspiration from Cohen and here we also get some Spanish flamenco and Argentine tango. Everyone in the band contributes compositions and the playing is exceptional. Highly recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Jazz Weekly, The Absolute Sound
3 Cohens / WDR Big Band – Interaction (Anzic Records, release 03/14/2025). Avishai Cohen – trumpet, Yuval Cohen – soprano saxophone, Anat Cohen – clarinet, WDR Big Band with Oded Lev-Ari – conductor.
Over the past 22 years, the three Cohen siblings have taken time off from their individual pursuits a handful of times to make music together. The latest is a set with the German WDR Big Band (host to Marshall Wilkes, Ron Carter, Bob Mintzer, Dave Stryker and many others). While most of the set is lively and sporting intense interaction among the headliners, trumpeter Avishai Cohen (Ashes To Gold, previewed 11/18/2024) brings out his trademark minimalism on one selection, but shows considerable fire elsewhere. The three play acapella on Gerry Mulligan’s Festival Minor, a highlight. Recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Jazz Journal
GTO Trio – Within (Anzic Records, release 01/20/2025). Gadi Lehavi – piano, Tal Mashiach – bass, Ofri Nehemya – drums.
GTO is a well-integrated piano trio collective with no clear leader. Each player contributes compositions in this sparkling debut.
Review: Jazz Weekly
Joel Frahm Trio – Lumination(Anzic Records, release 10/24/2024). Joel Frahm – tenor saxophone, Dan Loomis – bass, Ernesto Cervini – drums.
What a sweet tone tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm has! Sounding great in a trio with bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ernesto Cervini, Frahm tackles compositions at all tempos, alternately subtle and commanding, nailing them all. This is a follow up to The Bright Side (2019) with the same trio. The set of 10 tunes are all composed by a member of the trio. Highly recommended.
Review: UK Jazz News, Paris Move, The Whole Note
Stay warm.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
