jazz2love

  Album:  Taking My Seat: A Musical Inheritance  Artist:  Alexis Cole Label:  Tiger Turn Release Date:  November 6, 2026 Website:  www.alexiscole.com At 50 years of age, Alexis Cole releases the first album on which she is both the singer and pianist, calling the release Taking My Seat: A Musical Inheritance.   The title is pertinent to Cole's life story, having inherited her father's talent for playing the piano, and her maternal grandmother's affinity for creating an intimacy with the audience by singing and accompanying herself on the piano.  Supporting Cole is David Finck on bass and Kenny Hassler on drums, erecting an environment that is reflective of cabarets and after hours clubs. Fluent in both Latin jazz and American swing, Cole holds her audience captive with the bossa nova sashaying of "My Little Boat" and the torchlight setting of "Bye Bye Blackbird."  The delicate flicker in her keys shroud her vocals in beads of crystal thr...

  Album:  A Live Musical Tribute to Peggy Lee Artist:  Angela O’Neill and the Outrageous8 Label: Outrageous8 Records Release Date: August 21, 2026 Website:   www.angelamaeoneill.com Recorded live on September 10, 2024, at The Velvet Martini Lounge at Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City, California, A Live Musical Tribute to Peggy Lee celebrates vocalist Angela O’Neill and her band, the Outrageous8, entering their tenth year together.  The repertoire reaches back to the band’s beginnings, performing some of the most revered melodies sung by the late, great Peggy Lee.   The Outrageous8 does not approach the material as a re-creation of Lee's recordings but rather as the big band orchestra supporting their own leading lady, Ms. O'Neill. From the big band blazes of "Outrageous ‘A’ Train," the recording rolls into the bluesy burlesque swagger of "I’m A Woman,” laden with smoldering instrumentation as O'Neill performs with all the flaming gusto of a vi...

  Album:  If I Did Not Speak Out  Artist:  Ryan Barry Label: G2 Records & Publishing Street Date: September 11, 2026 Website: https://www.ryanbarrymusic.com Label Site: https://www.g2recordsandpublishing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rbarrymusic Ryan Barry is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist whose music integrates traditional hard bop language with modern swing and contemporary voices.  His bio claims he was "drawn to improvisation from an early age, [when] he discovered his passion for jazz while performing in his university big band, setting the course for a career centered on composition, collaboration, and artistic exploration."  Traits that came together on his latest release If I Did Not Speak Out. The album opens with “I’ll Close My Eyes,” composed by Billy Reid.  The arrangement gives the quintet space to interact freely as Barry’s tenor and Melsha’s trombone shape the melody, settling into a swi...

  Album:  Plays at the Wrong Time Artist:  Haruna Fukazawa Label:  Orange Paw Records Release Date:  July 31, 2026 Website:  www.harunaflute.net From frolicking jetstreams to gently flowing brooks, flutist Haruna Fukazawa dazzles and enchants audiences with her 2026 recording Plays at the Wrong Time, a collection of original works and jazz standards.  Her playing is customized and lyrical, resembling a glittering waterfall of sparkling tones and harmonic phrasing, producing a lively animation.  Joining Fukazawa along the adventure are soprano saxophonist and fellow flutist Steven Wilson, pianist David DeMotta, bass player Bill Moring, and drummer Steve Johns.  From the swinging romp of the title track to the improvised sprints of Victor Young's vintage tune "When I Fall in Love," and the smooth classical strut of "Mellow Shadow," Fukazawa's works are multi-faceted, offering audiences a ride that is filled with merriment and pleasing surprise...

  Album:  Passionata: The Music of Gregg Hill  Artist:  Technocats Label: Cold Plunge Records Release Date: August 28, 2026 Website:  www.gregghilljazz.com www.coldplungerecords.com  The Technocats is a contemporary jazz ensemble rooted in Michigan’s fertile jazz community.  Their 2026 release Passionata: The Music of Gregg Hill shows them exploring the jazz language through improvised exchanges and melodic phrasing, using the music of Gregg Hill as their source.  Led by bass trombonist Chris Glassman, alongside guitarist Nathan Borton, the group brings together a motley crew of performers, arrangers, educators, and improvisers, who develop their harmonic concepts from the straight-ahead jazz marketplace, merged with contemporary influences and individual expression. The ensemble’s arrangements are cultivated by each player contributing to the compositions progression, creating a collaborative environment where written material evolves through in...

    New Release:  Stomp Your Stuff from Oliver-Smith Incomparables Release Date:  August 28, 2026 Label:  Turtle Bay Records Website:  https://www.halsmithjazz.com/ Roaring '20s ragtime, Tinpan Alley romps, Vaudeville hootenannies, and Prohibition Era hot jazzz merge together on Stomp Your Stuff , the 2026 recording from the Oliver-Smith Incomparables.  Reimagining nostalgic material from the Chicago-based Melrose Brothers publishing catalog, and channeling the chutzpah of vintage Jelly Roll Morton, pianist Andrew Oliver and drummer Hal Smith are joined by Colin Hancock on coronet and alto sax, Andy Schumm on clarinet and cornet, T.J.  Müller on trombone, cornet and vocals, Jacob Alspach on guitar and banjo, and Dan Anderson on string bass and tuba, forming the 7-piece ensemble the Incomparables. Together, they induce a party atmosphere, curating some of the best traits of Americana-inspired, speakeasy jazz.  From its cheerful syncopated groo...

  New Release:  Hard Bop: For The Record from Greg Chako Label: Mint400 Records Release Date: September 4, 2026 Website:  https://gregchako.com Hard Bop: For The Record is the 25th offering from composer-leader-guitarist Greg Chako, a piano-less two-horn quintet recording that places Chako's guitar at the center of the ensemble while demonstrating his commitment to the hard bop language and traditional jazz idioms.  Inspired by the classic quintets of Horace Silver and Art Blakey, the album features shards of swing alongside hard bop, blues, and chillout jazz, most notable in the tribute tune "Bop for Bud," paying homage to pianist-composer Bud Powell.  Chako's improvised thrumming on the guitar is embellished by the frilly tooling of Brooks Giles's saxophone on "Mr. Higgins," a nod to drummer Billy Higgins that is keeled by the steady pulse of David Lloyd's bass and Alex Merk's drumming, while Spencer Mark's lyrical phrasing on the trombone...

  New Release:  Sea Spell from Jeff Rupert Quartet Release Date:  June 26, 2026 Label:  Rupe Media Website:    https://www.facebook.com/JeffRupertSax/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxg1Yv6cuyD5f8AaZdfvSlALbKqXInpKm Smooth jazz tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert leads his quartet on a blissful voyage along his 2026 installment Sea Spell from Rupe Media.  Joining him are Richard Drexler on piano, Ben Kramer on bass, and Marty Morell on drums.  The sumptuous raptures of his sax elevate the senses in tracks like "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" and "A Breeze Through the Keys," inducing waves of calm in numbers like "Blue Steel" and the title track.  The quartet shines on the Latin swing shimmies of "Mambo Inn," and shifts to a ballroom waltz through "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," illuminating a romantic mood. The swinging pulse of "Orca-Stration" has an undercurrent of jumping blues beats, and softens to a caressing bree...

    New Release:  Let's Take A Trip from Anthony Caceres Release Date:  February 27, 2026 Label:  Jig In G Website:  www.anthonycaceres.com Jazz crooner, bass player and leader Anthony Caceres serenades audiences with a vocal prowess reminiscent of Wayne Newton and a swinging strut reflective of Michael Feinstein.  His 2026 release Let's Take A Trip shows his affinity for swing.  Accompanied by Tamir Hendelman on piano, Jostein Gulbrandsen on guitar and Joe Farnsworth on drums, Caceres's vocals drive the melodies while his performance on the upright bass subtly brushes across the tracks.  "A Slow Hot Wind," written by Henry Mancini and Norman Gimbel, displays Caceres's sensitive vocalese as a penetrative narrator.  His poignant vocal inflections along "I Just Dropped By To Say Hello," a Johnny Hartman gem, is laden with emotional depth.  Caceres's retooling of Depeche Mode's hit song "Strange Love" is refashioned with swing jazz tr...

  New Release:  Treasury Volume 3 from Terry Waldo Label:  Turtle Bay Records Release Date:  June 5, 2026 Website:  https://terrywaldo.com Treasury Volume 3   is pianist, historian, cultural preservationist, and bandleader Terry Waldo's latest installment in his Ragtime Classics series.   From Creole to Storyville jazz, from bluesy tin pan alley grooves to jaunty vaudeville tempos, and from ragtime to swing, Waldo demonstrates his affection and fidelity to early American jazz, shaped by improvisation, interplay, and spirited harmonies.   Joining Waldo on the recording are:  Jay Lepley on drums and vocals, Jim Fryer on trombone and vocals, Mike Davis on trumpet and vocals, Jerron Paxton on banjo and vocals, Evan Arntzen on clarinet, Ricky Alexander on clarinet, Colin Hancock on trumpet, Nick Russo on banjo, Brian Nalepka on bass and Arnt Arntzen on banjo.  His reworking of Jelly Roll Morton's fan favorite “Frog-I-More Rag,” crea...

  New Release:  Keep Holding On from Leigh Pilzer Label:  Strange Woman Records 010 Release Date:  June 19, 2026 Website:  www.leighpilzer.com Leigh Pilzer's dexterity on the baritone saxophone will inspire audiences to remember the hard-bop extemporizing of iconic saxophonists like Dexter Gordon and Zoot Sims.  Her 2026 endeavor Keep Holding On blends traditional jazz precepts with contemporary sensibilities  A bulk of the compositions are original material written by Pilzer, crisscrossing between the freestyle call and respond conversations of her original work "Swinging at the Station" and the fluid riffs of her tuneful "When It's Gone."  Her interplay with trombonists Jen Krupa and Joe Jackson, trumpet players Kenny Rittenhouse and Ally Hany Albrecht, and Hammond B3 organist Paul Bratcher is spicy, bold and expressive.  The tracks are tweaked by the fiery and combustible playing of drummer Greg Holloway, who make every track pop and crac...

  New Release:  Fool's Fate from Rik Wright and the Fundamental Forces Label:  HipSync Records Release Date:  July 10, 2026 Website:  www.rikwright.com Seattle-based guitarist and composer, Rik Wright is at the helm of Fundamental Forces, a quartet that hones psychedelic jazz soundscapes,  balancing improvised movements with melodically structured motifs.  Their 2026 recording Fool's Fate , comprised of original material written by Wright, shows the quartet's malleable quality to be spontaneous, riffing off one another while maintaining the core thread.  Tracks like "Nothin' But A Thang" and "Freezer Jam" are hold together by a recurring motif that each musician builds from, exercising their extemporaneous leanings.  The soft splendor of "Luminescence" is tasseled in James DeJoie's dulcet saxophone twirls, cradled in the lounging bass pump of Geoff Harper and steady beats of drummer Greg Campbell, as Wright's unbridled musings on th...

  New Release:  Eklektika from Carolyn Lee Jones Label:  Catn’round Sound Release Date: June 15, 2025 Website: www.carolynleejones.com Singer-songwriter Carolyn Lee Jones showcases a vocal swagger that exudes confidence and total command of the progression of the melodies in her performance, emblematic of the elegant charisma of Jane Monheit and the sentimental persuasion of Wayne Newton.  Her 2026 release Eklektika presents a complementing range of material from Broadway standards like George and Ira Gershwin's "Embraceble You" to the uplifting narration of "That’s What Being in Love Is All About," written by Roger Boykin and propelled by a swinging rhythm and balmy embers.  The classic bopping tremors of "Out of Nowhere,” by Johnny Green and Edward Heyman, features a sizzling saxophone solo from Shelley Carrol and a striking piano vamp played by Peter Rioux.  The cushiony bossa nova ambience of Michael Franks's ruminating tune "Tell Me All About...

  New Release:  Girl Talk from Jennifer Madsen Label: SingBaby Productions, LLC Release Date: June 26, 2026 Website:  https://www.jennifermadsen.com A sleek and beguiling crooner, Jennifer Madsen radiates a lively persona on her latest project Girl Talk .   Sowing big band zest with the opulence of swing, Madsen is a galvanizing storyteller, illustrating an intimacy with her audience that is entrancing.  The classic orchestration honors jazz tradition while tweaking the tunes with Madsen's own personalized touch.  Her rendition of Cy Coleman's sultry number "You Turn Me On, Baby" enlivens the romantic ambience while her nuanced vocals throb with anticipation, promising an enchanting interlude along "You and the Night and the Music," anchored by a slow burning mambo rhythm.  "Misty" accentuates her smooth, crooning vocalese, highlighting the emotional depth of the lyrics as she purrs wistfully, "Look at me / I'm as helpless as a kitten up a...

    New Release:  Uncharted Realms from Sean Imboden Large Ensemble Label:  Self-Released Release Date:  May 1, 2026 Website:  https://www.seanimboden.com/ Indianapolis-based saxophonist, composer and leader Sean Imboden returns with his 17-piece big band for his second recording with his orchestra entitled Uncharted Realms .  Their program reimagines traditional big band instrumentation with contemporary perspectives, multi-faceted improvisations, dynamic interplay, and harmonious phrasing.   Opening with "Flowing Currents," the arrangement moves steadily, seaming bulging horns that fluctuate from silky gliding to refined twirling, billowing and flaring.  The recording cruises into a melodic phrasing binding "When You Look Beyond," layering a marching cadence with blazing horns and piercing guitar patterns that transition into the serpentine curves of "Balcony," stringing tangoesque musings and a comfy rhythmic beat.  The album clo...

    New Release:  Shifty Paradigms from Dave Slonaker Label:  Origin Records Release Date:  February 20, 2026 Website:  https://daveslonaker.com   Bandleader, arranger and composer Dave Slonaker presents his third recording, Shifty Paradigms , expanding on his perception of big band arrangements remaining true to tradition while exploring uncharted terrain.  He composed seven of the eight arrangements on the album, highlighting his extensive influences in the field of swing and writing for large jazz ensembles.  He opens the album with “Dash Cam,” structuring the composition to mirror the diverse flow among the instruments, moving between peaceful and bustling.  On the 1925 standard “Bye Bye Blues,” written by Fred Hamm, Dave Bennett, Bert Lown, and Chauncey Gray, Slonaker weaves a jazz waltz for baritone saxophonist, Adam Schroeder, traveling into a straight-ahead up-tempo section for Ron Stout on trumpet.  The title track is a che...

  Album: This Is Now Artist:  Pete Mills Label:  Mighty Ernie Records 1003 Release Date: April 3, 2026 Artist Website:  www.petemills.com Tenor saxophonist and Toronto-born Pete Mills fires up a swinging compilation of original material and one cover tune on his 2026 release This Is Now .   Joining him are drummer Matt Wilson, bassist Martin Wind, guitarist and co-producer Pete McCann, and pianist Kenny Banks Jr.   Moving in time with each other, Mills's band demonstrates a synchronicity that reels audiences in, spawning adventurous twists and honing smooth curves. The band blazes on the title track with a fun and swinging romp that slinks into a balmy samba through "Sunset STX" with STX referring to the airport code for St. Croix.  The bluesy swagger of "Daddies" has an easy-going fluidity, shifting to a succession of improvised excursions along "Up To Go Down," as Mills's sax carves out peculiar angles interlacing with McCann's guitar strin...

  Album:  Plaid Pants Artists:     Ron Cyger and Brent Butterworth, Label:   Outrageous 8 Records Release Date:   March 13, 2026 Website: https://cygerbutterworth.bandcamp.com/ https://www.angelamaeoneill.com/ao8records https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ron-cyger/1482212553   Plaid Pants from saxophonist Ron Cyger and guitarist Brent Butterworth moves along rhythmically, harmoniously, and collaboratively.   The duo's rapport produces a friendly environment for the listener, as they correspond casually between each other and their band mates: drummers Dimitris Terzpiis and Leo Oliveira, and bongo player Larry Salzman.     The pair spruce up " Pequeña Diabla " with a sexy, Latin salsa shimmy, while wielding a bluesy jazz gait along "Round & Round."   A slow trot drives "Clunky," contrasting the bopping beats propping the title track, as Cyger's saxophone seeds the track with a swinging pulsation.   The reflective mood of "L...

  Album:  Strange Meadowlark Artist:   Mark Christian Miller Label:   Self-Released Release Date:   February 6, 2026 Website:   www.markchristianmiller.com   Jazz vocalist and Los Angeles native Mark Christian Miller releases his fourth album as a bandleader Strange Meadowlark .   In true crooner fashion, Miller blends vintage swing with modern sensibilities, engaging listeners by directing the lyrics to his audience, creating an intimacy that is magnetic.   His re-iterations of jazz standards display an amore for swing.   His phrasing is stylized and charming.   His delivery is upbeat and lyrical, in sync with the rhythmic swells.   His resonance is nuanced and animated, demonstrated in his rendition of "Mister Kicks."   A whistling flute embellishes "You Make Me Feel So Young" with elegant furls, turning reflective through the title track, accentuating the warm serenade.   The wandering ruminations of the saxophone ...

  Album:  Thank You Notes: The Music of Gregg Hill Artist:   Paul Keller Orchestra Label: Cold Plunge Records Release Date: March 27, 2026 Websites: https://www.coldplungerecords.com www.paulkellerjazz.com www.gregghilljazz.com   String bass player and bandleader Paul Keller helms an 18-piece orchestra on Thank You Notes: The Music of Gregg Hill .   Packed with interpretations of Gregg Hill's original works,   Keller's orchestra captures the opulence of classic big band vitality, liaising with a modern playfulness and easy-going repartee.     The classic big band finish of "Bopportunity" is liken to the orchestras of the 1960's with a contemporary arc.   The spirited vibe of Finkbeiner's trumpet trotting through "Dollah Hollah" has a striking flair, as though building a story about the day in the life of a single individual.   The listener can easily imagine the character being played by the late actor Jack Lemmon, mirroring the actor'...