New Jazz Releases – 12/01/2025
By Russell Perry
Jane Ira Bloom
The pace of new jazz releases is definitely slowing down as the end of the year approaches, but the quality of the releases is exceptional. I can recommend all of the new releases – a quintet set from Out Of / Into; quartets from Sujae Jung / Wolf Robert Stratmann and Noah Preminger; and duos from John Scofield / Dave Holland, and Jane Ira Bloom / Brian Shankar Adler. Plus two rollicking live 60s sets from Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Vibrations In The Village: Live at the Village Gate 1963 (Resonance Records, release 12/05/2025). Rahsaan Roland Kirk – tenor saxophone / stritch / manzello / flute / vocals / whistle, Horace Parlan – piano, Melvin Rhyne – piano, Jane Getz – piano, Henry Grimes – bass, Sonny Brown – drums.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Seek And Listen: Live At The Penthouse 1967 (Resonance Records, release 12/05/2025). Rahsaan Roland Kirk – tenor saxophone / flute / stritch / manzello / flexatone / siren / whistle, Rahn Burton – piano, Steve Novosel – bass, Jimmy Hopps – drums.
Between 1956 and 1976, Rahsaan Roland Kirk released two dozen studio recordings and a small handful of live releases. For the fan – not enough. So when Resonance Records releases two live recordings for Record Store Day, this is a big deal. Everything you expect from Kirk is on display – encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history, wicked humor, staggering virtuosity, inventive soloing, playing several instruments at once. The later recording from The Penthouse gets the edge for me with its better and more complete sound and more comfortable interplay among the players on the band stand. To be a contrarian, if I was looking for an introduction to Kirk or to fill out a modest collection, I would first experience some of the landmark studio recordings from the catalog – We Free Kings (1961), Charles Mingus – Oh Yeah (1961), Roy Haynes – Out of the Afternoon (1962), Rip, Rig and Panic (1965), The Inflated Tear (1968), Jaki Byard – The Jaki Byard Experience (1968). Then, dive into these new finds. Not essential.
Review: Glide Magazine, The Big Takeover, Jazz Views, AllAboutJazz, Jazz Views
Out Of / Into – Motion II (Blue Note Records, release 12/05/2025). Immanuel Wilkins – alto saxophone, Gerald Clayton – piano, Joel Ross – vibraphone / marimba, Matt Brewer – bass, Kendrick Scott – drums.
Founded in celebration of Blue Note Records 85th anniversary last year, Out Of / Into is an all-star quintet of young players from the label’s roster. Their first release (Motion I, previewed 12/09/2024) garnered much critical attention and now the quintet is back with a program of six original compositions featuring the richness of the ensemble’s writing and playing. Much of the sound derives from the powerful playing of altoist Immanuel Wilkins (Blues Blood, previewed 10/14/2024) and the lyricism of vibraphonist Joel Ross (Nublues, previewed 02/12/2024). Highly recommended.
Jung Stratmann Quartet – Confluence(Self Produced, release 12/03/2025). Sujae Jung – piano, Steve Cardenas – guitar, Wolf Robert Stratmann – double bass, Marko Djordjevic – drums.
The New York-based Korean – German duo of pianist Sujae Jung and bassist Wolf Robert Stratmann have delivered their first full-length release in a quartet setting with American guitarist Steve Cardenas (Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols, previewed 02/12/2024) and Serbian drummer Marko Djordjevic. The mid-tempo pieces swing sweetly and the ballads are darkly meditative. I hope we hear more from these players. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, JW Vibe
Noah Preminger – Dark Days (Criss Cross, release 11/28/2025). Noah Preminger – tenor saxophone, Ely Perlman – guitar, Kim Cass – bass, Terreon Gully – drums.
Earlier this year tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger released a ballads set (Ballads, previewed 02/17/2025) that was as gentle and tender as this new release is dark and turbulent. This mien is a reflection of difficult personal times for the artist in 2024 (illness, divorce). Recording again with a quartet, this one features guitar (up-and-coming Eli Perlman) in lieu of piano and reunites Preminger with bassist Kim Cass. Drummer Terreon Gully (Carmen Lundy, Christian McBride) fills out the quartet with his characteristic emotional range. Preminger is a terrific tenor player. Recommended.
Review: UK Vibe, Jazz Times
John Scofield / Dave Holland – Memories Of Home (ECM, release 11/25/2025). John Scofield – guitar, Dave Holland – bass.
Guitarist John Scofield (Uncle John’s Band, previewed 10/13/2023) and bassist Dave Holland (Dave Holland & Lionel Loueke – United, previewed 12/23/2024) have been in complementary orbits for decades participating in many common projects (Chris Potter, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes), but this is their debut as a duo. Both players contribute compositions, both new and several each from their back catalog, renewed through this unique pairing. The smaller the ensemble, the more apparent the chemistry (or lack thereof) of the players and this is a rich vein – very successful. Recommended.
Review: The Arts Fuse, Post Genre, AllAboutJazz, ECM Reviews
Jane Ira Bloom & Brian Shankar Adler – Once Like a Spark (Adhyâropa Records, release 11/21/2025). Jane Ira Bloom – soprano saxophone, Brian Shankar Adler – drums / tabla / chromatic discs / wooden box with Ken Filiano.
In my pantheon of jazz achievement, the soprano saxophone chair is reserved for Jane Ira Bloom. No one else has the tone or lyricism that she possesses. For her latest release, she is paired majestically with percussionist Brian Shankar Adler and the two tackle fourteen compositions written by one or the other of them. Spare, sensual, melodic and quite beautiful. Recommended.
Not many releases this week but a lot of great music. I hope you had a lovely holiday long weekend.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
