New Jazz Releases – 05/25/2026
By Russell Perry
Carlos Henriquez
Some fine new music this week. Israeli bassist Alon Near has released a delightful new set, George Cotsirilos brings us lovely solo work from his nylon-string guitars, pianist Andrew Moorhead is back with a trio set, Carlos Henriquez has assembled his JALC-loaded big band for a Monk set and Django Festival Allstars updates gypsy jazz with a set of original compositions. AND we have a newly released set from Thelonious Monk right before his last studio session in 1967.
Kiri Ra! – Nen(We Jazz, release 05/22/2026). Laura Naukkarinen – modular synth / vocals / cello / piano / balafon / glockenspiel / toys, Linda Fredriksson – saxophone / flutes / piano / wurlitzer / toys / balafon / mandolin / synth, Matti Bye – piano / live electronics / synths / balafon / vibraphone / wurlitzer.
The trio of Finnish multi-instrumentalist Laura Naukkarinen (Lau Nau), Finnish saxophonist Linda Fredriksson, and Swedish pianist Matti Bye has produced a weightless set of shimmering improvisations.
Joe Webb – Neath Beat (Edition Records, release 05/22/2026). Joe Webb – piano, Will Sach – double bass, Sam Jesson – drums.
Welsh pianist Joe Webb (Collblanc, previewed 01/29/2024) is a rising star in the British jazz scene. He returns with the trio from his last release, once again respectfully including references to Duke, New York stride and Brit Pop in a set of nine originals and three covers.
Alon Near – Names, Places (Hypnote Records, release 05/22/2026). Edo Gur – Flugelhorn, Itamir Borochov – trumpet, Itai Kriss – flute, Tom Oren – piano, Guy Moskovich – piano, Itay Simhovich – piano, Yotam Silberstein – guitar, Alon Near – bass, Eviator Slivnik – drums, Alon Benjamini – drums, Ofri Nehemya – drums.
Israeli Bassist Alon Near (Yuval Cohen, Lynne Arriale) has assembled a release from five different recording sessions on three continents, with a remarkable coherence. From time-to-time I hear influences from Chick Corea in this delightful music. Five of the nine tunes (all composed by the leader) add one of a pair of trumpet / flugelhorn players to good effect. Mostly, the set carries a peaceful mien. Sweet. Highly recommended.
Gabriel Espinoza – The Brazilian Project (Origin Records, release 05/22/2026). Bruno Santos – flugelhorn, Rafael Rocha – trombones, Roger Rocha – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone / flute, Josue Lopez – tenor saxophone / flute, Daniel Freire – baritone sax, Andre Lopez or Felipe Silveira or Eduardo Farias – piano, Hugo Maciel – electric bass, Renato Rocha – drums with Joabe Reis – trombone, Giovani Malini – acoustic guitar, Rafael Barata – drums, Mafran Maracana – percussion.
Brazilian-born, Iowa-based bassist / composer Gabriel Espinoza has set aside his instrument to record a set of his compositions in Brazil with local musicians. Interestingly, there is little identifiable Brazilian influence in the set of ten originals, but it is a rich set from eight-to-ten players with five or six horns in the front line.
George Cotsirilos – In The Wee Hours (OA2, release 05/22/2026). George Cotsirilos – nylon string acoustic guitar.
Bay Area guitarist George Cotsirilos brings us a gorgeous set of mostly standards that he mines for melody in a solo exploration with his nylon-string guitar. He has been recording with larger ensembles but this time he trades that interplay for the deep intimacy that celebrates his ballad playing. Recommended.
Andrew Moorhead – Mirage (OA2 Records, release 05/22/2026). Andrew Moorhead – piano, Francois Moutin – bass, Ari Hoenig – drums.
Pianist Andrew Moorhead (Interleaved, previewed 03/27/2023) is back for his second trio set, with Ari Hoenig (Billy Childs, Andy Ezrin, Eunmi Lee) returning on drums. Taking over the bass seat is Francois Moutin (Raphaël Pannier, Rudresh Mahanthappa). Moorhead composed the full set and it is a driving collection of complex pieces with unpredictable time signatures following its own internal logic. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Thelonious Monk – Monk Live In Paris, 1967: Volume One (Rhythm-A-Ning Ent, release 04/24/26). Ray Copeland – trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland – trumpet, Phil Woods – alto saxophone, Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone, Charlie Rouse – tenor saxophone, Thelonious Monk – piano, Larry Gales – bass, Ben Riley – drums.
Pianist Thelonious Monk has been gone for forty-four years, but the stream of releases continues unabated with this release (the first from the Monk estate) following that of the live set from Bremen (previewed 11/17/2025) by only five months. Unusually for one of these vintage live recordings, Monk’s working quartet (Charlie Rouse – Larry Gales – Ben Riley) is brought to an octet on two of four tracks with the addition of Ray Copeland on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Phil Woods on alto and Johnny Griffin on tenor (now that’s a horn section!). Five weeks later, Monk and the quartet were back in the Columbia studios for his last studio recording – Underground. This live set is everything you would want in a Monk set – solid new interpretations of classic compositions, fine soloing all round, great sound. Highly recommended.
Review: UK Jazz News
Carlos Henriquez – Monk Con Clave (Self Produced, release 04/17/2026). Jesus Ricardo, Mikey Rodriguez, Kali Rodriguez, Nathaniel Williford – trumpet, Marshal Gilkes, Elliot Mason, Dion Tucker – trombone, Sherman Irby, Ted Nash – alto saxophone, Chris Lewis, Abdias Armentero – tenor saxophone, Paul Nedzela – baritone saxophone, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Osmany Paredes, Robert Rodríguez – piano, Obed Calvaire – drums, Bobby Allende – bongos, Pedro Martinez – congas / vocals, Anthony Almonte – vocals, Jeremy Bosch – flute / vocals.
Bassist and Jazz at Lincoln Center veteran Carlos Hernandez is celebrating the music of Thelonious Monk with a set that finds common ground between the asymmetrical rhythms of Monk’s compositions and the three over two clave rhythms. Hernandez brings the muscle of JALC players (Elliot Mason, Sherman Irby, Ted Nash, Paul Nedzella, Chris Lewis, Abdias Armentero, Obed Calvaire) to a set of Latin trumpet players, pianists and percussionists. The result is magical. Ironically, I find that the pieces that Henriquez contributes move me more than the Monk covers (which are excellent, don’t get me wrong.) Hitting on all cylinders from the needle drop. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Views, Latin Jazz Net, Paris Move
Arrival Featuring Russ Miller – Mind EP (RMI Records, release 03/31/2026). Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone, Tony Monaco – B3 organ, Russ Miller – drums with Stephanie Spurill – vocal.
We have received an EP that includes a portion of a four CD box (Soul, Mind and Body) from drummer Russ Miller with B3 maven Tony Monaco (Over and Over, previewed 04/23/2024) and veteran tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts (Mark Seales, Brad Goode, Charlie Haden). Comfortable soul jazz.
Flea – Honora (Nonesuch Records, release 03/27/2026). Flea – trumpet / bass / flumpet, John Frusciante – trumpet, Vikram Devasthali – trombone, Brian Walsh – clarinet / bass clarinet, Derek Davis – flute, Ricky Washington – alto flute, Warren Ellis – alto flute / viola, Josh Johnson – Moog synthesizer / piano / alto saxophone / vocals, Nathaniel Walcott – Fender Rhodes, Sasha Berliner – vibraphone, Jeff Parker – guitar / vocals, Paul Cartwright – violin, Luanne Homzy, Alyssa Park, Stephanie Matthews, Jennifer Takamatsu – violin, Andrew Duckles, Zach Dellinger – violas, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Jacob Braun – cello, Thomas Harte – bass, Anna Butterss – upright bass / vocals, Chad Smith – drums, Deantoni Parks – drums / vocals, Mauro Refosco – percussion, Nick Cave – vocal, Thom Yorke – vocal / piano / synthesizer, Chris Warren – vocalsJoel Virgel Vierset, Cyprienne Virgil Vierset, SJ Hasman, Julian Hasman, Melissa Dougherty, Jessica Vautor, Alejandro Montoya – vocals.
So, I had heard that Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame bassist Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) played the trumpet and was going to make a jazz album. It turns out he is a solid trumpet player (but plays more bass on the disc) and the music is jazz-adjacent, mostly.
Django Festival Allstars – Evolution (Motema, release 02/13/2026). Ludovic Beier – accordion / accordina, Samson Schmitt – lead guitar, Francko Mehrstein – rhythm guitar, Pierre Blanchard – violin, Antonio Licusati – double bass.
The Django Festival Allstars follow the sound made by the legendary Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli, but with all new material written by guitarist Samson Schmitt, violinist Pierre Blanchard and accordionist Ludovic Beier. With the new material, the result is fresh, exciting and yet, authentic. To a line-up similar to the Hot Club, the Allstars add an accordion to great effect. Fun. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz, The Arts Fuse
We get ever so much closer to the Charlottesville Jazz Fest June 4 – 7, brought to you by the Charlottesville Jazz Society. Get your tickets now!
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
