New Jazz Releases – 11/03/2025
By Russell Perry
Warren Wolf
It’s a variety pack this week – smoldering hard bop from trumpeter Neil Gray, driving bebop from Richmond altoist James “Saxsmo” Gates, polyrhythm heaven from Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra, reinterpreted classics from pianist Ted Rosenthal, plus a reissue of a 1956 hard bop masterpiece from Hank Mobley. Fortuitously drummer Brandon Sanders is out this week with another fine disc featuring Warren Wolf who will be our guest on WTJU’s Offbeat Roadhouse this coming Friday.
Brandon Sanders – Lasting Impression (Savant Records, release 11/07/2025). Stacy Dillard – tenor saxophone, Eric Scott Reed – piano, Warren Wolf – vibraphone, Eric Wheeler – bass, Brandon Sanders – drums with Tyler Bullock – piano, Ameen Saleem – bass, Jazzmeia Horn – vocal.
Drummer Brandon Sanders (The Tables Will Turn, previewed 10/28/2025) is back with another quintet with thrilling vibraphonist Warren Wolf (History of the Vibraphone, previewed 08/26/2024) as the only returning player. Sanders has first-class taste in vocalists – Christine Dashiell last time and Jazzmeia Horn (Messages, previewed 12/23/2024) this time. Amazing pipes. Tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard (Cyrus Chestnut, Marius Van Den Brink, Moppa Elliot) is stunning, especially on Mal Waldron’s ballad Soul Eyes. Highly recommended.
Warren Wolf will be our guest on Offbeat Roadhouse, live on The Stage (2244 Ivy Road) and broadcast live on WTJU, 8:00 – 9:00 PM on Friday 11/07. Wolf will be performing with alto saxophonist and Director of Jazz Performance Sharel Cassity and some of her UVa students.
Theo Bleckmann – Love and Anger (Sunnyside, release 10/31/2025). Mike King – piano & organ, Matt Penman – bass, Ulysses Owens, Jr. – drums, Theo Bleckmann – vocals with Timo Vollbrecht – saxophone / flute, Ben Monder – guitar.
Vocalist Theo Bleckmann is an amazing singer with a wide range, impeccable intonation, and emotional phrasing. This Jazz-adjacent set of mostly pop covers is a showcase for his remarkable instrument.
Review: The Big Takeover
Tom Ollendorf – Where In The World (Fresh Sound New Talent, release 10/31/2025). Aaron Parks – piano, Tom Ollendorf – guitar, Conor Chaplin – bass, James Madden – drums.
For the third release from British guitarist Tom Ollendorff, the leader has assembled a piano – guitar – bass – drums quartet with the formidable pianist Aaron Parks (Little Big III, previewed 10/21/2025). All of the program is self-composed and there is a sweet familiarity to Ollendorff’s compositions.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Marlbank
Neil Gray – In The Streets (Cellar Music, released 10/31/2025). Julian Borkowski – trumpet, Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone, Bruno Hubert – piano, Conrad Good – bass, Neil Gray – drums with Leila Naderi – vocals.
Impresario and tenor saxophonist Corey Weeds (founder of Cellar Music) joins his latest discovery, drummer Neil Gray, in a tribute to Vancouver with compositions inspired by clubs, locations and people around town. As we expect from Cellar Music, the trumpet – tenor quintet offers a well-played set of hard bop mostly composed by the leader. Recommended.
Hank Mobley – Jazz Message #2 (Craft Records, release 10/24/2025). Donald Byrd – trumpet, Lee Morgan – trumpet, Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone, Barry Harris – piano, Hank Jones – piano, Doug Watkins – bass, Art Taylor – drums, Kenny Clarke – drums.
In 1956, as both Horace Silver and Art Blakey were shaping their ground-breaking hard bop quintets, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley played with both leaders. Mobley’s contemporary disc, Jazz Message #2, includes iconic players from both orbits, including an 18-year-old (but very mature sounding) Lee Morgan. This early example of Mobley’s work prepares us for the torrent of his releases over the next decade as he became the most recorded tenor saxophonist on Blue Note in those classic years. Highly recommended.
Carlos Dafé & Adrian Younge – Carlos Dafe JID 025 (Jazz Is Dead, release 10/17/2025). Tatiana Tate – trumpet, Lasim Richards – trombone, Phillip Whack: Alto Sax, Danny Janklow: Baritone Saxophone, David Urquidi: Baritone Saxophone, Brian Velasco: Fender Rhodes piano, Adrian Younge: Electric bass, Leo Costas: Drums, Krishna Booker: Percussion, Carlos Dafé – vocal.
Another edition from the Jazz Is Dead factory, Adian Younge features Brazilian pop / samba / soul / funk singer Carlos Dafé.
James “Saxmo” Gates – Saxmo’s Den (804 Music, release 08/30/2025). James “Saxsmo” Gates – alto saxophone, Dr. Weldon Hill – piano, Justin Kauflin – piano, JL Harris – organ, Carl Lester El – guitar, Dr Naima Burrs – violin, Marissa Resmini – violin, Kimberley Ryan – viola, Stephanie Barrett – cello, Michael Hawkins – bass, Billy Williams – drums, Will Roman-per)
Richmond ace alto saxophonist “Saxsmo” Gates brings us a set of eleven originals and three covers. The originals pay homage to heroes like Bird, Cannonball, Miles, and Pops. Gates brings premier RVA players to the gig including Justin Kauflin (Danish Rain, previewed 06/05/2023) and Michael Hawkins (On Bass…, previewed 06/05/2023). Gates brings a strong bebop presence to mostly an alto – keys – guitar – bass – drums – percussion sextet, although a string quartet joins in for Georgia On My Mind dedicated to Stacey Abrams. Recommended.
Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra – Shadows Of Tomorrow (Summit Records, release 08/22/2025). Brad Goode, Miles Roth, Shawn Williams, Jeff Jarvis, Clay Jenkins – trumpets, Jonathan Bumpus, Zach Rich, Tom Call – trombones, Gary Mayne – bass trombone, Wil Swindler – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Andrew Janak – alto saxophone, Don Aliquo, David Bernot – tenor saxophone, Eduardo Moncada – baritone saxophone / clarinet, Drew Zaremba – flutes, Javier Vinasco Guzman – clarinets, Dana Landry, Manuel Tejada – piano, Alfredo Balcacer – guitar, Erik Applegate – bass, Wanna Cuesta – trap drums, Pablito ‘drums’ Peña, Felix ‘Abuelo’ Garcia, Daniel Berroa, Miguel Montas – percussion.
With seven reeds, five trumpets, six trombones, a five-man rhythm team plus four percussionists, Socrates Garcia’s Latin Jazz Orchestra’s has a full, polyrhythmic and multi-layered sound. Much of the music is written to feature the exciting sound of trumpeter Brad Goode (The Snake Charmer, previewed 01/27/2025). The six tracks are all composed by the leader who teaches at University of North Colorado. Half the run time is dedicated to a three-part suite, Illusions, Delusions … A Glimmer of Hope about our divided nation and what the composer sees as “a whisper of hope.” Highly recommended.
Review: Jazz Weekly, AllAboutJazz
Ted Rosenthal Trio – Classics Reimagined (TMR, release 10/17/2025). Ted Rosenthal – piano, Noriko Ueda – bass, Quincy Davis – drums, Tim Horner – drums with Ken Peplowski – clarinet, Sara Caswell – violin.
Pianist Ted Rosenthal (Ken Peplowski, Gerry Mulligan) has arranged 11 short classical pieces / etudes for piano trio, with violinist Sara Caswell (The Way to You, previewed 02/27/2023) sitting in for two selections and clarinetist Ken Peplowski (Unheard Bird, previewed 04/08/2024) joining for an additional two. Although this is an idea that goes back to John Kirby recording a jazz version of Chopin’s Minute Waltz in 1939 or Art Tatum recording Dvořák’s Humoresque the following year, this release doesn’t just include an isolated composition but captures eleven selections from Satie, Elgar, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, as well as Chopin and Dvořák. Terrific themes, well-arranged and played – lovely from start to finish. Recommended.
The RVA Jazz Collective – Daddy, What Is Jazz (804 Jazz Records, release 08/15/2025). Bill McGee – cornet, James Saxsmo Gates – alto saxophone, J Plunky Branch – tenor saxophone / spoken word, Dr. Weldon Hill – piano / bass, Fabian Lance – piano, Lucy Kilpatrick – piano, Charlie Kilpatrick – piano, Mark Johnson – piano / organ, Lonnie Liston Smith – piano, James Holden – harmonica / soprano saxophone, Hannon D Lane – guitar, Cameron Smith – guitar, Christian Bolar – keyboards / guitar, Mike Hawkins – bass, Henry Harris – bass, Jason Jenkins – bass, Zion Charity – bass, Aron “Teo” Lee – bass, Billy Williams – drums, Carl Lester El – drums, Keith Willingham – drums, Kim Jenkins – drums, Devin Jenkins – drums, Junnie Collins – percussion, BJ Brown, Robert Payne, Nyesha Fox, Jamil Jasey, Dr. Rebirtha Pope Matthews, Felicia Winston – spoken word, Desiree Roots – vocals with RVA African Percussion Collective: Risegun Olomidun, Ram Bhagat, Kevin Davis, Edalio Galarza, Larry L Boone, Olufemi Shepsu.
With a mission to “Teach our Children to KEEP JAZZ ALIVE,” the Richmond Jazz Society presents the RVA Jazz Collective in a pedagogical program that touches on key moments / movements / musicians in the history of jazz. There are shoutouts to many of the greats and narration to tell the story. As the title suggests this is ideally suited for educating children.
Another reminder: Warren Wolf and Sharel Cassity, live at WTJU’s The Stage on Friday 11/07 from 8:00 – 9:00 PM. They will be headlining a group of Cassity’s students. See you there.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
