New Jazz Releases – 07/27/2026
By Russell Perry
Christopher Damman
What a week! Fine new releases from Austin tenorist Elias Haslanger, pianist Bob Nell & bassist Michael Bisio, another Michael Dease-trained trombonist Andrew Kim, Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie, singer (and Grammy-winner) Nicole Zuraitis, and alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo. Two players from Charlottesville are out with new material – trumpeter John D’earth in a quartet with bassist Gene Perla and now Chicago-based bassist Christopher Damman. It’s going to take some time for you to catch up with all this, so you better get started!
Elias Haslanger – Legacy (Bandstand Presents, release 07/24/2026). Mike Sailors – trumpet, Elias Haslanger – tenor saxophone, Andy Langham – piano, Ryan Hagler – bass, Daniel Dufour – drums with Ross Margitza – piano.
Austin tenorist Elias Haslanger brings back essentially the same band as he and trumpeter Mike Sailors featured on their terrific hard bop romp, Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors (previewed 08/12/2024). Haslanger features his big tenor sound in the muscular front line with Sailors that brings to mind Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers or Horace Silvers’s Quintets. Always within a straight-ahead vein, Haslinger can summon delicate musicality on his ballad playing as well. Wonderful. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Weekly, Paris Move
Bob Neil & Michael Bisio – Trios: We Are Here (Origin, release 07/24/2026). Bob Nell – piano, Michael Bisio – bass, Adam Greenberg – drums, Austin Belluscio – drums.
I don’t know much about pianist Bob Nell, but my ears tell me that he is a confident lyrical player and gifted composer (of all twelve tracks). Bassist Michael Bisio (Inside Voice / Outside Voice, previewed 06/12/2023) is more familiar having come through town several times with Matthew Shipp with whom he shares a long discography. This is different kind of piano trio record than the ones we hear from that collaboration, but Bisio is the same powerful full-toned bassist. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Andrew Kim – Lineage (Origin, release 07/24/2026). Andrew Kim – trombone, Sharel Cassity – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone / flute, Xavier Davis – piano, Rodney Whitaker – bass, Ulysses Owens Jr. – drumset with Randy Napoleon – guitar, Michael Dease – baritone saxophone, Steven Bowman – bass.
I have lost track of all of the trombone students of Michael Dease who have become recording artists – these include Altin Sencalar, Nanami Haruta, Eli Howell. With this debut, we now add Andrew Kim. Kim’s core quintet features pianist Xavier Davis (Eli Howell, Michael Dease, Anthony Stanco), bassist Rodney Whitaker (Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill, previewed 02/24/2025) or Steve Bowman and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr (Around The World With U, previewed 03/26/2026) with Charlottesville’s Sharel Cassity (Gratitude, previewed 07/14/2025) on alto, tenor and flute. Michael Dease joins on baritone for two tracks and guitarist Randy Napoleon also joins for a pair, including a lovely trio reading of Stella By Starlight. Kim is a fluid and powerful player and a strong composer who contributed five of the ten tracks. Fine straight-ahead playing at all tempos from a terrific ensemble. Recommended
Review: Paris Move, Jazz Weekly
Fergus McCreadie – The Shieling: Companion Pieces (Edition Records, release 07/17/2026). Fergus McCreadie – piano, David Bowden – double bass, Stephen Henderson – drums.
When pianist Fergus McCreadie released The Shieling last year (previewed 11/17/2025), I recommended it highly for the undercurrent of Scottish folk tradition and powerful interplay of the leader and bassist David Bowen. This new release comes from the same recording session with all three players in one room in a remote cottage in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. Upon closer listening to this set, I am also deeply respectful of the subtle role played by drummer Stephen Henderson who plays with the finesse required by the setting. Highly recommended.
Christopher Damman – Dead Words (Shifting Paradigm Records, release 07/17/2026). James Davis – trumpet / electronics, Jon Irabagon – stritch / effects, Jim Baker – piano / ARP 2600, Christopher Dammann – double bass, Mike Reed – drums .
Charlottesville-native and Chicago-based bassist Christopher Damman has released a set of five originals for his trumpet / reeds quintet. The reed in this case is Jon Irabagon’s stritch – the straight alto “popularized” by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Two of the tracks are improvised and the other three bring Mingus’s small groups to mind, with Irabagon playing the role of Dolphy to Damman’s Mingus. Structured yet spontaneous – a triumph. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Trail
Nicole Zuraitis – The Devil I Knew (La Reserve Records, release 07/17/2026). Cast of thousands.
This may be the record that I have been waiting for Nicole Zuraitis (Live at Vics, previewed 08/04/2025) to make. I listened to her last two releases with some ambivalence, then both were nominated for Grammies and one received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Finally, she has released a disc that I can get behind. She has great pipes and wrings every drop of emotion from the literary lyrics, without overdoing it. There are more players on the disc than I can record, but Donny McCaslin stands out on two tracks. Zuraitis has developed into a solid lyricist, penning most of the disc. Recommended.
Review: New World ’n’ Jazz
David Blake – Radio Casual (Cellar Music, release 07/17/2026). Dabin Ryu – piano, David Blake – guitar, Warren Louie – double bass, Jonas Esser – drums.
Vancouver-born, New York-based guitarist brings us a guitar – piano – bass – drums quartet in a program of nine original compositions.
Review: Jazz Weekly
Mike DiRubbo – Way Out Northwest (Cellar Music, release 07/17/2026). Mike DiRubbo – alto saxophone, Tilden Webb – piano, Jodi Proznick – bass, Jesse Cahill – drums.
Alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo (Inner Light, previewed 11/13/2023) is back, this time with a Vancouver-based rhythm section. Among the six originals are tributes to two past masters – trumpeter Jim Rotondi (Jimbo) and pianist Harold Mabern (One For Mabes). First-rate alto playing in a tight quartet. Recommended.
Review: Jazz Weekly
Joey Alexander – Celestial Keeper (Mack Avenue, release 07/17/2026). Joey Alexander – piano / Fender Rhodes, Kris Funn – acoustic bass / electric bass, Jonathan Barber – drums with Jaleel Shaw – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Alita Moses – vocals, Lisa Fischer – vocals.
At, now, 22-years-old, pianist Joey Alexander has been a recording artist for over a decade. He has matured into a sophisticated artist and bandleader. While his new release includes three tracks with Jaleel Shaw on alto and one each with singers Lisa Fischer and Alita Moses, it is the trio and solo tracks that best express the sensitive musical presentation of this fine artist.
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz
Antonio Adolfo – Balaios (AAM Music, release 07/17/2026). Jesse Sadoc – trumpet / flugelhorn, Raphael Rocha – trombone, Danilo Sinna – alto saxophone, Marcelo Martins – tenor saxophone / flute, Antonio Adolfo – piano, Lula Galvao – electric guitar / acoustic guitar, Jorge Helder – acoustic bass, Rafael Barata – drums / percussion, Andre Siqueira – percussion with Leo Gandelman – saxophone, Thom Rotella – guitar.
Brazilian pianist / composer Antonio Adolpho has dug through his store of unrecorded compositions dating back forty years to prepare this set list of nine tracks.
Review: Jazz Views, Downbeat
Chick Corea – Sometime Ago, Live In Germany 1972 (MIG Music, release 07/17/2026). Chick Corea – piano.
In 1972, before launching Return To Forever, the 31-year-old Chick Corea embarked on a solo piano tour, one night of which has now been released. Corea recorded his first solo studio date the year before (Piano Improvisations, Vol.1), in the midst of playing with Miles, Stan Getz and Elvin Jones. The set list contains several tunes that would become classics of his repertoire – Crystal Silence, La Fiesta, What Game Shall We Play Today.
John D’earth & Gene Perla – After Long Hiatus (PM Records, release 07/12/2026). John D’earth – trumpet, Jesse Green – piano, Gene Perla – double-bass, Willie Bowman – drums.
Charlottesville’s John D’earth (Coin of the Realm, previewed 01/23/2023 – one of my favorite records of 2023) brings his trumpet to a quartet co-lead by bassist Gene Perla, who famously contributed to Elvin Jones’s 1970’s bands. The program is a suite of standards, mostly ballads, featuring D’earth’s facile phrasing and lovely tone. Recommended.
Lisa Rich – I Shall Rise (Tritone Records, release 06/26/2026). Dave Ballou – trumpet, Marc Copland – piano, Drew Gress – bass, Lisa Rich – vocals.
As she continues her comeback from health issues that kept her out of the picture for over 30 years, singer Lisa Rich brings her remarkable phrasing and lovely voice to a drummerless quartet date. Expect to be soothed by the low register of her singing and the delicate accompaniment.
Review: Papatamus Redux, Making a Scene, Jazz Views
Mike Clark – Kuan Ganjo (Time Without Beginning) (Wide Hive Records, release 08/03/2026). Eddie Henderson – trumpet, Craig Handy – tenor saxophone, Patrice Rushen – piano, Essiet Okon Essiet – bass, Mike Clark – drums.
Drummer Mike Clark (Itai Doshin, previewed 10/13/2025) brings back three of his four colleagues from the last release, subbing in ace-bassist Essiet Okum Essiet (George Cabels, Steve Davis, Something Else!). Once again its a hard bop feast by some real pros.
Review: AllAboutJazz
I hope you enjoy some of this music.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
