New Jazz Releases – 04/13/2026
By Russell Perry
Bobby Sanabria
Two discs caught my ears this week from separate lines of heritage that make up the rich mix that is jazz. Bobby Sanabria and Multiverse Big Band pay a latin jazz tribute to the Godfather of Salsa – Ansenio Rodríguez. And from another perspective pianist Jon Gold pays tribute to some of the greats of hard bop.
Stay tuned. In a couple of days, we will post previews of a great set of special releases for Record Store Day.
Allison, Cardenas & Nash – Triological(Sunnyside Records, release 04/10/2026). Ted Nash – saxophones, Steve Cardenas – guitar, Ben Allison – bass.
In the past seven years, the trio of saxophonist Ted Nash (JALC) , guitarist Steve Cardenas (Jung Stratmann, Joel Harrision), and bassist Ben Allison (Michael Wolff, Taka Nawashiro, Matt Wilson) have released three stellar albums, each a tribute to a noteworthy composer – Leonard Bernstein, Carla Bley, Herbie Nichols. This latest brings their signature gentle sound to works of their own composition.
Peter Erskine – Peregrine (Hard Wag Records, release 04/10/2026). Alan Pasqua – piano, Scott Colley – bass, Peter Erskine – drums with Kate Lamont – vocals, Bob Sheppard – saxophone, Brian Kilgore – percussion..
Drummer Peter Erskine (Vienna To Hollywood, previewed 01/20/2025) has teamed with in-demand bassist Scott Colley (Wolfgang Muthspiel, Lux Quartet, Chris Potter, Billy Childs) and pianist Alan Pasqua (Nnenna Freelon, George Garzone) for a trio set of personal favorites and tributes.
Review: Paris Move
Parlor Greens – Emeralds(Colemine Records, release 04/10/2026. Adam Scone – organ, Jimmy James – guitar, Tim Carman – drums.
Not much jazz here, but Parlor Greens, an organ – guitar – drums trio, brings instead sizzling funk from the Booker T and the MGs side of the tracks. Infectious.
Bobby Sanabria & Multiverse Big Band – Arsenio And Beyond: Live At The Bronx Music Hall (Jazzheads, release 04/10/2026). Nate Eklund, Matt Hilgenberg, Kali Rodriguez Peña, Andrew Neesley, Max Darché – trumpets, Dave Miller, Noah Bless, Armando Vergara, Chris Washburne – trombones, David Dejesus – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone / flute, Andrew Gould – alto saxophone, Peter Brainin – tenor saxophone, Jeff Lederer – tenor saxophone, Danny Rivera – baritone saxophone, Darwin Noguera – piano, Benjamin Lapidus – electric Cuban tres / electric guitar, Gabriel Garo – lute / background vocals, Ben Sutin – violin, Leo Traversa – electric bass, Bobby Sanabria – drums / whistle / wind chimes / background vocals, Oreste Abrantes – congas / lead vocals / background vocals, Matthew Gonzalez – bongó / cencerro / background vocals, Takao Heisho – guiro macho / maracas / claves / gongui / vibra-slap, Gerardo Contino, Jennifer Jade Ledesna, Oreste Abrantes – lead vocals.
Cuban treseros and bandleader Ansenio Rodríguez was a pioneer of mambo in the 40s and is considered the Godfather of Salsa. Master Latin Big Band leader Bobby Sanabria (West Side Story Reimagined, 2018) has brought his two-dozen-player ensemble, complete with four percussionists to a set of seven compositions by Rodriguez, one by Tito Puente and one by resident percussionist Takao Heisho. This is driving, swinging music, expertly presented. Highly recommended.
Caleb Wheeler Curtis – Ritual (Chill Tone Records, release 04/10/2026). Caleb Wheeler Curtis – stritch / trumpet / soprano saxophone / sopranino saxophone, Emmanuel Michael – guitar, Vicente Archer – double bass, Michael Sarin – drums with Hery Paz – tenor saxophone / flute, Orrin Evans – piano.
Caleb Wheeler Curtis (The True Story Of Bears And The Invention Of the Battery, previewed 11/11/2024) is the leading practitioner of the stritch, a straight alto saxophone introduced to many by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The set has a sax – guitar – bass – drums quartet throughout with Hery Paz (Frank Carlberg, Chembo Corniel) joining on tenor or flutes on nine tunes and Orrin Evans (Walk A Mile In My Shoe, previewed 08/12/2024) on piano on four. This is quite a musically diverse lineup and the music ranges from post-bop to a more atmospheric offering.
Review: Jazz Views, The Big Takeover, Paris Move
Irreversible Entanglements – Future Present Past (Impulse!, release 03/27/2026). Aquiles Navarro – trumpet, Keir Neuringer – saxophone, Luke Stewart – bass, Tcheser Holmes – drums, Camae Ayewa (AKA Moor Mother) – vocals.
In the face of difficult times, Irreversible Entanglements returns for their fifth release with an uplifting message. Exciting playing throughout at the intersection of free jazz, spiritual jazz and liberation poetry.
Review: The Quietus, The Big Takeover
Bria Skonberg – Brass (Cellar Music, release 03/13/2026). Bria Skonberg – trumpet, Luther Allison – piano / B3, Eric Wheeler – bass, Darrian Douglas – drums / percussion with Kellin Hanas – trumpet.
Canadian-born, New York-based trumpeter / vocalist Bria Skonberg (What It Means, previewed 08/05/2024) has released an all-instrumental disc to focus on her trumpet playing in the company of frequent collaborators. Skonberg plays swing as if bebop never happened with a sweet ringing tone and strong presence.
Jon Gold – Things Are Looking Up (Entropic Records, release 02/20/2026). Will Allen Jr – trumpet, Jonathan Saraga – trumpet, John Bailey – trumpet, Kevon Scott – tenor saxophone, Bryan Murray – saxophone, Jon Gold – piano, Harvie S – bass, Michael O’Brien – bass, Charlie Lincoln – bass, Michael Nienadowski – bass, Mauricio Zottarelli – drums / percussion, JT Bates – drums.
Bay Area pianist Jon Gold has put out several well-received Brazilian-influenced records and now comes back to the hard bop that he learned at the feet of mentor Joe Henderson. The personnel is shifting from track-to-track with some recognizable players like Harvie S (bass) and John Bailey (trumpet). The set includes 10 originals with tributes to Woody Shaw, Gary Bartz and Rudy Van Gelder. Recommended.
Ron Burris & Marcos Silva – Ron Burris Meets Marcos Silva (Self Produced, release 02/11/2026). Ron Burris – tenor saxophone / alto saxophone, Marcos Silva – piano, Mimi Fox – guitar, Scott Thompson – bass, Dillon Vado – drums.
Bay-area saxophonist Ron Burris covers eight standards from Hoagy Carmichael to Joe Henderson (with an unnecessary stop at The Girl From Ipanema). Much of the edge has been honed off this music, leaving a rather even-tempered mid-tempo set.
Record Store Day is coming up and our previews of some of those releases is coming shortly.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
