New Jazz Releases – 11/17/2025
By Russell Perry
Fergus McCreadie
As the year winds down and the releases get fewer and fewer, there are still some memorable discs shown up. Kenny Barron has released his first disc to fully feature vocalists and Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie brings us a folk-inflected trio set. This week, a big band release by Rufus Wainwright and a Prince tribute by Martin Bejerano expose the boundaries of my musical interests / knowledge.
Martin Bejerano – The Purple Project: Reimagining The Music Of Prince (Figgland Records, release 11/21/2025). Mark Small – saxophone, Martin Bejerano – piano / keyboards / shaker / tambourine, Scott Flavin – violin, Rosalyn – violin, Ashley Liberty – violin, Steffen Zeichner – violin, Kurt Hengstebeck – bass, Dave Chiverton – drums, Nicole Yarling – vocals.
Coming off his strong 2021 release #CubanAmerican and a dozen or more years with Roy Haynes, pianist Martin Bejerano has set out to reinterpret a selection from Prince’s catalog. Regrettably, I don’t know much about Prince’s music and cannot comment on how Bejerano has transformed the works through his musical lens. The disc is heavy on vocals with a strong RnB perspective.
Rufus Wainwright and the Pacific Jazz Orchestra – I’m A Stranger Here Myself: Wainwright Does Weill (Thirty Tigers, release 11/21/2025). Rufus Wainwright – vocals.
I’ve got to admit that I know almost nothing about singer Rufus Wainwright (other than his notable patronage.) The new disc puts him in front of of a big band belting out selections from Kurt Weill’s deep catalog in a very theatrical presentation.
Thelonious Monk – Bremen 1965 (Sunnyside Records, release 11/14/2025). Charlie Rouse – tenor saxophonist, Thelonious Monk – piano, Larry Gales – bass, Ben Riley – drums.
Generally, a new live recording from Thelonious Monk is very exciting. This one, unfortunately, has indifferent audio quality. The band is very familiar, they had been together for about six months and would continue as a unit through the end of Monk’s recording career in 1968. All the tunes (five by Monk) are familiar in his repertoire. Completists will find this necessary.
Louis Stewart & Brian Dunning – Alone Together (Liva Records, release 11/14/2025). Brian Dunning – flute, Louis Stewart – guitar.
Originally released in 1979, this live set from Irish guitarist Louis Stewart introduces flutist Brian Dunning. Livia Records is working their way through Stewart’s back catalog at a pace of two releases per year (Louis The First – 2024, The Dublin Concert – 2024, I Thought About You – 2025). This is not my favorite of the recent reissues (check out The Dublin Concert).
Amaury Faye NOLA Quartet – RUST (Hypnote Records, release 11/14/2025). Julian Lee – tenor saxophone, Amaury Faye – piano, Amina Scott – bass, Herlin Riley – drums.
French pianist Amaury Faye (Arise, previewed 04/24/2023 & Live At Bozar, previewed 12/02/2024) is back with New York saxophonist Julian Lee (Isaiah J Thompson, JALC). In lieu of his European trio, Faye has enlisted New Orleans native Herlin Riley on drums (James Suggs, Bria Skonberg, Mark Whitfield, Ambrose Akinmusire / Bill Frisell) and NOLA-resident by choice Amina Scott on bass. Faye captures the strong rhythmic sense of NOLA RnB in a set of nine originals.
Kenny Barron – Songbook (Artwork Records, release 11/14/2025). Kenny Barron – piano, Kiyoshi Kitagawa – bass, Johnathan Blake – drums with Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kurt Elling, Ann Hampton Callaway, Catherine Russell, Jean Baylor, Kavita Shah, Ekep Nkwelle, Tyreek McDole – vocals.
In a departure, maestro Kenny Barron (Sunset To Dawn, previewed 10/20/2025) has delivered his first recording to fully feature vocals. He has written all the music and Janice Jarrett contributed the lyrics. To deliver these new tunes, Barron has enlisted a who’s who of distinguished jazz vocalists. Fans of vocal jazz will appreciate the contributions of Cécile McLorin Salvant, Catherine Russell, Kurt Elling, Tyreek McDole and the others. Barron is typically understated and sensuous. Recommended.
Lena Bloch – Marina (Fresh Sounds Records, release 11/14/2025). Lena Bloch – saxophone, Jacob Sacks – piano Ken Filiano – bass, Michael Sarin – drums, Kyoko Kitamura – vocals.
Moscow-born, NYC-based saxophonist Lena Block has a great sound and is endlessly inventive in her playing. In this release, she joins vocalist Kyoko Kitamura with whom she interprets the work of Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva. The saxophone playing is my favorite part of this disc.
Review: Jazz Chill, Paris Move
Ola Onabulé ft. Hazelrigg Brothers – It’s Never Over (Aliud Records, release 11/14/2025). George Hazelrigg – piano, Geoff Hazelrigg – bass, Thomas Käfel – drums, Ola Onabulé – vocals.
British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Ola Onabulé joins with the Philadelphia Hazelrigg brothers (George on piano and Geoff on bass) and Austrian drummer Thomas Käfel for a set of Onabulé originals plus one by Prince. Onabulé has a distinctive voice with a memorable range that brings Andy Bey to mind. This one grew on me with subsequent listenings.
Review: Paris Move
Gregory Groover, Jr – Old Knew (Criss Cross, release 11/07/2025). Gregory Groover Jr – tenor saxophone, Paul Cornish – piano, Joel Ross – vibraphone, Harish Raghavan – bass, Kendrick Scott – drums.
Gregory Groover brings his soulful tenor to a program of ten originals plus one by Jason Moran. Groover has enlisted an A-list quintet with exciting young pianist Paul Cornish (You’re Exaggerating, previewed 08/25/2025), sparkling vibraphonist Joel Ross (Nublues, previewed 02/12/2024), versatile bassist Harish Raghavan (Geoffrey Dean, Marquis Hill, Tyshawn Sorey) and drummer Kendrick Scott (Out Of / Into – Motion, previewed 12/09/2024 & Corridors, previewed 02/27/2023).
Enoch Smith, Jr – The Book Of Enoch, Vol. 1 (Misfitme, release 11/07/2025). Enoch Smith, Jr – piano, Kai Gibson – bass, David Hardy – drums.
Allentown, NJ-based pianist Enoch Smith Jr brings the church with him to this satisfying trio set of gospel inflected covers and traditional tunes. Consistently upbeat, Smith and his longtime trio make joyful music from start-to-finish.
Review: Jazz Chill Music, Jazz Weekly
Fergus McCreadie – The Shieling (Edition Records, release 10/24/2025). Fergus McCreadie – piano, David Bowden – double bass, Stephen Henderson – drums.
The Scottish folk tradition is never too far from the music of pianist Fergus McCreadie. Bassist David Bowden punctuates several tunes by creating a drone over which McCreadie trills in an exciting evocation of bagpipes and fiddles. Sweet, fluid, gentle and familiar. Highly recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, The Jazz Word, Jazz Sensibilities
Steve Tibbetts – Close (ECM, release 10/24/2025). Steve Tibbetts – guitar / percussion / piano, JT Bates – drums, Marc Anderson – percussion / gongs / handpan / loops.
Delicate and meditative, the latest (after a seven year pause) for guitarist Steve Tibbetts is a quiet guitar – drums – percussion trio affair with soft and pulsing percussion underlaying electric and acoustic guitar ruminations. Lovely and provocative.
Review: ECM Reviews, The Big Takeover
Juan Chiavassa – Fourth Generation(Whirlwind Records, release 10/10/2025). George Garzone – tenor saxophone, Leo Genovese – piano / Rhodes, John Patitucci – double bass, Juan Chiavassa – drums with Federico Gonzalez Peña – synthesizers, Mike Stern – guitar, Pedrito Martinez – congas.
For his recording debut, Argentine-born, New York-based drummer Juan Chiavassa has brought in his mentor from Berklee tenor saxophonist George Garzone (featured guest with Flying Horse Big Band, Spike Wilner, Claire Daly), pianist Leo Genovese (Gaia Wilmer – Bob Moses, Frank Carlberg, Julieta Eugenio) and bassist John Patitucci (Spirit Fall, previewed 02/17/2025). On two tracks, the quartet hosts guest Mike Stern (Echoes And Other Songs, previewed 09/09/2024) in whose band Chiavassa has played. Garzone and Genovese dominate the sound with their solid soloing and ensemble playing.
Eydís Evensen – Oceanic Mirror (XXCIM Records, release 10/10/2025). Ari Bragi Kárason – trumpet, Grímur Helgason – clarinet, Eydís Evensen – piano / synthesizer / vocals, Ásgeir Trausti Einarsson – vocals / guitar, Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir – violin, Guðbjartur Hákonarson – violin, Karl James Pestka – viola, Hrafnhildur Marta Guðmundsdóttir – cello, Samadhi Reykjavík – sound bowls, Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis -vocals.
Icelandic Pianist Eydís Evensen has produced a peaceful set of original compositions for keyboards in small ensembles variously with strings, trumpet, clarinet, guitar and vocals.
Happy listening,
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
