New Jazz Releases – 04/27/2026
By Russell Perry
Marta Sánchez
Thanks everyone for the part you played in our very successful Rock Marathon this last week. The amazing programming is available for two weeks under Recent Shows on the website.
Meanwhile, let’s catch up on the jazz releases that came in last week. Among the highlights – a beautiful solo piano set from Marta Sánchez, more great composing from Miho Hazama (recorded with the Danish Radio Big Band), a straight ahead set from a Detroit-based band led by Noah Jackson, a lovely trio set from saxophonist Loren Stillman, and a trio set from pianist Billy Childs, whose last disc was one of the best of 2024.
Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet – A Blue Time (Circle 9 Records, release 04/27/2026). Nick Marchioness – trumpet / flugelhorn, Doug Beavers – trombone, Dave Riekenberg – tenor saxophone / bass clarinet, Carl Maraghi – alto saxophone / baritone saxophone / clarinet, Adam Birnbaum – piano, Paul Bollenback – acoustic guitar / electric guitar / banjo, Lorin Cohen – bass, Boris Kazlov – bass, Joe Syrian – drums with Tim Ries – tenor saxophone, Lucy Yeghiazarayan – vocal, Luisito Quinteto – percussion.
DrummerJoe Syrian (Secret Message, previewed 12/30/2026) is back with a four-horn front line doing what he does – rocking jazz tunes and jazzy rock tunes. Top notch players all.
Review: Paris Move
Miho Hazama – Frames (Edition Records, release 04/24/2026). Dave Vreuls, Ari Bragi Karason, Thomas Kjærgaard, Mads la Cour, Gidon Nunes Vaz – trumpets, Peter Dahlgren, Petter Hängsel, Annette Saxe, Gustaf Wiklund, Jakob Munk Mortensen – trombones / bass trombone / tuba, Peter Fuglsang, Nicolai Schultz, Hans Ulrik, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Frederick Menzies – woodwinds, Artur Tuznik – piano, Per Gade – guitar, Kaspar Vadsholt – upright bass, Søren Frost – drums.
Over the years, the Danish Radio Big Band has had a number of significant music directors, including Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones and Jim McNeely and it is to her predecessors that current director Miho Hazama has dedicated this release. While their last release brought us four tracks from the Thad Jones period (Live Life this Day: Celebrating Thad Jones, previewed 03/10/2025), this disc doesn’t replicate the historic repertoire but instead uses it as a point of departure. Hazama is so skilled at organizing the myriad of voices in the band that your ears are in for a treat with so many surprising combinations in each composition. Hazama continues to amaze. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Trail, Everything is Noise
Noah Jackson – Full Circle(release 04/24/2026). Allen Dennard – trumpet, Stephen Grady – saxophone, Brendon Davis – piano / keyboard, Noah Jackson – bass, Nate Winn – drums.
Detroit bassist Noah Jackson (Abdullah Ibrahim, Nnenna Freelon) is out with his first disc as a leader since his debut 15 years ago. This is a straight ahead hard bop date with a trumpet – saxophone quintet. The Detroit front line of trumpeter Allen Dennard (Flashback, previewed 04/01/2024) and saxophonist Stephen Grady (Wendell Harrison, Allen Dennard) swing like crazy and the ensemble brings to mind 70s efforts from McCoy Tyner and Sonny Fortune. Recommended.
Review: Glide Magazine
Sam Yahel – Quiet Flow (La Reserve, release 04/24/2026). Sam Yahel – Hammond B3 / piano, Larry Grenadier – bass, Brian Blade – drums.
Keyboardist Sam Yahel (Massimo Biolcati, Joshua Redman) has teamed with veteran bassist Larry Grenadier (Bill Stewart, M.T.B., Jason Palmer, Charles Lloyd) and drummer Brian Blade (Wolfgang Muthspiel, Koppel Blade,Koppel, John Patitucci) for a program of eight originals and two covers. Yahel is convincing on both organ and piano. The title is appropriate as the release moves at a measured pace with scant reliance on fireworks.
Igor Gehenot – Shining Face (Hypnote Records / Igloo Records, release 04/24/2026). Igor Gehenot – piano, Sal La Rocca – double bass, Umberto Odone – drums.
Belgian pianist Igor Gehenot, whose last time out was a piano duet with Amaury Faye (Live at Bozart, previewed 12/02/2024), brings a trio this time with long-time collaborator and fellow Belgian Sal La Rocca on bass and Italian drummer Umerto Udone. The program of five originals and covers of Cole Porter and Paul Bley, is a sparkling and swinging affair.
Loren Stillman – Seer (Newville Records, release 04/24/2025). Loren Stillman – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Craig Taborn – piano, Thomas Morgan – bass.
Over more than fifty releases in the past thirty years, pianist Craig Taborn has leaned into avant-jazz exploration and improvisation. In the new trio disc, with leader / saxophonist Loren Stillman (Elan Mehler, Chris Dingman), Taborn brings us instead a very accessible and lovely version of his significant chops. For his part, Stillman, whose playing recalls Lee Konitz, leads the trio through nine originals that are well-considered and peaceful. One other track was composed by bassist Thomas Morgan, whose gentle attack and fluid playing anchor this drummer-less ensemble. Recommended.
Review: Papatamus Redux, Jazz Journal
Matt Gold & Dustin Laurenzi – Devotional Fade (We Jazz, release 04/24/2026). Dustin Laurenzi – tenor saxophone / clarinet / synthesizers, Matt Gold – electric bass / drum machine / percussion.
Chicago guitarist / bassist Matt Gold (Kurt Elling, Markus Rutz, Gustavo Cortinas) and saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi (Juan Pastor) deliver a wide-ranging debut set with shimmering electronics, bubbling grooves and a lot of dark atmosphere.
Review: Chicago Reader
Billy Childs – Triumvirate (Mack Avenue Records, release 04/24/2026. Billy Childs – piano, Matt Penman – bass, Ari Hoenig – drums.
Last time out pianist Billy Childs won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Record (Winds of Change, previewed 03/06/2023) with a trumpet quartet. Now for the first time in 25 years, Childs has released a trio date in the significant company of bassist Matt Penman (Theo Bleckman, Marius Van Den Brink, Tomer Cohen) and drummer Ari Hoenig (Andy Ezrin, Eunmi Lee, Benjamin Boone). The date reimagines a full program of tunes he has recorded in other contexts over the years. Childs continues his dedication to acoustic jazz, energized by thrilling interplay between the three players. His sparkling playing swaggers and whispers on demand. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Journal, Paris Move
Catherine Russell – Live at Jazz At Lincoln Center (Dot Time Records, release 04/24/2026). Jon-Erik Kellso – trumpet, John Allred – trombone, Evan Arntzen – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Ben Paterson – piano, Matt Munisteri – guitar, Russell Hall – bass, Domo Branch – drums, Catherine Russell – vocals with Michela Marino Lerman – tap dancing.
In a program that honors the NYC vintage jazz community (The Hot Club of New York) vocalist Catherine Russell continues to mine the rich vein of early jazz, serving up a pile of deep cuts with enthusiasm and fierce chops. Supported by a three horn front line, Russell shines on, what I believe to be, her first live recording under her own name.
Review: Paris Move, Making A Scene, Jazz Views
Alister Spence – Always Ever(Alister Spence Music, release 04/24/2026). Alister Spence – piano.
In this solo improvised work, pianist Alister Spence explores many of the sonic possibilities of the piano in a mix of abstract sounds and more traditional musicality.
Review: Paris Move
Marta Sánchez – For The Space You Left (Out Of Your Head Records, release 04/17/2026). Marta Sánchez – prepared piano.
Piasnist Marta Sánchez (Perpetual Void, previewed 12/16/2024) has led her own ensembles (trio, quintet, octet) and has contributed mightily to David Murray’s fine quartet, but until now has not recorded a solo presentation. Making the most of various preparations for her instrument (paper tape, etc), she creates a new timbre for each work with the prep informing the compositions. Recommended.
Review: UK Jazz News, The Big Takeover
Thanks again for everything you did to make the Rock Marathon such a raging success!
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
