New Jazz Releases – 01/26/2026
By Russell Perry
Joe Fonda
With the snow came a slew of new recordings. Julian Lage is back with a guitar – organ quartet and pianist Craig Taborn with an all-star trio. Joe Magnarelli brings us a brass-forward quintet with a hard bop vibe and bassist Joe Fonda has recorded a quartet with a bassoon – clarinet / flute front line. Check it out.
John Ellis & Double Wide – Fireball (Sunnyside, release 01/23/2026). Matt Perrine – sousaphone, Alan Ferber – trombone, John Ellis – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone / clarinet / bass clarinet, Gary Versace – piano / organ / accordion / Fender Rhodes / Wurlitzer, Jason Marsalis – drums / whistling with Rogerio Boccato – percussion.
New York saxophonist John Ellis formed Double Wide in 2007 initially as a vehicle for sousaphonist Matt Perrine (Timo Lassy, Bonerama) and with an ear toward New Orleans. With drummer Jason Marsalis (Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet Live, 2020) completing the NOLA contingent and New York-based organist Gary Versace (Dara Starr Tucker, Ed Neumeister, Joel Harrison) in the mix, the band recorded first as a quartet. For some years now, the band has been expanded to include trombonist Alan Ferber (Todd Markus, Miguel Zenon) for a unique sound.
Angelika Niescier – Chicago Tapes (intact Records, release 01/23/2026). Angelika Niescier – alto saxophone, Dave Rempis – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone, Nicole Mitchell – flute, Jason Adasiewicz – vibes, Luke Stewart – bass, Mike Reed – drums.
The last time out, Polish-born German alto player Angelica Niescier set her sights on the avant-garde scene in Chicago and New York recording with Tomeka Reid and Savannah Harris. Now she was gravitated even closer to Chicago with this boundary pushing free set with (Chicago-identified, Charlottesville-based) flutist Nicole Mitchell, saxophonist Dave Rempis, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz and drummer Mike Reed (plus bassist Luke Stewart from DC).
Julian Lage – Scenes From Above (Blue Note Records, release 01/23/2026). John Medeski – Hammond B3 Organ / piano, Julian Lage – electric guitar / acoustic guitar, Jorge Roeder – double bass, Kenny Wollesen – drums / percussion.
Perhaps like me, you welcome an organ – guitar – bass – drums with certain expectations of a soul jazz variety. But not this one from guitarist Julian Lage (Speak to Me, previewed 03/04/2024) which hews its own path. Lage, once again, brings a great melodic depth and fluidity to his playing on both acoustic and electric instruments. Organist John Medeski, once of Medeski, Martin and Wood, has spent the past decade on one interesting project after another and this one benefits from his defining presence. Highly Recommended.
Review: UK Vibe
John Clay – About Time (Self Produced, release 01/23/2026). Shunzo Ohno – trumpet / flugelhorn, Matt Garrison – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Enrique Haneine – acoustic piano, Sean Coney – acoustic bass, John Clay – drums with Ruby Pucillo – vocals.
New York drummer John Clay brings an able quintet to a set of ten well-arranged covers. Shunzo Ohno (Gil Evans, Buster Williams) on trumpet and Matt Garrison on saxes make a well-matched front line that can evoke many moods. Ruby Pucillo brings a lovely and supple voice to two tracks, another two are stripped back to a trio and pianist Enrique Haneine solos on one. Note the pianist is the same artist whose last work as a leader was as a drummer (Conceivable Direction, previewed 09/22/2025).
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene
Craig Taborn – Dream Archives (ECM, release 01/16/20260. Craig Taborn-piano / keyboards / electronics, Tomeka Reid – violoncello, Ches Smith – drums / vibraphone / percussion / electronics.
Recently named MacArthur Fellow and pianist Craig Taborn (Trio of Bloom, previewed 10/06/2025) brings us a set of four originals and covers of Geri Allen and Paul Motian with a exciting and sympathetic trio of cellist Tomeka Reed (Hemphill Stringtet, Myra Melford, Ingrid Laubrock) and percussionist Ches Smith (Laugh Ash, preview 02/12/2024). While Taborn can apply his staggering technique to a wide range of expressions from abstract to melodic, this delightful set veers toward the more accessible. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Trail, Jazz Views, Post Genre
Joe Magnarelli – Decidedly So (Cellar Music, release 01/16/2026). Joe Magnarelli – trumpet, Steve Davis – trombone, Jeremy Manasia – piano, Clovis Nicolas – bass, Rodney Green – drums.
While the rhythm section is strong, this release is defined by the dual brass front line of leader / trumpeter Joe Magnarelli (Robert Edwards, Mike Melito, Nick Green) and trombonist Steve Davis (We See, previewed 11/11/2024). Its been eight years since his last outing as a leader and its great to hear Magnarelli’s warm tone on driving hard bop, swinging blues and tender ballads. Recommended.
Review: Papatamus Redux
Betty Bryant – Nothin’ Better to Do (Bry-Mar Music, release 01/16/2026). Robert Kyle – soprano saxophone / tenor saxophone / flute / guiro, Betty Bryant – piano / vocals, Richard Simon – bass, Kevin Winard – drums with Tony Guerrero – trumpet, Kleber Jorge – guitar, Luanne Homzy – violin / viola, Niall Taro – cello, Hussain Jiffry – bass, Aaron Serfaty – drums.
At 96, Kansas City-native, LA-based pianist / vocalist Betty Bryant gives us a direct line back to the KC of Jay McShann, with whom she studied. In mostly a quartet setting, Bryant brings us relaxed and warm versions of a vintage repertoire.
Review: Making A Scene, AllAboutJazz
Scott Routenberg Trio – Live At Merrimans’ Playhouse: Oscar Peterson Tribute (Chroma Note Records, release 01/09/2026). Scott Routenberg – piano, Michael Santos – bass, Cassius Goens III – drums.
Live from South Bend Indiana’s Merrimans’ Playhouse, pianist Scott Routenberg leads a trio recording songs associated with the great pianist Oscar Peterson, including six of his compositions.
Vancouver Jazz Orchestra Meets Brian Charette (Cellar Music, release 12/05/2025). Michael Kim, Derry Byrne, Jocelyn Waugh, Julian Borkowski – trumpets, Andy Hunter, Nebyu Yohannes, Ellen Marple – trombones, Jim Hopson – bass trombone, James Danderfer – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone / clarinet, Geoff Claridge – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone / clarinet, Steve Kaldestad – tenor saxophone, Connor Lum – tenor saxophone, Mia Gazley – baritone saxophone, Brian Charette – Hammond B3 Organ, Dave Sikula – guitar, David Caballero – bass, Jesse Cahill – drums, Jack Duncan – percussion with Brad turner – trumpet, Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone.
B3 players Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and Jimmy McGriff recorded classic discs with big bands, but we have had a shortage of such efforts recently. So, welcome the new Vancouver Jazz Orchestra, who host B3 wizard Brian Charette in a set primarily composed by Canadian writers.
Review: Jazz Weekly, Papatamus Redux, Paris Move
Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra – Multiversal: Live At Bop Stop (Hidden Cinema Records, release 08/22/2025). Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra (JD Chaisson, Tommy Lehman, JaKobe Henry, Garrett Folger – trumpets, Zach Warren, Will Horner, Lauren Rudzinskas – trombones, Amber Forrer – bass trombone, Bobby Selvaggio – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone / flute, Chris Coles – alto saxophone / flute, Max Schlenk – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Johnny Cochran – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Clint Bleil – baritone saxophone / bass clarinet, Ben Tweedt – piano, Dan Bruce – guitar / pedals, Jordan McBride – acoustic bass / electric bass, Dustin May – drums.
Maryland-based composer / bandleader leads a seventeen-piece big band through a live set of original cinematic compositions deriving from graphic novels.
Review: UK Vibe, Occhi Magazine, Pop Matters
Joe Fonda & Bass of Operation (Fundacja Sluchaj, release 12/01/2024). Michael Rabinowitz – bassoon, Jeff Lederer – clarinet / bass clarinet / flute / piccolo, Joe Fonda – bass, Harvey Sorgen – drums.
Veteran bassist Joe Fonda (Eyes On The Horizon, previewed 11/25/2024) wrote a set for a bassoon – tenor – bass – drums quartet only to have his selected saxophonist tell him that he heard the music coming from a bassoon plus clarinet or flute. Skeptically, Fonda gave that lineup a try and, happy with the results, recorded with this unusual ensemble. The result is one part chamber jazz, one part free and a heavy dose of swing. All four players contribute mightily, but multi-reedist Jeff Lederer (Guity!!!, previewed 10/07/2024) stands out for his fluid lines to complement Michael Rabinowitz’s bassoon. Recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz – Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz – Mike Jurkovic, The Squid’s Ear
Guðrún Ýr Eyfj. Jóhannesdóttir / Tómas R Einarsson – GDRN Tómas R (release 01/09/2026). Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson – piano, Ómar Guðjónsson – guitar, Tómas R. Einarsson – double bass, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen – drums, Guðrún – violin / vocals.
I confess that I know nothing about the lovely vocalist on this record – Guðrún Ýr Eyfj. Jóhannesdóttir AKA GDRN, but the bassist and co-leader for this set is Tómas R. Einarsson, a star of Icelandic jazz, primarily known for bringing Latin Jazz to Iceland. This set has a dark jazz-adjacent pop feel, but, as it is sung in Icelandic, I have no clue what the songs are about. The other players are regular contributors to Einarsson’s musical efforts.
Stay safe, Until next week,
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
