New Jazz Releases – 09/21/2026
By Russell Perry
Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves
This was an amazing week for new music that puts my ears into ecstacy. We heard new music from spiritual jazz veteran Azar Lawrence, a hard bop quintet from trumpeter Elliott Caine, joyful ensemble work from Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble, a Latin jazz quintet from Donald Vega, two solo Monk-inspired releases from Jon Batiste (one I loved), and the Icelandic Latin big band explorations of Los Bomboneros Y Sus Bombasticos (playing the music of Tómas R. Einarsson). But the one that really melted me was the Trane tribute from the Branford Marsalis Quartet with Dianne Reeves. Take time to settle into some great new music!
And get some sleep now, because next week is the WTJU Jazz Fundraising Marathon. The hosts from our Jazz Department are joined by announcers from across all musical genres and dedicated members of the music community to bring carefully curated programs for seven full days stating at 6:00AM on Monday September 28. There will be live music every night from 8:00 – 9:00 and music all night long. Check out the schedule and plan your week.
Azar Lawrence – Turn The Music Up (Trazar Records, release 09/21/2026). Brian Swartz – trumpet, Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Robert Turner – keyboards, Taka Mori – guitar, Gerald Brown – bass, Yayo Morales – drums / percussion, Lynne Fiddmont – vocals with Quinn Carson – trombone, Munyungo Jackson – percussion, David Leach – percussion, Adam Mosely – chimes.
A veteran of bands led by Elvin Jones, Woody Shaw and McCoy Tyner, saxophonist Azar Lawrence has released a set that draws on a variety of moments in his musical life. He revisits Fatisha from his Bridge Into A New Age (1974), Highway and the title track from Summer Solstice (1975) and the title tune from McCoy Tyner’s Atlantis (1975) on which he played, among others, breathing new life into the music while reminding of of this heady period in spiritual jazz. There have been a couple of covers recently of Pharaoh Sander’s The Creator Has A Master Plan and the one included here is among the freshest. Terrific ensemble playing throughout, punctuated by wordless vocals. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Elliott Caine Quintet – Furiositee (EJC Music, release 09/21/2026). Elliott Caine – trumpet / flugelhorn, Scott Gilman – saxophone, Michael Boito – piano, Bill Markus – bass, Don Littleton – drums with Victor Baez – percussion.
Originally of Indianapolis, long-time Angelenos trumpeter Elliott Caine continues to channel the 60s Blue Note / Prestige sound with particular reverence for the Jazz Messengers and Lee Morgan. To my ears, not a bad place to start and they do so with chops and passion. Caine, a skilled player and an optometrist by day, composed seven of the eight tracks and did so with style. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Liz Cracchiolo – Just A Girl I’m A Woman (Pacific Coast Jazz, release 09/18/2026). Drew Wutke – piano, Jonathan Michel – bass, Savannah Harris – drums, Lisette Santiago – percussion, Liz Cracchiolo – vocals with Benny Benack III – trumpet / vocals, Erica von Kleist – alto saxophone / flute, Marcus Lolo – piano / Rhodes, Hajime Yoshida – guitar, Edward W Hardy – violin, Russell Hall – bass.
For her charming debut, Tucson vocalist Liz Cracchiolo brings a ton of personality and attitude to a set that ranges from Nancy Sinatra’s hit These Boots Are Made for Walking to the Little Willie John / Peggy Lee theme Fever with detours to Ellington’s I’m Beginning to See the Light and Lieber & Stoller’s I’m A Woman.
Review: JW Vibe, Scope Magazine, Jazz Journal
Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble – Love Is The Whole Thing, We Are Only Pieces (Palmetto, release 09/18/2026). Tia Fuller – alto saxophone, Anisha Rush – alto saxophone, Jeff Lederer – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Dawn Clement – piano / voice / synthesizer, Ben Allison – acoustic bass / Hofner electric bass, Matt Wilson – drums.
Drummer Matt Wilson brings back the quintet from the last release (Good Trouble, previewed 06/03/2024), with Anisha Rush stepping in for altoist Tia Fuller on half of the tracks. The two sax front line is used to great effect in harmonized unison passages and tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer is on a tear – great playing throughout. The set ranges from a gospel-infected anthemic cover of Tom Petty to a straight up reading of a Bacharach – David tune to a full-on hard bop romp of a Bobby Watson composition (featuring Tia Fuller) to an edgy reading of an Andrew Hill song. Great ensemble, great range, joyful swing – highly recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Jazz Times, Jazz Chill
Mitch Marcus – InAround (Mitch Marcus Music, release 09/18/2026). Mitch Marcus – tenor saxophone, Evan Francis – alto saxophone / flute, Jeff Miles – guitar, Peter Brendler – bass, Jerad Lippi – drums.
Tenorist Mitch Marcus and his double saxophone quintet brings us an edgy set with a dominant, off-kilter, guitar sound.
Branford Marsalis Quartet & Dianne Reeves – Dedicated to You (Blue Note Records, release 09/18/2026). Branford Marsalis – saxophone, Joey Calderazzo – piano, Eric Revis – bass, Justin Faulkner – drums, Dianne Reeves – vocals.
Branford Marsalis just may be the greatest living tenor player (apologies to Chris Potter, Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, James Brandon Lewis, Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd). In 2025, Marsalis and his long-standing quartet covered Keith Jarrett’s Belonging (1974) track-by-track and it was a tour de force. Now to celebrate the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth, the quartet is back with Dianne Reeves as an inspired guest. Trane’s 1965 release John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is singular in that great discography for Coltrane’s collaboration with a singer. Covering six of the tracks from that set with Reeves was a brilliant stroke for Marsalis. Reeves is a perfect interpreter of these landmark recordings with a powerful yet nuanced voice and perfect diction. And Marsalis is at the peak of his powers, never more inspired than when he locks into his John Coltrane groove. This will be on many year-end lists and sits among the greatest Coltrane tributes of this centennial year. Highly Recommended.
Review: Jazz Weekly, UK Vibe
Donald Vega – Play It Forward (Imagery Records / The Side Door, release 09/14/2026). Brandon Lee – trumpet / flugelhorn, David DeJesus – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone / flute, Donald Vega – piano, Raul Reyes Bueno – bass, Pete Van Nostrand – drums, Carly Maldonado – percussion.
Nicaraguan-born pianist Donald Vega (As I Travel, previewed 10/23/2023), a member of Ron Carter’s band for some time, has released what I think is his fourth as a leader. He is a creative pianist with a strong rhythmic pulse to his playing. For this set, he has assembled a cracking sextet with trumpeter Brandon Lee (Eyal Milner, Christian McBride) and saxophonist / flutist David DeJesus (Director of the Birdland Latin Jazz Orchestra). Recommended.
Review: UK Vibe, Jazz Views, Paris Move
Liana Flores – And So It Goes (Verve Records, release 09/04/2026). Hunter Melee – keyboards, Liana Flores – guitar, Graham Littlejohn – drums.
British / Brazilian guitarist / vocalist / songwriter has released a short EP-length set of intimate bossa nova-scented folk-pop.
Review: Melodic Magazine
Ekep Nkwelle – Caged Bird (Mack Avenue, release 08/21/2026). Julius Rodriguez – piano, Russell Hall – upright bass, Brian Richburg Jr – drums / tambourine, Ekep Nkwelle – vocals, Luther Allison – piano / percussion.
DC-raised vocalist Ekep Nwelle has a deep relationship with gospel and the blues which informs her singing. Other than one track in duet with pianist Luther Allison (Bria Skonberg, Hot Toddies Jazz Band, James Zito), the set features a piano trio in support. Nkelle’s voice is a deep powerful instrument used to great effect.
Jon Batiste – Monk Meditations (Verve Records, release 08/14/2026). Jon Batiste – piano.
Pianist Jon Batiste mines the Monk catalog for emotional content in an introspective solo effort that, unfortunately, strips the angularity and surprise from these important tracks. Referring to its “New Age sheen”, Tim Cummings wrote on The Arts Desk, “… the inner character of Monk’s jagged, arresting music, with all its tensions and tales of the unexpected, is turned right down in favour of a soft, glistening solo set that barely ripples the surface.” Not my idea of Monk, but an accomplished piece of solo piano playing.
Review: The Arts Desk
Jon Batiste – Monk Movements (Verve Records, release 08/14/2026). Jon Batiste – piano.
Unlike it’s co-released companion in pianist Jon Batiste’s Piano Series – Monk Meditations – this set captures the essence of Thelonious Monk – the joy, the challenge, and the surprise that cohabitates with compelling and memorable melodies. Batiste reminds us here that he is a powerhouse pianist with the history of jazz piano under his fingertips. He is one of the few pianists who exposes the stride piano in Monk’s compositions. This is inspiring, listen to it on repeat. Highly recommended.
Los Bomboneros Y Sus Bombasticos Spila Tómas R. Einarsson (Blánótt, release 08/05/2026). Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir – trombone, Eiríkur Rafn Stefánsson – saxophone, Helgi R. Heiðarsson – saxophone, Daniel Helgason – tres / guitar / double bass, Tómas R. Einarsson – double bass, Alexandra Kjeld – double bass / vocals, Matthías Hemstock – drums, Kristofer Rodriguez Svönuson – percussion, Svanhildur Lóa Bergsveinsdóttir – timbales, GDRN – vocals, Mugison – vocals, Bógómíl Font – vocals.
It’s been several years now since fellow WTJU announcer Steve Harris brought Icelandic bassist Tómas R. Einarsson to our attention with his lengthy discography of Latin Jazz. Now the Icelandic Latin group Los Bomboneros has expanded to a big band to record highlights from the Einarsson catalog. While the latin instrumentation and rhythmic groove are solidly in place, I am still brought up short by the lyrics sung in Icelandic. Not being conversant in either Spanish or Icelandic, I can still hear that the vocal sound is so different, and yet the music still pulses and soars. Recommended.
Chad Smith – Saxophobia (Self Produced, release 07/17/2026). Chad Smith – saxophones, Dalton Ridenhour – piano, Lynette Wardle – harp, Mikaela Bennett – voice, Sinfonia of London – John Mills leader.
Saxophonist Chad Smith has recorded a set of tunes associated with unheralded sax pioneer Rudy Wiedoeft who was active at the dawn of jazz. Wiedoeft does not play a substantive role in any history of jazz that I have encountered, typically being referred to as a novelty vaudeville player.
Kay Kostopolous – All This Is Possible (Black Olive Jazz, release 05/22/2026). Noel Jewkes – saxophone, Peter Brainin – saxophone, John Di Martino – piano, Sean Coney – bass, Vince Cherico – drums, Kay Kostopolous – vocals.
Vocalist Kay Kostopolous alternates between theatrical performances and virtuosic bebop scatting in this set of eight standards. Two saxophonists are listed and I am not sure which is which, but there are some sensitive obligati enriching several of the songs.
Review: Wild Mercury Rhythm, Making A Scene
Duke told us “There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind.” You know what kind to expect on the WTJU Jazz Marathon, 24 hours a day from September 28 – Sunday October 4.
This year (again), I am pre-recording the overnight programming for the Jazz Marathon featuring music from the 2026 centenarians – Ray Brown, Jimmy Heath, Tony Bennett, Randy Weston with Melba Liston, Brother Jack McDuff, Bud Shank and Sweet Poppa Lou Donaldson – plus my own contributions to the Miles and Trane-O-Thon.
Sleep is over-rated. Stay up all night and join me.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
