New Jazz Releases – 11/02/2026
By Russell Perry
Ruben Caban
Lots of music again this week. Trombonist Ruben Caban brings us more Latin jazz fusion, James Brandon Lewis reprises his Red Lily ensemble, Ron Vincent presents a septet with a three-reed front-line, guitarist Jocelyn Gould breaths new life into the guitar – organ – drums ensemble, veterans Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille join with David Virelles to form the new Trio Imagination, a group of young players nail it as The New Philly Sound and Enoch Smith, Jr makes the most of his gospel roots.
And if you missed the UVa Jazz Ensemble last Friday under the baton of Sharel Cassidy and featuring guests Richard D Johnson and Carol Morgan, you missed a good one. They perform twice a year and their spring concert should make it onto your calendar.
Joe Webb – Neath Beat Live! (Edition Records, release 10/30/2026). Joe Webb – piano, Will Sach – bass, Sam Jesson – drums.
Welsh pianist and his trio return for a live version of his last release (Neath Beat, 05/26/2026), reprising seven of the tracks – five originals and two covers. Once again this talented pianist draws from the deep well of pre-bebop jazz and mixes in Brit-pop sensibilities.
Jason Robinson – Blue Salience: For Yusef Lateef (Circumvention Music, Release 10/29/2026). Bijon Watson – trumpet, Mike Peipman – trumpet, Haneef Nelson – trumpet, Zoe Murphy -trumpet, Randy Pingrey – trombone, Chris Gagne – trombone, Angel Subero – bass trombone, Bill Lowe – bass trombone / tuba / spoken word, Allan Chase – alto saxophone / flute / baritone saxophone, Marty Ehrlich – alto saxophone / flute / bass clarinet / Bb clarinet, Felipe Salles – tenor saxophone / piccolo / flute / alto flute / Bb clarinet), Ian Buss – tenor saxophone / flute / Bb clarinet, Brian Landrus – baritone saxophone / bass clarinet / bass flute, Eric Hofbauer – guitar, Kevin Harris – piano, Avery Sharpe – bass, Richie Barshay – drums / percussion / timpani / gong / samba whistle, Jason Robinson – percussion / tenor saxophone / alto flute / tubular bells / cuica / synthesizer / clavinet / train whistle / sleigh bells.
Inspired more by the diversity and exploratory essence of the music and writings of Yusef Lateef than by any purely stylistic lessons from the recordings, Massachusetts saxophonist Jason Robinson pays tribute to the Detroit tenorist with a sprawling big band set. Adventurous.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Paris Move, UK Vibe
Ryan Keberle’s Collectiv do Brasil – Here Is Donato! (Alternative Side Records, release 10/26/2026). Ryan Keberle – trombone / vocals, Felipe Silveira – piano / synthesizers, Felipe Brisola – bass, Paulinho Vicente – drums, Guegué Medeiros – percussion.
One of the most stylistically-diverse trombone players on the scene, Ryan Keberle has several ensembles going from time-to-time – Catharsis, The Gil Evans Project, Reverso – and contributes to several large ensembles – Darcy James Argue, Marie Schneider, John La Barbera, Michael Davis. One of his most consistent projects is the São Paolo-based Collective do Brasil (Choro das Aguas, previewed 07/21/2025) a trombone – piano – bass – drums – percussion quintet with whom he has four recorded sets honoring Brazilian composers Ivan Lins, Edo Lobo, Toninho Horta / Milton Nascimento, and now João Donato. Using Donato’s compositions as a point of departure, the quintet pays tribute without being slavish.
Review: Pop Matters
Stephan Crump – Passerine (Out Of Your Head Records, release 10/23/2026). Kenny Warren – trumpet, David Leon – alto flute / saxophone, Stephan Crump – acoustic bass, Ches Smith – percussion.
Bassist Stephan Crump (Otherlands Trio – Star Mountain, previewed 10/27/2025) performed in Charlottesville in 2025 with his wife, singer Jen Chapin in a show put on by the Charlottesville Jazz Society. His latest release, with a cordless trumpet – reeds – bass – drums quartet is a very different affair. The original compositions are meditative and spare, leaning into melancholy.
Review: Jazz Trail
Olga Amelchenko – Touching The Invisible (Edition Records, release 10/23/2026). Olga Amelchenko – alto saxophone, Rob Clearfield – piano / keyboards, Juan Villarroel – bass, John Hadfield – drums with Musina Ebobissé – tenor saxophone.
Russian-born Paris-based alto saxophonist Olga Amelchenko recorded her latest in the midst of her first pregnancy and has dedicated the piece to her daughter. The result is more groove-oriented and less heavy than its wonderful predecessor (Howling Silence, previewed 07/07/2025) and features keyboards from Rob Clearfield (Voice In the Wilderness, previewed 0609/2025) in lieu of guitar.
Ruben Caban – Tales From The Trunk (Self Produced, release 10/23/2026). Brian Lynch – trumpet, Alex Pope Norris – trumpet, Ruben Caban – trombone, Francisco Torres – trombone, Rafael Roche – trombone, Angel Subero – bass trombone, Ed Calle – saxophone, Nestor Torres – flute, Tal Cohen – piano, Kemuel Roig – piano / keyboards, Tal Cohen – piano, Kemuel Roig – piano / keyboards, Camilo Velandia – guitars, Agustin Conti – bass / B3 organ, Lino Piquero – baby bass, David Chiverton – drums, Waldo Madeira – drums, Ludwig Afonso – drums, Roberto Vizcaino Jr – percussion, Jose “Pepe” Espinosa – timbales, Edwin Bonilla – percussion.
Puerto Rican-born trombonist Ruben Caban (Katanga, previewed 02/12/2024) continues to blend funk, Latin jazz and salsa into a percussion-rich mix. Compositions by Wayne Shorter, Jule Styne and Kenny Dorham are side-by-side with those of Latin artists Pedro Flores and Rafael Valencia. The all-brass front-line pairs Caban with trumpeter ubiquitous Brian Lynch (7 X 7 X 7, previewed 11/24/2024). Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, Puerto Rico Jazz
James Brandon Lewis & Red Lily Quintet – Calling Antonin (Tao Forms, release 10/23/2026). Kirk Knuffke – cornet, James Brandon Lewis – tenor saxophone / voice, Melanie Dyer – viola, Tomeka Reid – cello, Joshua Abrams – bass, Chad Taylor – drums.
Tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis was invited to compose music for a tribute to Antonín Dvořák by the Czechoslovak American Marionette Theater Company. The result, the latest from Lewis’s Red Lily ensemble, looks to Dvořák for several compositions and to the composer’s interest in black gospel for others. Lewis even reflects on an imagined meeting of Dvořák and poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Red Lily has been expanded to a sextet and now includes Melanie Dyer on viola, Tomeka Reid on cello (Dance! Skip! Hop!, previewed 06/08/2026) and Joshua Abrams on bass. This sextet has such excellent players and Lewis once again proves what a strong bandleader he is. Recommended.
Review: Jazz Trail, Paste Magazine, The Big Takeover
Ron Vincent – Ray’s Hat Trick (Origin, release 10/23/2026). Dave Brandom – alto saxophone / baritone saxophone / flute / clarinet, Tim Armacost – tenor saxophone / alto flute / flute / bass clarinet, Matt Garrison – soprano saxophone / alto saxophone / tenor saxophone / flute, Bill Mays – piano, Steve Cardenas – guitar, Dean Johnson – bass, Ron Vincent – drums.
Drummer Ron Vincent played in Gerry Mulligan’s quartet with pianist Bill Mays (Mattias Swensson, David Larsen) and bassist Dean Johnson (Ron Horton, Roeanna Vitro, David Larsen) starting in 1989, continuing with the maestro until his death in 1996. Now Vincent has added guitarist Steve Cardenas (Allison, Cardenas & Nash – Triological, previewed 04/13/2026) to the rhythm section for a sweet recording with three multi-reed players. Over a program of originals by Vincent and Mays and classics of modern jazz this terrific band moves with style and grace. Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Weekly, Paris Move
Now’s The Time: An Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Jazz, Vol. 1 (Blue Note Records China, release 10/23/2026).
Admittedly, contemporary jazz from China is more than a bit of a black box to me – I just don’t have much exposure to or knowledge of it. Blue Note is working to remedy this gap with their release of the first volume of an anthology. Six tracks introduce six players / ensembles ranging from a cinematic piece from the large ensemble Red Hand Band to a ballad from a quiet guitar-forward quartet from Zhang Xiongguan. Among the highlights are a lovely folk-inspired track from Shanghai trumpeter Li Xiaochuan and the duet of Chinese bassist Chennai Wand and Italian pianist Moreno Donadel.
Florian Hoefner – Into The Aquasphere (Alma Records, release 10/23/2026). Christine Carter – clarinet / bass clarinet, Florian Hoefner – piano, John Hébert – bass, Eric McPherson – drums.
Pianist Florian Hoefner (Atlantic Jazz Collective – Seascape, previewed 05/08/2025) and his clarinet – piano – bass – drums quartet join with a 22-piece chamber orchestra to present a suite that fits comfortably into what Gunther Schuller described as “third stream” in 1957 – a blending of western classical music with jazz.
Sean Bray – Wide Open Spaces (release 10/19/2026). Anthony Panacci – accordion / keyboards, Sean Bray – electric guitar / acoustic guitar, Loni Moger – acoustic guitar / electric guitar, George Koller – bass, Davide DiRenzo – drums with Laila Biali – wordless vocals.
Canadian guitarist Sean Bray has released a ten-song set of original compositions by a tight quartet (mostly) that tilts to the Americana end of the jazz spectrum.
Samara Joy – Live At The Blue Note L.A. (Verve Records, release 10/23/2026). Jason Charos – trumpet, Eli Feingold – trombone, David Mason – alto saxophone, Kendric McCallister – tenor saxophone, Caelan Cardello – piano, Martin Jaffe – bass, Evan Sherman – drums, Samara Joy – vocals.
Possessing some of the most remarkable singing chops in jazz today and garnering comparison to jazz hero Sarah Vaughan, much is expected of of Samara Joy (Portrait, previewed 10/14/2024). Her latest EP brings us four tracks from a live gig, bringing to mind critic Gary Giddens who described saxophonist James Carter as a player “who can play anything except subtle…”. I do wish Joy would tone it down as she has all the tools for stunning contributions for jazz.
Surprise Chef – Frogs In A Pond (Concord Jazz, release 10/23/2026). Jethro Curtin – keyboards, Lachlan Stuckey – guitar, Carl Lindeberg – bass, Andrew Congues – drums, with Hudson Whitlock – percussion.
This new release is a cinematic suite from an Australian quartet with a distinctly mysterious vibe, maybe ideal for Halloween.
Thiefs – Survivalism (The Drops Music, release 10/16/2026). Christophe Panzani – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone / flute / alto flute, Keith Witty – upright bass / electric bass, David Frazier Jr – drums / electronics with Mr J Meideros – MC, Aaron Parks – piano, Chris Dingman – vibes, Jonathan Finlayson – trumpet, Mike Ladd – spoken words.
Thiefs joins American bassist Keith Witty and French saxophonist Christophe Panzani with drummer David Frazier, Jr and several guests (Aaron Parks, Chris Dingman, Jonathan Finlayson) in an exploratory electro-hip hop-jazz fusion.
Amy London – Alto Madness (FiveCat Records, release 10/16/2026). Ron Horton – trumpet / flugelhorn, Mike Hashim – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone, Janice Friedman – piano, Mark McCarron – guitar, Ralph Hampering – bass, Mike Campenni – drums, Amy London – vocals with The Royal Bopsters (Amy London – soprano, Jeanne O’Connor – alto, Tyler Bassett – tenor, Dylan Pramuk – bass) – vocals.
Vocalist and member of the Royal Bopsters vocal group Amy London brings us a release with a novel premise – vocal versions of songs associated with alto players (Richie Cole, Louis Jordan, Jimmy Dorsey, Johnny Hodges and seven by Benny Carter), hence the title. London is a first-rate singer and the ensemble, featuring trumpeter Ron Horton (Prayer For Andrew, previewed 12/11/2023)and saxophonist Mike Hashim (The Billy Strayhorn Project, The Microscopic Septet), rounds out a fine effort.
Jocelyn Gould – So Delighted (La Reserve, release 10/09/2026). Jocelyn Gould – archtop guitar, Ben Paterson – Hammond B3 organ, Fabio Ragnelli – drums with Jonathan Challoner – trumpet, Christine Jensen – tenor saxophone, Joey Landreth – guitar.
Canadian guitarist Jocelyn Gould (Solo – 2025, Portrait of Right Now – 2024, Sonic Bouquet – 2023) has been releasing records at a regular pace, but I was, until now, only aware of her session work (Randy Napoleon, Michael Dease, Jon Gordon). My mistake. She is a commanding player and this is perhaps my favorite guitar – organ – drums trio record so far this year. Gould invites several guests in to join the fun and her two tracks with saxophonist Christine Jensen (sister of Ingrid Jensen) are particularly strong. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, UK Jazz News, Jazz Views, Papatamus Redux
Trio Imagination – Creative Inspirations (Pi Recordings, release 09/25/2026). David Virelles – piano, Reggie Workman – double bass / percussion / water drum, Andrew Cyrille – drums / percussion.
Bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille anchored Trio 3 with saxophonist Oliver Lake until he departed the ensemble in 2022. Now the two veterans have brought in pianist David Virelles (Mark Turner, Eric McPherson, Johnathan Blake) to form Trio Imagination. Through three fully improvised pieces, four by Virelles, one by Cyrille and one by Andrew Hill, the three bring magic to the venerable piano trio format. Recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Jazz Trail, Something Else Reviews
The New Philly Sound – Presents The New Philly Sound (Misfitme Music, release 09/25/2026). Ace Yuji Williams – trumpet, Aidan McKeon – saxophone, Justin Griggs – piano, Ry Miller – bass, Justin Bowden – drums, Mekhi Boone – drums.
Young players from Julliard and Temple make up a quintet to present compositions from the jazz tradition (Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Sam Jones) including some by players associated with Philadelphia (Lee Morgan, John Coltrane) plus five by band members. This is the first I have heard from these players and I look forward to more. Strong front line. Recommended.
Review: WRTI
Harry Sheppard’s Eternal Vibes – The Free Radicals (Self Produced, released 09/22/2026). Harry Sheppard – vibraphone with two dozen players in different combinations.
At 94, in 2020 / 2021, vibraphonist Harry Sheppard began to record solos over jam session recordings from his regular Monday night residency. Upon his passing, several associated players / friends worked to make a final pressing from this start and the result has now been released. Sheppard, who played with Benny Goodman back in the day, brings the history of mid-century jazz to the party.
Enoch Smith Jr. – This Is What Love Does (Self Produced, release 08/28/2026). Enoch Smith Jr – piano, Kai Gibson – bass, Logan Bogdan – drums with Paula Winter – percussion.
As spacious as Ahmad Jamal and as gospel-tinged as Ramsey Lewis, the trio led by pianist Enoch Smith Jr (The Book Of Enoch, previewed 11/17/2025) has brought us a moving appreciation of Smith’s family with original compositions inspired by / dedicated to various family members. Strong and satisfying. Recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz
I hope you are enjoying the great autumn weather.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
