New Jazz Releases – 08/03/2026
By Russell Perry
Clark Sommers
Several new releases caught my ear this week. Chicago’s Clark Sommers has released a set on Calligram with a two-saxophone quartet. Larry Goldings / Peter Bernstein / Bill Stewart are back with another fine organ / guitar / drums trio. Ayn Inserto has composed a set for the WDR Big Band that features a suite written for and performed by Sean Jones. Finally, we have a new live date from Ella Fitzgerald with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1966.
Arman Sangalang – Waypoints (Calligram Records, release 08/07/2026). Arman Sangalang – tenor saxophone, Dave Miller – guitar, Ethan Philion – bass, Devin Drobka – drums.
For his sophomore release, saxophonist Arman Sangalang brings back two of his other quartet-mates, with new bassist Ethan Philion (Kenny Reichert, Russ Johnson). Guitarist Dave Miller (Gustavo Cortinas, Joe Policastro) takes an even more central role in the new disc, bringing a well-paced presence punctuated with reverb and effects, drifting towards Mary Halvorson’s characteristic sound. The leader wrote seven of the eight tracks with nods to Ornette and Monk, featuring a cinematic compositional style that suits this ensemble well.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Paris Move
Clark Sommers – WaBaSH (Calligram Records, release 08/07/2026). Geof Bradfield – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone / bass clarinet, John Wojciechowski – tenor saxophone / alto saxophone / flute, Clark Sommers – bass, Dana Hall – drums / cymbals.
There aren’t many, but the saxophone trio is a familiar format for the music. Here we have a sort of double sax trio, sax – sax – bass – drums. Sometimes it’s a trio when one or the other of the horn players takes over and sometimes we hear two saxes in unison, sometimes in harmony, sometimes both blowing. Fine players, all. Saxophonist Geof Bradfiled (Colossal Abundance, previewed 09/09/2024) is a very fine and familiar player, as are leader / bassist Clark Sommers (Feast Ephemera, previewed 06/19/2023 – one of my favorites from 2023) and drummer Dana Hall (a regular artist on Calligram releases). John Wojciechowski (Paul Marinaro, Clark Sommers), I have only heard before in larger ensembles. I love the format and the playing. Highly recommended.
Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Bill Stewart – Rhombus (Smoke Sessions, release 08/07/2026). Larry Goldings – Hammond B-3 organ, Peter Bernstein – guitar. Bill Stewart – drums.
Its a tried and true format – the organ – guitar – drums trio, but more often than not it’s tired drifting toward trite. Not with these cats. Superb musicians all, with twenty-five years of history together, the trio whispers ballads, struts bebop, and swings the blues. Best in class. Recommended.
Ayn Inserto and WDR Big Band with Sean Jones – Jagged Edges Elegant Lines (Summit Records, release 08/07/2026). Wim Both, Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls – trumpets, Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm, Tim Hepburn, Mattis Cederberg – trombones, Johan Hörlén, Pascal Bartoszak, Ben Fitzpatrick, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang – saxophones, Billy Test – piano, John Goldsby – bass, Hans Dekker – drums.
Cologne large ensemble WDR Big Band is joined by Baltimore-based trumpeter Sean Jones to deliver a set of ten original compositions by Boston-based Ayn Inserto. The highlight of the set is a four-part suite for Sean Jones. Recommended.
Skúli Sverrisson, with Bill Frisell – For All Your Flowers (Newville Records, release 08/01/2026). Bill Frisell – guitar, Skúli Sverrisson – bass.
Newville is a Paris label that specializes in high-quality LPs from lyrical jazz players. Previously, they released the first collaboration between guitar-icon Bill Frisell and Icelandic bassist Skúli Sverrisson (Strata, 2018), and have now issued a gentle and evenly-paced follow up. The program is eight minimalist compositions by Sverrisson and one Frisell.
Cindy Blackman Santana – Coherence (Mack Avenue, release 07/31/2026). Emilio Modeste – saxophone, Zaccai Curtis – keyboards, Aurelien Budynek – guitar, Felix Pastorius – bass, Cindy Blackman Santana – drums / spoken word with Carlos Santana – guitar, Snoop Dog: shout-out intro, Matt Garison – bass, Dave Eggar – strings, Ray Angry – keyboards, John McLaughlin – guitar / organ, Alonso Broz – bass.
Drummer Cindy Blackman Sanata has released a drum-forward fusion set with heroic guitar-playing by Carlos Santana on six tracks. Guitar-legend John McLaughlin joins for one of those tracks.
Denny Zeitlin – Odyssey (Sunnyside Recordings, release 07/31/2026). Denny Zeitlin – acoustic piano / hardware and virtual synthesizers / keyboards / tambourine, Mel Graves – acoustic bass, George Marsh – drums / percussion / Roland Electronic Drums.
Pianist Denny Zeitlin was released a set with three personalities. Two tracks are a straight-ahead piano trio with Mel Graves on bass and George Marsh on drums, playing standards from 2003. Three tracks are solo piano versions of Cole Porter compositions from 2020 and 2025, picking up where his Richard Rodgers set left off (Falling In Love With Love: Exploring Richard Rodgers, previewed 06/16/2025). The Rodgers set was one of my favorite discs of 2025. Zeitlin has an angular solo approach that mines the harmonies for unheard corners and dissonances. The final seven tracks are electronic duets with George Marsh in 2013 and 2024 – decidedly of less interest to me.
Ella Fitzgerald – Live at the Falkoner Theatre, Copenhagen, 6th February 1966 (Gearbox Records, release 07/24/2026). Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Cootie Williams – trumpet, Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors, Buster Cooper – trombone, Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone, Russell Procope – alto saxophone / clarinet, Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophpne, Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, Jimmy Jones – piano, Joe Comfort – bass, Gus Johnson – drums, Ella Fitzgerald – vocals.
In 1957, impressario Norman Granz (Verve / Pablo Records) labored to set up a session with Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, resulting in the release of Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook. Soon thereafter, Granz was managing both of the jazz royalty towards the ends of their careers. Granz arranged several European tours for the pair and several dates for Ella and Duke’s Orchestra from the mid-sixties have been released (Ella & Duke At The Côte D’Azur, Ella at the Coliseum, The Stockholm Concert). Now, we have a very relaxed and warm set from Copenhagen in 1966. Jimmy Jones’s piano trio was Ella’s accompanist in this era and they are joined by the balance of Duke’s band for seven of the tracks. Ella is joyful, relaxed, conversational and uninhibited, while wrapping herself in melancholy for a pair of ballads (Something To Live For, Lover Man). Ella was a giant and is well supported here. Recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz
Stella Cole – Live at the Carlyle (Decca Records, release 07/10/2026). Michael Kanan – piano, Michael Migliore – bass, Hank Allen-Barfield – drums, Stella Cole – vocals.
After a successful debut (’Til There Was You, preview 11/10/2025), for her first live recording, singer Stella Cole brings a piano trio, her full voice and wide vibrato to a program of songs from the Great American Songbook. In this release, you get the full nightclub experience with patter between tunes and vocal asides.
Review: Jazz Views
I have been asked to contribute to the mid-year edition of the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, which has been published in The Arts Fuse. This is the leading jazz poll, combining the choices of nearly 200 jazz writers and broadcasters. Please check out my selections for the Best Jazz Releases of 2026 at Mid-Year.
I hope you are having a good summer.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
