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Music Week [0 - 9]

Monday, May 18, 2026

May archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45961 [45922] rated (+39), 12 [18] unrated (-6).

Good news is I'm back on a Monday Music Week schedule. Bad news is my brain is mush, and I have virtually nothing to say.

I suppose I could reiterate a couple things from last week:

1. I completed my ballot for DownBeat's Critics Poll, and wrote up my notes. I thought I might write some more about that, but I haven't.

2. I've been working on putting Robert Christgau's Deans List: 2025 up on his website, split into two chunks: essay and list. I have finished with these latter files, but I haven't updated the website yet. I thought I might write some more about this, but I haven't.

3. I was also thinking about writing some sort of exec summary of my recent Loose Tabs file, but all I have so far is this lousy stub file.

4. I have collected a few notes for some future Loose Tabs file. Even when my brain is mush, inertia still functions.

5. There was probably something else I was thinking of, but I can't recall, other than that I'm unlikely to remember it either.

One thing I can note is that we have a substantial storm headed into Wichita soon. And I just had a premonition when the electricity clicked off. Back right now, so may be I'll just post this.

New records reviewed this week:

Steven Bernstein/Scotty Hard: ResoNation Trio/Ultra Resonance (2025 [2026], Royal Potato Family): Two LPs on one CD, the first a trio of Bernstein (trumpets), Scott Colley (bass), and Nasheet Waits (drums); the second where the same music was reprocessed by the producer ("all instruments replayed, rearranged, and redeployed by Scotty Hard"), with Jeremy Gustin credited for extra percussion. Both are interesting on their own, but a bit underwhelming run together. B+(***) [cd] [06-05]

Jane Ira Bloom/Brian Shankar Adler: Once Like a Spark (2025, Adhyâropa): Soprano saxophonist, steady stream of albums since 1980. Adler plays "a hybrid drum set that includes North Indian tabla, Argentine bombo legüero and an array of found objects. Seems like a perfect match. B+(***) [sp]

Dawn Clement: Dear Ms. Dearie (2025 [2026], Origin): Pianist, sings often, obviously the point on a tribute to Blossom Dearie (1924-2009, dropped her first name, also a pianist of some note, wrote four songs here). With Steve Kovalcheck (guitar), John Clayton (bass), and Jeff Hamilton (drums). B+(**) [cd] [05-22]

Braxton Cook: Not Everyone Can Go (2025, Nettwerk): American saxophonist, several albums since 2015, sings some, also plays guitar and keyboards. B+(*) [sp]

Chick Corea: Forever Yours: The Farewell Performance (2020 [2025], Candid): Pianist (1941-2021), debut 1966, early on played fusion with Gary Burton and Miles Davis, and continued with his popular Return to Forever and later with his Elektrik Band, but did much more, including the avant-garde Circle group (with Anthony Braxton), and a lot of conventional solo and trio work, which serves as a reminder that no matter what you think of his choices — and I've panned a lot of his records — he was unquestionably an extraordinary pianist. This collects two solo concerts from three months before his death. This offers a good summary, including a set of his "Children's Songs" and reflections on Monk and Powell (and Evans and Ellington and Mozart). B+(**) [sp]

George Cotsirilos: In the Wee Hours (2017-25 [2026], OA2): Guitarist, half-dozen albums since 2003, mostly trio or quartet. This one is solo, two originals and various standards (two from Ellington), recorded on nylon string acoustic guitars. B+(*) [cd] [05-22]

Sylvie Courvoisier Trio: Éclats - Live in Europe (2025 [2026], Intakt): Swiss pianist, debut 1997, mostly plays duos, this just her fourth Trio per Discogs. With Drew Gress (bass) and Kenny Wollesen (drums), picked from four sets in Germany and France. B+(***) [sp]

Theo Croker/Sullivan Croker: Play (2023 [2025], ACT Music): Trumpet and piano duo, young American players, one piece composed by Croker, the rest improvised. B [sp]

Amalie Dahl's Dafnie Extended: Live at Moldejazz (2025 [2026], Sonic Transmissions): Danish saxophonist, based in Oslo, group Dafnie comes from a 2022 quintet album with trumpet, trombone, bass, and drums, "extended" here to 12 pieces, adding baritone sax and flute, but mostly filling the middle with piano, accordion, and synths, and doubling down on bass and drums. B+(*) [bc]

Daoud: Ok (2025, ACT Music): French trumpet player, Discogs lists him as a hip-hop producer, last name Anthony, and shows one previous album. Lots of synths and percussion. B+(*) [sp]

Django Festival Allstars: Evolution (2026, Motéma): Group originally organized for the Django Reinhardt NY Festival in 2002, have released a couple previous albums, back for a 25th anniversary reunion, led by Dorado Schmitt (guitar), with Ludovic Beier (accordion), and Pierre Blanchard (violin), with a drumless rhythm section of Antonio Licusati (bass) and Francko Mehrstein (rhythm guitar). B+(*) [sp]

Gabriel Espinosa: The Brazilian Project (2022-25 [2026], Origin): Mexican bassist, not listed as playing here but is the composer, with arrangements by Rafael Rocha (trombone) and Bruno Santos (flugelhorn). Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, "enhanced by the Tallinn Studio Orchestra." B+(*) [cd] [05-22]

Christine Fawson: It Could Happen to You (2025 [2026], self-released): Standards singer, also plays trumpet. Has at least two previous albums, as well as a credit in Diva Jazz Orchestra. Great songs, done well. B+(***) [cd] [06-01]

Michael Formanek: New Digs (2025 [2026], Intakt): Bassist, own albums started appearing in 1990, as well as many groups and side-credits. One of his most successful groups has been Thumbscrew, a trio with Mary Halvorson (guitar) and Tomas Fujiwara (drums). They're the core here, augmented by John O'Gallagher (alto sax), Chet Doxas (tenor sax/clarinet), João Almeida (trumpet), and Alexander Hawkins (organ). This starts to get real interesting seven cuts in, which has sent me back to the beginning several times. B+(***) [sp]

David Friedman & Tony Miceli: Glow (2019 [2026], SteepleChase): Two vibraphonists, as was Samuels (1948-2019). Friedman's discography goes back to 1975, Miceli's nearly as far but picks up around 2005. Duets, a mix of standards and originals, including one song credited to Samuels and Friedman, another to Samuels alone. B [sp]

Gordon Grdina: Martian Kitties (2025, 577): Canadian guitarist, also plays oud, prolific, duo here with the drummer also on electronics. B+(**) [sp]

Gordon Grdina/Russ Lossing: Turnpike (2026, Attaboygirl): Oud and piano duets. The oud has a distinctive sound that dominates here. B+(**) [sp]

Gordon Grdina's Nomad Trio: Ash (2026, Attaboygirl): Third group album since 2020, with Matt Mitchell (piano) and Jim Black (drums). B+(**) [bc]

Sven-Åke Johansson With Pierre Borel/Seymour Wright/Joel Grip: Two Days at Café Oto (2025, Otoroku): Swedish drummer (1943-2025), recorded this April 8-9, shortly before his death on June 15. First album was 1972, Discogs credits him directly with 88 albums, 168 performance credits. Five pieces, one short and four in the 23:05-31.45 range. Grip (bass) and Johansson play on all five, Wright (alto sax) on four, Borel (alto sax) also on four (so three tracks have both). B+(***) [bc]

Aubrey Johnson: The Lively Air (2025 [2026], Greenleaf Music): Jazz singer, from Wisconsin, niece of Lyle Mays, studied in Boston, based in New York, fourth album since 2020, Mays' bandmate Steve Rodby produces (both were in Pat Metheny Group). Group includes Tomoko Omura (violin), Alex LoRe (woodwinds), Chris McCarthy (keyboards), bass, and drums. I should note that sometimes I'm blown away by the amount of technical skill, and even the breadth of creativity, even in albums I don't especially like. One cut I do love is her Joni Mitchell cover ("Help Me"). B+(**) [sp]

Audrey Johnson/Helen Sung/Dave Douglas: Lives of the Saints: Portraits in Song With Words by David Hadju (2025, Sunnyside): Voice, keyboards, and trumpet, also credited for the music along with Renee Rosnes. Hajdu has been music critic at The New Republic and The Nation, and has seven books, starting with a biography of Billy Strayhorn in 1996. His texts honor ten women: Ada Lovelace, Angelina Napoitano, Lena Hornse, Bessie Hall, Sophie Scholl, Hyapatia, Hedy Lamarr, Vivian Maier, Leonore Carrington, and his sister Barbara Ann Hajdu. The band I associate mostly with Douglas: Chet Doxas (clarinet/tenor sax), Marika Hughes (cello), Simón Willson (bass), Rudy Royston (drums), Samuel Torres (percussion). B+(*) [sp]

David Lord: Way Over the Rainbow (2025, Cloud Ear): Guitarist, from Wichita, four previous album since 2018 all volumes of Forest Standards. Mostly trio with bass (Dale Black) and drums (Charles Rumback), with guest spots for Jeff Parker (guitar on three tracks) and Sam Hake (vibes one). B+(*) [sp]

Andrew Moorhead: Mirage (2025 [2026], OA2): Pianist ("and mathematician"), has a previous album from 2023, this a trio with François Moutin (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). Original pieces, presented as "a suite of etudes," often rhythmic drills with considerable thought and appeal. B+(***) [cd] [05-22]

Azuka Moweta and His Anioma Brothers Band of Africa: Kenechukwu (2026, Palenque): Nigerian singer and bandleader, from Asaba in the Delta State. Sounds like near classic highlife. A- [sp]

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Ellington Masterworks (2024 [2026], MCG Jazz): Charlie Young is conductor and artistic direction, for "a live program of rare Duke Ellington compositions from 1940-68" — the only titles I recognize are "Jack the Bear" and "Ad Lib on Nippon," and few of the musicians ring a bell, but the Ellingtonia is unmistakable. B+(***) [cd] [06-12]

Vaiano's Paisanos: Vaiano's Paisanos (2026, Jalopy): Rachel Meirs (violin) and Van Burchfield (guitar), who have a previous duo album, expanded their Louisville-based folk ensemble here, to play a set of tunes from the NYC melting pot of the 1920s and 1930s, some from Europe, others from the Caribbean. B+(***) [sp]

Vaiano's Paisanos: Vaiano's Paisanos Presents Rachel Meirs & Van Burchfield (2025, Jalopy): Violin and guitar duo, their group name already conceived without the extra players of their eponymous group album. Same basic idea, a bit more minimal. B+(**) [bc]

Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble: Groove in the Face of Adversity (2025, Mack Avenue): Don Fagenson, took the name Don Was when founding the Detroit duo Was (Not Was), which released four albums 1981-90 (a fifth appeared in 2008; David Weiss performed as David Was). By then, Was had developed a reputation for producing records, winning six Grammys, and working around the industry, including as president of Blue Note Records. Band here includes saxophonist Dave McMurray and vocalist Steffanie Christi'an. Includes a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "This Is My Country." Nothing else that obvious, but if these aren't all funk covers, they're pretty classic. (Documentation sucks. Seems to be live.) B+(***) [sp]

Rich Willey: Laid Back Vol. 1 (2025 [2026], Boptism): Trumpet player, early credits go back to 1993 (with Mel Tormé, on trombone), has more recently released albums as Rich Willey's Boptimism Big Band and his Boptimism Funk Band. Splits the difference here, with a featuring credit for John Swana (EVI) and arrangements by Wally Minko. B+(*) [cd] [05-30]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Ray Charles: No One Does It Like . . . Ray Charles! (1962-65 [2025], Tangerine): A restored "lost album" from the mid-1960s, or alternatively a collection of "mid-1960s singles, B-sides, and non-LP tracks." I count six non-album singles here ("Hide Nor Hair," "No One," "Don't Set Me Free," "My Baby Don't Dig Me," "My Heart Cries for You," "Without Love"). None were really big hits, but several will be familiar from his comps, and they keynote a pretty consistent album, with touches of, yes, genius. A- [sp]

Duke Ellington: Copenhagen 1964 (1964 [2026], Storyville): After a few bars of "Take the 'A' Train," opens with a medley of early tunes, followed by a 14:52 "Harlem Suite," and new material from the then-unrelesed Far East Suite. Lots of good stuff, especially "Kinda Dukish," an intro for the piano player that explodes into "Rockin' in Rhythm." A- [bc]

Bill Evans: Portraits at the Penthouse: Live in Seattle (1966 [2025], Resonance): One of many recently unearthed live shots of the pianist and his trio, here with Eddie Gomez (bass) and Joe Hunt (drums). B+(**) [sp]

Benny Golson: Gone With Golson (1959 [2025], Craft): Tenor saxophonist (1929-2024), fifth album since 1957, three original compositions plus two standards, quintet with trombone (Curtis Fuller), piano (Ray Bryant), bass, and drums. B+(***) [sp]

Morphine: Bootleg Detroit [Deluxe Edition] (1994 [2025], Rykodisc/Rhino): Rock band formed 1989 in Massachusetts, principally Mark Standman (2-string bass) and Dana Coley (sax, mostly baritone, sometimes two at once), with one or two sets of drums. Five studio albums 1992-2000, the latter released after Standman died and the group disbanded. At that time, Rykodisc also released this live tape (2000), expanded here from 40 to 65 minutes. I like the sound. Not so sure about the songs. B+(**) [sp]

Lester Young: Lester Leaps In: Live at Birdland 1951-1952 (1951-52 [2025], Liberation Hall): Eight previously unreleased tracks from four "Jumpin with Symphony Sid" radio shots, with various piano, bass, and drums, plus some trumpet (Jesse Drakes). B+(***) [bc]

Old music:

Azuka Moweta and His Anioma Brothers Band: Ekobe Global (2025, Palenque): Nigerian singer and bandleader from Asaba, on the delta of the Niger River, second (of three so far) albums on this Colombian label (ignoring singles and remixes). Ekobe refers to a style with traditional Igbo instruments, and global is where they're headed. Hard to choose between the albums without spending a lot more time. B+(***) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Ballister + Luke Stewart: Clocking the Wheel (Aerophonic) [07-10]
• Maya De Vitry: All My Faith (Mad Maker Studios) [07-24]
• Charles Downs Quartet: Inner (ESP-Disk') [05-15]
• Entropic Hop: The Quest for the Normal Is the Death of the Self (ESP-Disk') [05-15]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Thursday, May 14, 2026

May archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45922 [45881] rated (+41), 18 [14] unrated (+4).

I blew through Monday working on Loose Tabs. By the time I was done, I had accumulated 331 links, with 23,402 words. It covers 28 days, so I continue to be almost monthly. I think it's getting better organized and edited, but it's still pretty scattered. I wish I had an AI genie that could read this and generate a plan to outline 6-8 more purposeful Substack essays. I don't even care that much about recycling the words, as that part comes easy enough. It's formulating the plan and sitting down to tackle it that's the hard work.

While I was wrapping it up, I had the idea that my next Substack post would be some sort of "executive summary" of this Loose Tabs. I opened a draft file for that purpose, but didn't put anything into it (yet). I do think that my digressions on gerrymandering and bankruptcy are worth elaborating on as standalone essays. That could still happen, but I still have plenty more fish to fry.

After posting Loose Tabs on Tuesday, I figured this Music Week would be next. I did the cutoff early Wednesday, the extra two days pushing the rated count up from an anemic under 30 to a robust over 40. Then, before I got into writing an introduction, I decided that I should knock out my DownBeat Critics Poll Ballot. I always get a laugh when I read the invite, which admits "this is a LONG ballot" then adds it "will probably take a little less than an hour to complete." The ballot has 51 questions, and each one asks you to allocate 10 points (usually 5-3-2) among a list of nominees that runs from 30-80 individual names (sometimes more for albums: this year's "Album of the Year" listed 158 titles). It took me 8 hours yesterday, plus six hours today, to get it all filled out. Of course, part of the problem was that I took notes. Still, I did very little writing along the way. Most of what I did was copy the nominee lists, then sort them into two tiers, then pick three votes from the upper tier. I wrote in votes very rarely:

1. Reut Regev under Rising Star Trombone (3rd after Kalia Vandever and Natalie Cressman. I only recognized two other nominees, with no firm opinion on either, but had written Regev's name in before.
2. Dave Liebman, 3rd for Soprano Saxophone (dropped from ballot, and also dropped from Tenor Saxophone, where I would probably have listed him 15-25; I like his tenor more than I like his soprano, but the competition is much stronger; Liebman does still appear on the Flute list, but I can't remember hearing him play flute).
3. Rising Star Baritone Saxophone: after Charles Evans and Jonah Parzen-Johnson, I didn't recognize anyone on the nominee list, but I had recently enjoyed Leigh Pilzer's album, so I wrote her name in at 3rd.
4. I wrote Maria Muldaur in at 1st in Blues Artist or Group. I've been doing that for some years now (this year ahead of Robert Finley and Taj Mahal).
5. Blues Album: I had only hears two of the 34 nominated albums: Buddy Guy at B+(***), and Eric Bibb at B+(**). I gave Guy my 3rd place vote, behind Muldaur's One Hour Mama (a full A) and Finley's Hallelujah (an A-). I also had Mavis Staples' Sad and Beautiful World at A-, tagged as "B" in my 2025 tracking file but I decided it was less narrowly blues (it was actually nominated under "Beyond"), and Guy's lower-rated album would suffice.

One could save time by not taking notes, but then you would also not have reminders from the previous year. I often wind up voting for the same people this year as last year, trusting my previous judgment over having to rethink everything again. But to get down to one hour, you'd have to answer each and every question in just over one minute. I'm a slow reader, so I can't even read every line in the list in that time, let alone mull it over. Of course, you could save time by skipping questions, or by not using all of your votes. That's allowed, and they don't make the ballots public, so who will know? Or care?

I started writing notes on the DownBeat polls in 2003, way before I got invited to vote, and wrote about them every year through 2009 (see index), so those pieces are all after-the-fact commentary. It's always interested me what other people are thinking, perhaps as a sanity check on my own thought (which is often quite different). I skipped 2010, which was in the late, declining days of Jazz Consumer Guide, although that may have just been a coincidence. I resumed in 2011, when I was invited to vote, so all the subsequent notes are structured differently. Even so, I wrote more commentary back then than I have in recent years, as the whole process has seemed more and more like a lot of work for little value.

Still, it might be interesting to take a couple days and write an essay about what I've learned about jazz and polling over the last 23 years. That's on my mental list of things to think about writing. Another possible item is a comment/response to Robert Christgau's belated Dean's List: 2025, where his list of "the 61 best albums of last year (or so)" came up well short of his actual review log (Joe Yanosik figures 23 albums short) and rather skewed (6 of his top ten albums were originally graded A-, while one full A album wound up at 51, with others at 49, 43, 42, 39, 29, 28, and 27). It's possible that part of the reason is my own fault, in that I'm way behind updating the Consumer Guide database on Christgau's website. I started to work on correcting that before I got sidelined with Loose Tabs and so forth, and got caught up to September. I'll get back to work on that soon. Once I have the database up to date, I'll have a better idea what's going on, and then I can write something up.

I'll save speculation on details here, but note that my first thought was simply to write up a feature on the albums in my The Best Non-Jazz Albums of 2025 that Christgau didn't review, for whatever reason. I do make a point of listening to everything I can find that he's reviewed, so I can offer second opinions within the limits of my taste and analysis, and I try to place that within the context of everything else I listen to. He listens as broadly as I do, but only writes about things he has something substantial to say about, so it's never clear what he knows about what he hasn't written about. I don't want to get into an argument about methodology, but as someone with historically similar tastes, I think his readers might find my takes on albums he hasn't written about to be of some use. That's all.

Some of what I've listened to below comes from working on the Dean's List and his CG database. I reexamined four of his top six albums, but only bumped the grade of one up. I already had the other six of his top ten at A-, which was good enough for me. Only two of the next ten I have at less than A-: Jeff Evans Porkestra and Dingonek Street Band; same for two more from 21-30: Ale Hop & Titi Bakorta and Marshall Allen; the differences of opinion swell to four in 31-40, three in 41-50, seven in 51-61, including the bottom 5. Overall, 65.5% of his Dean's List albums rated A- or higher for me. On the other hand, where he came up with 84 albums (counting Yanosik's +23, I have 107 (counting 2 late 2024 finds): 54 of which he has yet to review, or maybe even to hear (half are by artists he's never reviewed); the other 11 are albums he reviewed with lower grades than I came up with.

I should note that while I've been writing quite a bit recently, I'm also thinking more about doing some website work. I'll write this up when I get serious, but main thing I could use help on is to come up with some sort of design template that I can use for the Christgau website, and eventually for mine and possibly some other projects I have in mind. My problem is settling on a visual model. I can figure out how to implement whatever design appeals, but getting to the design has been an obstacle.

In this vein, I'm also thinking about running another mid-year Jazz Critics Poll. It will just be up to 10 new albums and up to 5 reissue/vault jobs. I'm less certain about running an end-of-year poll. One key consideration may be how easy I can make it. The last few years have been a lot of work, leaving me drained and frazzled afterwards.

New records reviewed this week:

أحمد [Ahmed]: Play Monk (2025 [2026], Otoroku): British quartet of Pat Thomas (piano), Joel Grip (bass), Antonin Gerbal (drums) and Seymour Wright (alto sax), formed in 2017 as a tribute to Ahmed Abdul-Malik, seventh album, really came into their own with the 5-CD live box Giant Beauty (2024). Just six tunes, five running over 20 minutes, an extrapolation which can leave their models deeply buried. But they continue to impress, mightily. A- [sp]

J. Cole: The Fall-Off (2026, Cole World/Dreamville/Interscope): Rapper Jermaine Cole, opened with a mixtape in 2009, seventh studio album since 2011, all charted at number one, billed as his final album (he's 41), supporting a world tour with 73 dates running from July to December. I've followed the studio albums, impressed by his flow and beats, put off the N-word intensity, but I paused when I saw the size (24 tracks, 101:17) of this effort. Turns out it wasn't much effort. B+(**) [sp]

Mikaela Davis: Graceland Way (2026, Kill Rock Stars): Singer-songwriter from Rochester, third album since 2012. Cover shows her in western wear including a white hat, instructing us to "file under canyon country," and title makes a connection to Elvis Presley and Memphis, but neither is very clear in the grooves. Her main instrument is reportedly harp. B+(*) [sp]

Alabaster DePlume: Dear Children of Our Children, I Knew: Epilogue (2026, International Anthem): British saxophonist, spoken word poet, actual name Angus Fairbairn, half-dozen albums since 2015, counts this as an EP (5 songs, 26:02), styled as an epilogue to his 2025 album A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole, and a bookend to his 2024 EP Cremisan: Prologue to a Blade. Also plays synths, sampler, and guitars, backed by bass (Shahzad Ismaily) and drums (Tcheser Holmes). B+(**) [sp]

Friko: Something Worth Waiting For (2026, ATO): Indie rock band from Chicago, principally Niko Kapetan (vocals, guitar) and Bailey Minzenberger (drums), second album after a couple of EPs. Has the sound, not that I much care. B [sp]

The Ghost Wolves: Consumer Waste (2024, Saustex): Austin Texas garage/punk band, principally Carley Wolf (guitar, vocals) and Jonny Wolf (drums, synth, vocals), seventh album since 2011, 12 songs in 26:16. B+(**) [sp]

Hang on the Box: Spiritual War (2025, Beijing Modern Sky Cultural Development): All-female Chinese punk rock band, formed 1998, debut album 2001, Wikipedia lists seven albums through 2017, Discogs has four of them plus a 2020 live cassette and a 1998-2008 2-CD compilation. I was clued to this by a stray reader comment, but I haven't found anything about the album, other than that it is on streaming. Some punk edges, but mostly post, with new wavish vamps, and an interesting ballad/ambient break. B+(**) [sp]

Jasper Høiby's 3 Elements: Conversations of Hope (2026, Edition): Danish bassist, based in London, third album with this trio with Xavi Torres (piano) and Naima Acuña (drums). B+(**) [bc]

Peter Holsapple: The Face of 68 (2025, Label 51): Singer-songwriter, started in a 1970 band with Mitch Easter and Chris Stamey, founded the dB's with Stamey, and has several duo albums with Stamey (starting with Mavericks in 1991). Only has a couple albums under his own name, with this one produced by Don Dixon. Not much interesting here, until "That Kind of Guy" reveals his Rolling Stones collection. B [sp]

David Janeway Trio: Live at Blue LLama (2024 [2026], SteepleChase): Pianist, debut album 1986, but not much more until 2021, when he landed on SteepleChase. Third album there, trio with Robert Hurst (bass) and Billy Hart (drums), playing two originals and a bunch of standards. B+(*) [cd]

Ingrid Jensen: Landings (2025 [2026], Newvelle): Trumpet player from Canada, debut 1995, seems like her recent efforts have been lost in collaborations (including Artemis) and exotica, but this one focuses on her trumpet, backed by Gary Versace (organ), Marvin Sewell (guitar), and Jon Wikan (drums). B+(***) [dl]

Kneecap: Fenian (2026, Heavenly): Hardcore hip-hop group from Belfast, "political" is an understatement, as they've been banned from touring in countries like Hungary, and one member was charged under UK's "Terrorism Act" for "expressing support" for a banned group. Title refers to reuniting divided Ireland. One song features Palestinian rapper Fawzi; another Kae Tempest. I'm not following the words very closely, but the beats and sounds hit the mark. A- [sp]

Loveseat: Our Way (2025, Reckless Pedestrian): Married duo from Effingham, Illinois, Bill and JJ Passalacqua, only album, they tend to trade verses, Bill often opening up with his best John Prine impersonation, playing 12-string acoustic guitar. She finishes them off with aplomb. Ends with a Tex-Mex dance number, a real bonus. A- [sp]

Brian Lynch: Torch Bearers (2024-25 [2026], Holistic MusicWorks): Trumpet player, started in a group with Charles McPherson (1980-81), moved on to Horace Silver, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Art Blakey, and especially Eddie Palmieri, with his own string of albums starting in 1986. He's reunited with McPherson (alto sax) here, along with Boris Kozlov (bass), various pianist and drummers, and singer Samara Joy (2 tracks). Has an old bebop feel, especially with McPherson. B+(***) [sp]

Doug MacDonald: Tribute to South Central (2026, Dmac Music): Jazz guitarist, first record 1982, second a decade later, gradually picked up the place and has become quite prolific of late. Five originals, covers from Ellington, Jobim, and Wes Montgomery, comes with trumpet (Wayne Cobham), keyboards (Richard Turner Jr.), bass, and drums/percussion. B+(**) [cd] [06-01]

Jennifer Madsen: Girl Talk (2026, SingBaby Productions): Jazz singer, Discogs lists one previous album from 1983, website suggests she has more since then. Has a large band (12 instrumentalists listed, plus 7 guest artists), with pianist Brent Edstrom arranging. Standards, the title song preceded by "Besame Mucho" and followed by "You Turn Me On Baby." Good singer, good band, more or less according to the songs. B+(**) [cd] [06-26]

Media Puzzle: New Racehorse (2026, Impressed): Australian post-punk (or egg punk?) group, first album (if you credit 12 songs, 23:19), group named for a race horse (winner of the 2002 Melbourne Cup), led by Tom Peter (vocals, guitar, bass, synth, sax, percussion), includes other singers and bits of trumpet and violin. B+(*) [sp]

Melanie C: Sweat (2026, Red Girl/Virgin): Former Spice Girls singer Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice, or Mel C), ninth solo studio since 1999. Pretty good. B+(***) [sp]

Michaela Anne: These Are the Days (2026, Georgia June): Country singer-songwriter, surname Neller, sixth album since 2011. B+(**) [sp]

Kacey Musgraves: Middle of Nowhere (2026, Lost Highway): Country singer-songwriter, seventh studio album since her breakthrough hit in 2013. B+(***) [sp]

Octo Octa: Sigils for Survival (2026, T4T LUV NRG): American house producer Maya Bouldry-Morrison, several albums since 2011, beats steady here with minor frills. B+(***) [sp]

Sergio Pereira: Colors of Time (2025 [2026], Sergio Pereira Music): Brazilian guitarist, sings some, moved to New York in the 1980s, fifth album, recorded in Spain, Norway, and the USA, with a large but seamless cast. B+(***) [cd] [05-15]

Leigh Pilzer: Keep Holding On (2025 [2026], Strange Woman): Baritone saxophonist, DC native, teaches at University of Maryland, seems to be her first album, original compositions, trio with Paul Bratcher (organ) and Greg Holloway (drums), starts with a "hard bop tribute" and keeps swinging. B+(***) [cd] [06-19]

Jefferson Ross: Low Country Wedding (2026, self-released): Folkie singer-songwriter, moved to Georgia after years in Nashville, Discogs lists four previous albums (since 2008), and I should check them out. (Spotify has nine.) I didn't like his voice at first, but "Livin' in a Red State Blues" got my attention — my main complaint there is that I'm not fast enough to quote it (and the internet isn't hip enough to recount the lyrics), so I'll quote the closer instead: "I won't dwell on the liars and the haters, and all the despicable things they do; I just thank God for peaches and tomatoes." A- [sp]

Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall (2026, Jazzheads): Drummer, from the South Bronx, started with Mongo Santamaria in 1983, recorded an album in 1993, and many more since 2000, adopted Multiverse in 2012, has several big band tributes to prominent Afro-Cuban figures, including Arsenio Rodriguez here. A mind-boggling tsunami of vocals, horns, and percussion. B+(*) [cd]

Christopher Sánchez: Latin Jazz Meets Opera (2026, Zoho): Dominican "baritone singer," you know he's serious when the range is specified, based in New York, seems to be his first album. Nothing I've received this year looked less appealing, but he hid the Bizet and Mozart arias behind a tango, and followed them with a deliciously torchy "Unforgettable." The Latin rhythms grease the skids, and I'm duly impressed by the voice, even though I normally put little weight on pure skill. Appeals to me as grand camp. Your mileage may vary. B+(***) [cd]

Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet: A Blue Time (2023-25 [2026], Circle 9): Drummer, third group album since 2015, personnel varies over sessions, but Adam Birnbaum (piano) and Doug Beavers (trombone) are constants, and help with arrangements (which also draw on outsiders, like John Fedchock and Rich DeRosa). All standards, including a Jobim and a Lennon-McCartney, with feature spots for Paul Bollenback (guitar) and Lucy Yeghiazaryan (vocals). B+(**) [cd]

Adia Vanheerentals: Taking Place (2025, Relative Pitch): Belgian soprano saxophonist, solo here, limited appeal. B [sp]

XG: The Core (2026, Xgalx): X-pop vocal group, identified as Japanese but based in South Korea and mostly rap and sing in English, first album after two EPs, 10 songs, 29:46. I'm not going to think about the lyrics beyond "if you don't like it, fuck you." As snappy as anything I've heard this year. Follows the most infectious song with a ballad, which works nearly as well. A- [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Fight the Fire: Digital Reggae, Conscious Roots and Dub in Nigeria 1986-91 (1986-91 [2026], Soundway): Reggae has had a niche role in West Africa since the mid-1970s, with Alpha Blondy perhaps the best known exponent. No names I recognize here, but these 14 pieces are remarkably steady. B+(***) [bc]

The Oscar Peterson Trio: At Baker's Keyboard Lounge: The Complete Recordings (1960 [2026], Verve): With Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums), five full sets, in the order performed, from a single Friday in a two-week engagement, recorded for a live album that never got released. At best, this is what you expect from jazz piano c. 1960, fast and sparkling. B+(***) [sp]

This Is Lorelei: Box for Buddy, Box for Star [Super Deluxe] (2022 [2026], Double Double Whammy): Nate Amos, the tunesmith behind singer Rachel Brown in Water From Your Eyes, released this solo album in 2024, followed by a "Deluxe" edition (+3 songs) in 2025, and now this "Super Deluxe" (+10 songs, all covers by others). Variety is nice, but doesn't make a lot of difference. B+(**) [sp]

Mike Westbrook Orchestra: The Cortège: Live at the BBC (1980 [2025], Cadillac): One of the British composer's major works, with a later studio recording released in 1982 and reissued by Enja in 1993. The piece was commissioned in 1979, and recorded here in the BBC studios in London on Oct. 25, 1980, with a 17-piece orchestra, counting vocalists Kate Westbrook (who also played tenor horn and piccolo) and Phil Minton (who also played trumpet). I didn't care for the studio album — often the vocals are a personal peeve in albums like this, but while dramatized I don't particularly mind them here. The band, of course, is often terrific. B+(**) [bc]

Old music:

Barbara Carr: The Best of Barbara Carr (1997-2001 [2003], Ecko): Blues/soul singer from St. Louis (1941-2026), released some singles on Chess (1966-72), but didn't get to albums until 1989, with this compilation from five albums the core of her output. By the 1990s, neo-soul was floating off in the pop ether, while vintage soul singers were being revived on blues labels. This starts risqué, with "Bone Me Like You Own Me" and "If You Can't Cut the Mustard" ("don't go sniffin' around the jar"), then slips in a disco joint, before coming up with titles like "If the Lord Keeps the Thought of You out of My Head, I'll Keep Your Booty out of My Bed." B+(***) [sp]

Justin Golden: Golden Country: Volume 1 (2024, Vocal Rest): Richmond-based singer-songwriter, plays guitar, claims roots in the Mississippi Delta and Chicago, nothing on Discogs but Bandcamp has a 2022 album, folowed by this set of 8 songs (25:16). Tags for blues and folk, mostly covers, some old-timey twang to the picking. B+(**) [bc]

Justin Golden: Golden Country: Volume 2 (2024, Vocal Rest): Eight more songs (25:51), starting with "Sitting on Top of the World" and "Sixteen Tons," including a "St. James Infirmary" and a "Diving Duck Blues." B+(**) [bc]

Hang on the Box: Yellow Banana (2001, JingWen/Scream): Chinese punk rock band, four women, first album, Scream seems to be the name of a club in Beijing. Most titles in English, like "No Sexy," "For Some Stupid Cunts at 'BBS,'" "Kill Your Belly," "and "Ass Hole, I'm Not Your Baby." Another scene I know nothing about, but they're clearly plugged into a familiar world. B+(**) [sp]

Jefferson Ross: Azalea (2008, Deep Fried Discs): First album. Songwriting solid, including one about "Stillwater Oklahoma," one about "The Prophet Elijah," and one mentioning peaches and tomatoes." He's right about "Lucky Now & Then." B+(***) [sp]

Jefferson Ross: Hymns to the Here and Now (2011, Deep Fried Discs): Second album. Starts with the assertion, "there's no such thing as ordinary people." Title track is the odd one out, a cappella where most of this veers between bluegrass and Western swing. The more it swings, the better. B+(***) [sp]

Jefferson Ross: Isle of Hope (2013, Deep Fried Discs): Third album, runs 16 songs (53:48), recorded by Thomm Jutz. Seems like both the songwriting and the music have gotten subtler, which may well pan out in the end, but is less obvious at first blush. Or maybe this is just "easy listening"? B+(**) [sp]

Jefferson Ross: Dogwood Cats (2015, Deep Fried Discs): Fourth album, thirteen more songs (52:22). B+(*) [sp]

The Mike Westbrook Concert Band: Celebration (1967, Deram): British pianist (1936-2026), started with this debut album, leading a 12-piece group, where young saxophonists Mike Osborne and John Surman were soon to become famous. This is regarded as a classic of the British avant-garde. It could be. B+(***) [yt]

Grade (or other) changes:

S.G. Goodman: Planting by the Signs (2025, Slough Water/Thirty Tigers): Folk singer-songwriter, from Kentucky, third album. Surprised to find this soft, unassuming album ranked 5th on the 2025 Dean's List. Sounds plausible at first, slips a bit, two duets don't exactly help, but the 8:59 closer ("Heaven Song") is transcendent. [was: B+(**)] A- [sp]

Rechecked with no grade change:

Body Type: Expired Candy (2023, Poison City): Australian rock group, number 4 on 2025 Dean's List, half the songs hold together beyond reproach, so I'm not surprised that someone could latch onto them, but multiple plays leave me not quite caring. B+(***) [sp]

Margaret Glaspy: The Golden Heart Protector (2025, ATO, EP): Idiosyncratic Dean's List top pick, hard for me to figure why let alone concur. Seven songs (25:23), all covers and most duets, the more familiar the more touching. B+(***) [sp]

Rhett Miller: A Lifetime of Riding by Night (2025, ATO): Eighth solo album, many more in Old '97s, as noted before "easy to listen to, and not without merit." A couple of songs touched me, but not enough to upgrade. B+(**) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Wayne Alpern: Varieties & Extravaganzas (Henri Elkan Music) [04-17]
• Kenny Barron/Ray Drummond/Ben Riley: So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon (1995, Elemental Music) [06-12]
• Chuck Bergeron: Bass & Face: Duets With Ten Premier Vocalists (Summit) [06-05]
• Steven Bernstein: ResoNation Trio (Royal Potato Family) [06-05]
• Adam De Lucia: The Man Who Would Be King (self-released) [08-07]
• Armen Donelian: Inquiry (Sunnyside) [06-05]
• Christine Fawson: It Could Happen to You (self-released) [06-01]
• Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Ellington Masterworks (MCG Jazz) [06-12]
• Rich Willey: Laid Back Vol. 1 (Boptism) [05-30]
• Zen Zadravec: New Paradigm (Marmite) [06-26]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Monday, May 4, 2026

May archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45881 [45850] rated (+31), 14 [10] unrated (-4).

Finally back to Monday for Music Week. I had other stuff in mind when I woke up today, but after realizing how worn down I felt, I figured the minimum I could still do was to bag this and get it off the checklist. Still, it will probably take all day before I finish the post and update the website. I'm so far behind I need to pace myself.

Or so I thought. I ran the cutover on Monday, but then I went to work on a Substack post, and didn't get that up until Tuesday evening. I wanted to note all my recent writing here, so keeping this in sync made sense. Let me explain, from most recent first, working my way back:

1. The Real Road to Serfdom: "Extraction, Resentment, Trump." A brief comment on a section of Tim Wu's book, The Age of Extraction: How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity (pp. 122-124). He lays out five steps or stages, moving from economic concentration (monopoly) to strongman dictatorship (Trump). My first thought was that it's not that linear, and the sequence doesn't necessarily follow, but it makes more sense if you allow overlap and feedback (e.g., democratic failure allows more monopoly and extraction, which adds to the democratic failure). Also, Trump is a close enough strongman to make this sequence historical, and not just theory. This piece is also archived here.

2. Lookback: Iraq 2003: "From day of infamy to one fleeting 'feel good' moment." While thinking about Trump's 2026 war with Iran, I recalled what I had written about Bush's 2003 war with Iraq, and thought it might be worth a revisit. I pulled that post out of my notebook, plus a couple more quotes — earlier, when I first noted the war plans, and later, when Baghdad fell and the Saddam Hussein statue was toppled (an event I designated the "feel good" day of the war; I contrasted that with the longer but still brief period of triumphalism when the major cities of Afghanistan fell in 2001). This piece is also archived here.

3. On May 1, I wrote answers to two reader questions. The first had to do with "what motivates you to write to the extent that you do, for free no less?" I attribute this to two things: one has to do with my upbringing, where I find similar behavior in my siblings, and for that matter in my parents; the other had to do with my economic fortune, which isn't great, but suffices to allow me to do what I do. (I didn't go into the matter of how much potential income I'm sacrificing by not pressing the point. I suppose I can't know for sure, but I seriously doubt I'm giving up on much.)

   The second question is about blues and jazz books. I don't have much to offer, in that my own reading has been pretty stunted since 2001 (although I mention some new books on the shelf). I have, of course, read quite a bit online, but my proper book reading has tended toward my political and philosophical interests, whereas what I read about music is mostly just prospecting.

4. I answered another question on April 29, about "what is it like to live in tornado alley?" More family history there.

5. I can refer you to a Facebook post from April 30, which gives you a glimpse of my current office space. I was inspired to take this after I couldn't find a promo album. Let's see if I can link to the photo:

   

   This post got 43 likes and 12 comments (probably records for me, as the last time I checked, my previous Facebook post had something like 19 views). I'll note that I mostly work on the computer on the right (unseen, under the desk), rather than the newer/more powerful computer on the left (both are home-built Linux boxes). Much more stuff on the floor, unseen this side of the chair. While the shelves have long been like this (and there are many more similar ones in every other room in the house, I do occasionally clear the desks off, and most of what's lying loose on the floor isn't meant to be permanent. Although it is convenient to keep the travel cases out on the left desk, as that's the easiest place to look for a favorite oldie.

6. I published another Substack post back on April 27, called Explaining Inflation. For it, I took a definition from "Explain It Daily" and tried to show how price increases aren't always the result of inflation: sometimes they're plain old-fashioned price gouging, especially when companies have monopoly power. I want to show that calling price gouging "inflation" is not only wrong, it implies that someone/something other than the culprits are responsible for price rises, and it further suggests that the solution for higher prices is to reduce the money supply, which is to say to promote recession. This makes no more sense than bleeding did in 19th century medicine. Come to think of it, the similarities should be unsettling.

I'm trying to write more, and quicker, on Substack. Some of this is just pushing ideas out that I've been developing all along in my journals and places like Loose Tabs. Would be nice to get more subscribers there, although I really treasure the ones I already have. Laura suggested today that instead of holding back all of my Loose Tabs drafts, I should dump them out as I go. (I've recently discovered that Jeffrey St. Clair's Roaming Charges columns are basically compilations of his Facebook posts, as I've started to follow him.) I've set up my Facebook account to allow Followers as well as Friends. Evidently, everyone who's sent me an unrequited Friend request has been dumped into the Followers list, which helps explain why the office mess photo got more circulation. (Maybe that it had a photo helped. Perhaps I need an art director?) My original interest in Facebook was because I wanted to stay in touch with certain friends and relatives, and knew they were more likely to post there than to, like, write or phone. So I've generally ignored requests from casual or virtual acquaintances, and I've done very little promotion of my writing there (for that, follow me on Bluesky (or, less reliably, on X), or just use the RSS. Whether knowing I have more followers makes me more likely to post on Facebook remains to be seen.

Of course, there is also a batch of record reviews below. I will note that before I did this week's unpacking, I had hit the bottom of my demo queue. Or at least the tray was empty: I have two more titles in the pending list that I don't seem to have CDs for. Could be elsewhere on the desk, or in another bin.

While I doubt I'll ever be classified as neat, I do intend to get a bit better organized in coming weeks. I've set up a couple of files in the "pile" for books and CDs I want to get rid of. That's the first step to moving them out. The first book to get the axe was called PostgreSQL Developer's Manual. The book dates from 2002, at which point PostgreSQL had several "advanced" features that MySQL lacked, and was favored for certain website development packages, but I never wound up using it. The first wave will mostly be tech books, as lots of them are clearly expendable. So they'll go into the file, then to the kiosk, then eventually out the door. As space opens on the shelves, I should at least be able to get stuff off the floor. I don't have the "out the door" part figured out yet, but one option is the recycle bin.

I should report that we got the carport railing up last week. We took it down before the roof work, so it's been 4-5 months. I still need to get the mini-split hooked up. Supposedly that will happen this week. I may call the attic work done for the season. While it was pretty cool today, I spent the day on other errands, and writing. Crawling around the attic is getting pretty painful for me, and it's not like I ever do anything up there other than work, so it will be out of sight, out of mind, with only the extra lumber in the garage to remind me of unfinished work.

Good chance I'll hold up next Music Week for a Loose Tabs. I have about 12,000 words in the draft file, which is more than enough to post, even if it's nowhere near complete. I'm not at all clear where the Iran war stands right now, which doesn't necessarily make me less informed than Trump. My idea of writing a piece on what should be a reasonable solution has fallen by the wayside, for lack of reasonable people, in Washington for sure, maybe also in Tehran and elsewhere.

New records reviewed this week:

Atmosphere: Jestures (2025, Rhymesayers Entertainment): Hip-hop duo from Minneapolis, rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and producer ANT (Anthony Davis), debut 1997, many albums, most very good. More consistently interesting than most, runs long (26 songs, 71 minutes) and gets stronger along the way. A- [sp]

MC Paul Barman & Kenny Segal: Antinomian Pandemonium (2026, Fused Arrow): Rapper from New Jersey, debut an EP in 2000 (It's Very Stimulating), only his fifth album, producer has long worked in similar circles. Seems to have slowed down a bit. B+(**) [bc]

Black Nile: Indigo Garden (2026, Hen House Studios): Los Angeles jazz fusion group, principally Aaron Shaw (sax) and Lawrence Shaw (bass), with keys (Luca Mendoza) and drums (Myles Martin), seems to be their fourth album since 2019 (but none on Discogs). B+(**) [bc]

Ryan Blotnick: The Woods (2024 [2026], Fishkill): Guitarist, fourth album since 2007, quartet with Tyler G. Wood (piano/organ), Adam Chilenski (bass), and Otto Hauser (drums). Some nice stuff scattered about here, but more often when it breaks with the sweet guitar than when running with it. B+(**) [dl]

Bobby Broom: Notes of Thanks (2025 [2026], Steele): Guitarist, originally from New York, based in Chicago, has at least 15 albums since 1981, 4 Deep Blue Organ Trio albums, many side credits, including with Dr. John and Sonny Rollins. Trio here, with Dennis Carroll (bass) and Kobie Watkins (drums), playing nine Rollins songs (plus one by Carroll). [Received CD, but unplayable.] B+(*) [sp]

Garret T. Capps: I Still Love San Antone (2026, Nudie): Country singer-songwriter, has several previous albums, including 2021's I Love San Antone, turns up the Tex-Mex when Joe King Carrasco and Augie Meyers drop in, before swinging into Bob Wills. B+(***) [bc]

Jessye DeSilva: Glitter Up the Dark (2024 [2026], Nine Athens): Singer-songwriter from Boston, plays keyboards, several previous albums (one on Discogs), writes songs "about religious alienation, mental health struggles, and societal injustice to create a uniquely queer and unholy ruckus." Some politics, some solid rock guitar. B+(**) [sp]

Richard Gilman-Opalsky: A Fierce and Gentle Force (2025 [2026], Edgetone): Drummer, has a couple albums, following early groups like Jody Crutch, The Judas Iscariot, Countdown to Putsch, and End Times Trio. This one is solo. Caught me in an agreeable mood. B+(***) [cd]

Ize Trio: Global Prayer (2023-25 [2026], self-released): Names, also on the cover: Chase Morrin (piano), Naseem Alatrash (cello), and George Lernis (percussion), plus a "featuring John Patitucci" (bass). Second group album. B+(**) [cd] [06-12]

Paul Kahn: Willingness (2026, Carl Cat, EP): Singer-songwriter, unless I'm confused, has a previous album from 1999, various production credits as far back as 1977. Six rather breezy songs (24:05), produced with backing vocals by Catherine Russell (also pictured on cover), with some reputable jazz musicians helping out. B- [cd] [06-19]

Kehlani: Kehlani (2026, Atlantic): R&B singer-songwriter, fifth studio album since 2017, first couple certified gold. B+(**) [sp]

Ella Langley: Dandelion (2026, Sawgod/Columbia): Country singer-songwriter from Alabama, second album (after an EP), this one keynoted by a hit single, with a Miranda Lambert duet. B+(***) [sp]

Los Thuthanaka: Wak'a (2026, self-released, EP): Bolivian-American electronica/collage duo, originally Elysia and Joshua Crampton, the former aka Chjuquimamani-Condori, had an eponymous album that placed high on some 2025 EOY lists, return here with a 3-track, 18:27 EP. Considerable noise quotient here, one I'm finding hard to take. B [bc]

Myra Melford/Satoko Fujii: Katarahi (2024 [2026], RogueArt): Duets by two of the avant-garde's world class pianists, b. 1957-58, Melford got a start with a 1990 album that Francis Davis rated a pick hit for his brief Village Voice Consumer Guide, Fujii was a student at New England Conservatory in 1994 when she was introduced to Melford by Paul Bley. They have a previous duo album from 2007. I'm not a big fan of solo, let alone duo, piano, but they are astonishing, which by now is just what you expect. A- [cd] [05-15]

Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns: Bitches Blues (2026, Rune Grammofon): Norwegian guitarist, trio with Ståle Storløkken (keyboards) and Ole Mofjell (drums), group name from a 2023 live album (evidently some slang term for Norwegians). Opens with tough fusion, then relaxes a bit. B+(***) [sp]

The Monochrome Set: Lotus Bridge (2026, Tapete): British group, appeared in the post-punk new wave of 1980, took breaks 1985-90 and 1995-2012, singer Bid Seshadri the only constant member, although Andy Warren (bass) has been around nearly as long, with Athen Aryen (keyboards) and Steve Gilchrist (drums) recent additions. I recall the name but not the sound (I had an LP in my ungraded list). This lacks the edge I associate with the early 1980s, moving it more into Cure-Suede territory. B [sp]

Maisy Owen: Dark on a Sunny Day (2026, Tompkins Square): Folkie singer-songwriter, a Nashville native, plays guitar, viola, bass, and piano, first album, 8 songs, 26:31. B+(*) [sp]

Andreas Røysum Ensemble: With Marvin Tate (2025, Motvind): Norwegian clarinetist, large group (tentet here) has three previous albums, digital was rushed out a week after recording, but LP could qualify as a 2026 new release. Tate is a poet/artist from Chicago, has several albums since 1997, mostly with his D-Settlement group, as well as appearing on albums by Mike Reed and Jaimie Branch. Strong spoken word over delightful music, lost a bit at the end. B+(***) [bc]

Maria Schneider Orchestra: American Crow (2025 [2026], ArtistShare, EP): Big band composer/arranger, a Gil Evans protégé, albums start with Evanescence in 1994, has swept the Jazz Critics Poll three times[*], every album since 2007's Sky Blue. Undoubtedly talented, but I've never warmed to her work — the only occasion where Francis Davis doubted not just my judgment but my sanity. Title piece here was commissioned in 2022 and recorded along with a second piece, totalling 18:37, but here is padded out with an alternate take and some crow vocal samples. [*Her 2015 album was tied for 1st on points, but had fewer votes, which at the time was the tie-breaker; but Davis declared a tie.] B [os]

Serokolo 7: Maramfa Musick Pro (2026, Nyege Nyege Tapes): DJ/producer/sound system operator from Limpopo, in far northeastern South Africa. B+(*) [bc]

Bria Skonberg: Brass (2025 [2026], Cellar Music Group): Trumpet player from Canada, also sings (just the last song), eighth album since 2009, backed by piano (Luther Allison), bass, and drums. B+(**) [sp]

Harry Styles: Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. (2026, Erskine/Columbia): English singer-songwriter, started in boy band One Direction, has by far the biggest solo career of the quintet, fourth chart-topping album. I've never been a fan, but this is fairly agreeable. B+(*) [sp]

Tokischa: Amor & Droga (2026, Warner Latina): Dominican rapper-singer, as a bunch of singles since 2018, seems to be her first album, with ties to rap and reggaeton and who knows what else. B+(***) [sp]

Álvaro Torres Trio: Mairena (2025 [2026], Fresh Sound New Talent): Spanish pianist, based in New York, website has several previous albums, trio with Masa Kamaguchi (bass) and Kresten Osgood (drums), but recorded live in his old home town of Madrid. Five originals, plus a Cole Porter cover. B+(**) [cd]

The Twilight Sad: It's the Long Goodbye (2026, Rock Action): Post-punk band from Scotland, some industrial slag combined with shoegaze guitar fuzz, sixth album since 2007, a 7 year break this time. B+(**) [sp]

Steve Wilson: Enduring Sonance (2025 [2026], Smoke Sessions): Saxophonist (alto/soprano, also flute), has a couple dozen albums since 1992, many more side credits, including big bands (notably Maria Schneider). With Joe Locke (vibes), Renee Rosnes (piano/electric), Jay Anderson (bass), and Kendrick Scott (drums), plus french horn on two tracks. B+(*) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Terry Callier: At the Earl of Old Town (1967 [2025], Time Traveler, 2CD): Singer-songwriter from Chicago (1945-2012), ranges into soul and jazz but mostly figures as folk. Has something of a cult rep, but Christgau dismissed him as "the black Jim Webb, only warmer — and less talented." Live set here at a Chicago folk club, just singer and guitar, predates his 1968 debut album, and is all cover songs, with "Work Song," "The Seventh Son," "Gallows Pole," "and "My Girl Sloopy" the ones I most readily recognize. Seems like a nice night out with a fairly distinctive interpreter. B+(**) [cd]

Antoine Dougbé: Antoine Dougbé Et L'Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou (1977-82 [2026], Analog Africa): I was initially tempted to file this under the Benin band, which already has a substantial database entry (starting in 1973). Dougbé (1947-96), dubbed the Devil's Prime Minister, released three albums in this brief period. A- [bc]

Roy Hargrove: Bern (2000 [2026], Time Traveler): Big-time trumpet player (1969-2002), has had a couple of stellar archival releases recently. Live set from Switzerland, a quintet with Sherman Irby (alto sax), Larry Willis (piano), Gerald Cannon (bass), and Willie Jones III (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Old music:

Ryan Blotnick: Kush (2016, Songlines): Guitarist, third album, mostly quartet with Michael Blake (tenor/soprano sax), Scott Colberg (bass), and RJ Miller (drums), plus guest pedal steel on one track. Blake is often impressive here, and the guitar fills in expertly. A- [sp]

Terry Callier: The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier (1964 [1968], Prestige): Black singer from Chicago ("childhood friend of Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance and Jerry Butler"), learned piano before guitar, started in doo-wop groups, recorded a single for Chess in 1962, moved into folk clubs, had a brief duo with David Crosby. First album, folk/blues covers (mostly trad.), with guitar and bass. Good singer, but not especially interesting music. [The 2018 reissue added a bunch of bonus tracks, but the 2025 remaster dropped them.] B [sp]

The Monochrome Set: Strange Boutique (1980, Dindisc): British group, made some noise in the early post-punk period, caught my attention but didn't sink in enough to make my early ratings database. Singer-songwriter went as Bid, with Lester Square (lead guitar), Andy Warren (bass guitar), and JD Haney (drums). Upbeat stuff has some snap and crunch, but not all that memorable. B+(*) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Dawn Clement: Dear Ms. Dearie (Origin) [05-22]
• George Cotsirilos: In the Wee Hours (OA2) [05-22]
• Gabriel Espinosa: The Brazilian Project (Origin) [05-22]
• David Janeway Trio: Live at Blue LLama (SteepleChase) [05-04]
• Doug MacDonald: Tribute to South Central (Dmac Music) [06-01]
• Jennifer Madsen: Girl Talk (SingBaby Productions) [06-26]
• Andrew Moorhead: Mirage (OA2) [05-22]
• Sergio Pereira: Colors of Time (Sergio Pereira Music) [05-15]
• Leigh Pilzer: Keep Holding On (Strange Woman) [06-19]
• Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall (Jazzheads) [04-10]
• Christopher Sánchez: Latin Jazz Meets Opera (Zoho) [05-08]
• Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet: A Blue Time (Circle 9) [04-24]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Monday, April 28, 2025

April archive (done).

Music: Current count 45850 [45803] rated (+47), 10 [20] unrated (-10).

The usual plan is to run Music Week on Mondays (sure, usually very late), regardless of how much or little I've listened to. But sometimes I commit to a different blog post, hoping to get it out before the next Music Week, and I wind up pushing Music Week back. That happened a couple weeks ago, when Loose Tabs ran over to Wednesday, April 15, pushing Music Week back to Thursday, April 16. After that, I figured I'd skip a week, and sync up on Monday, April 27.

I actually wound up considering an April 20 Music Week, but it would have only had 8 albums (mostly multi-CD archival sets. But the moment passed. I had a lot of work to do on the house, and I had the idea of writing a little something on political economics for my Notes on Everyday Life Substack newsletter. While that didn't preclude me from posting on Monday, I spent Monday working on it instead of this. It went out last night, under the title Explaining Inflation. Thus far response has been underwhelming: 1 quick like, 0 comments, 0 new subscribers, $0 (no problem there, since I'm not asking for any). Probably another case of "TL;DR" (3333 words), but also my mass subscription base peaked at 100, and has now slipped back to 99. I'm tempted to declare the venture a big failure, but I like the extra care I've put into the small amount of writing so far, and I recognize a lot of the subscriber names as dear friends, so I expect to slog on.

By the way, everything that goes to Substack also goes into a directory on my website, here.

A big part of my recent writing has focused on the Iran war, which I am of two minds about:

1. This is the dumbest and/or most senselessly cruel thing Trump has ever done, by a pretty large margin, even though most of what he does falls into those categories.

2. No other American politician has done so much to expose the political and moral rot that has long resided in the hearts and minds of most Americans (at least the ones that count in our distorted democracy).

My Iran war pieces are here:

• [03-13]: Days of Infamy: "Franklin Roosevelt knew how to sell a war." Donald Trump doesn't. He only knows how to start one.

• [04-03]: Iran War: The Three Questions: Why is this happening?

• [04-05]: Iran War: The Big Question: How does it end? Or does it end at all?

Since I wrote the last one, little has changed. Sure, the intensity of bombing and reprisals have tailed off under the guide of ceasefires, but Iran's leaders are confident in their ability to persevere in the long run, while Trump and Netanyahu would rather drag this out than admit failure or even misjudgment. I expected to write a fourth piece, one that would focus on what I think should happen. Diplomacy works best when both sides seek to do the right thing: to find compromise which benefits both sides, while dispensing with claims that don't really benefit anyone. Regarding Iran, the most important outcome is that all sides normalize relations, showing recognition and respect for Iran's sovereignty and security. (A respect which Iran should reciprocate, but that's hard to expect as long as Israel lashes out at other countries while repressing its own people. While decent democratic folk could take exception at how Iran treats its own people, Israelis [and Americans] have no standing to do so until they put their own houses in order.)

The new piece on inflation was based on a definition given by Explain It Daily. That definition is fundamentally, and even somewhat comically, wrong, for reasons I try to explain. Let's see if I can reduce my points to a bare minimum:

1. The word "inflation" is being used loosely to describe several different things, notably rising consumer prices and looser money. This allows them to perform a palm trick, where your concern over prices leads to their preferred solution (tighter money).

2. While rising prices can be the result of loose money, in most cases they are decided by greedy businesses based on opportunities based on poor information, weak competition, and exorbitant rents — none of which can be fixed by tighter money.

3. Tight money works by making people too poor to buy things. When that happens, slack demand can be met with lower prices, but that causes hardships for sellers as well as for buyers.

4. There are better solutions for high prices, like competition, rent limits, and lesser profits. Also higher wages and more evenly distributed benefits — which is the solution they really want to keep off the table.

This last point aligns nicely with Mamdani's affordability focus. High prices may always be disappointing, but less so if your wages are rising fast enough to meet them. Inflation is often presented as an absolute horror, but like most things involving money, it is an arena with winners and losers. My feeling is that it's good politics to identify which is which, to temper the winners, and to prop up the losers. And it's better politics to do this in a way that creates many more winners then losers, which is possible because most trade-offs aren't simple zero-sum games.

Inflation became a heated political issue in the 2024 election, ineptly handled by Biden and Harris and their economic advisers, who seemed to be more interested in defending their statistical gains than in listening to the complaints of actual voters. Even now, Democratic-leaning economists are still in denial, coining terms like "vibecession" to dismiss voter concerns as confused. I've been reading Cory Doctorow's Enshittification, which offers a much more apt framing of problems that extend well beyond the notorious tech platforms. I have a couple shelves full of similar (if less colorful) books to draw on, as well as a fairly decent grounding in Marx and his friends and enemies. I also have a fair amount of real world experience ranging from typesetting ads to consulting on market strategies and working with financial wheeler-dealers, so I've seen plenty of what goes into the sausage.

I expect to draw on all that experience for future pieces. Maybe we'll figure out just how Trump has enshittified politics. Simply calling him a fascist demands too much prior knowledge on the subject. This at least gets to the point quickly, and doesn't run the risk of normalizing him.

Some progress worth reporting around the house. It's been cool enough that I was able to do a bit of work in the attic, but turns out very little. Good chance I'm going to leave it as is, although it might not be too hard to frame in the next extension of the planking. At least I have a rough plan for as far as I want to go. But rather than push through on that, I decided to get the railing up on the carport. Because the carport roof has a slight slope, I wanted to build a frame (20 feet long, with two 10-foot sides) with pressure-treated 2x6 lumber, which could be propped up on the outside level. We got that done in a big push on Saturday. Not perfect, but good enough. (Some plastic covers aren't tight, and I have a few screws left. One baluster probably has to be removed. But it's all straight, level, and solidly attached. Also moves a lot of clutter out of the house and garage.

Next step is to get the mini-split hooked up again and recharged. That's a job for the contractor, so my role is mostly to nag. Next week or so I expect to finally get started on organizing tools and hardware, weeding out books and CDs, and recycling clothes and such. I got some more storage drawers for the basement to help on that, plus a lot of plastic baskets to move things around. Jigsaw puzzles may be the single biggest item, especially as they don't have the residual library value of books and CDs. Probably pointless to ask for help here, especially as I have little desire to ship things long-distance.

I've been slow transitioning from the carport to these cleanup projects because the former involved a lot of painful crawling around, and I'm needing a few days to recover. That's a drag, but seems to be life these days. Working on the computer is relatively painless, but I've been plagued by keyboard disconnects and video freeze ups lately. I bought a new video board (Radeon RX550) and a Logitech mechanical keyboard, but only plugged them in a couple days ago. Keyboard is rather noisy, and taking some time to get used to, but I think it will be OK.

No writing to speak of on political book or memoir, and no idea when I might restart. I'm thinking of "Did Something Weird Happen in the 2024 Election?" might be scoped down to a Substack post. At least there I can get my basic thesis out. It's that Americans wanted a revolution, but when they got to the polls the only option they were allowed was Trump, so that's what they got. But when I tried to explain this to a friend, I got a counterargument that Trump was/is the revolution (I don't quite remember how that went). Well, yes, no, maybe, certainly not a very good one. I suppose you can say that he did his reign of terror early, then jumped into Napoleon without much Thermidor. Or we could try to figure out what to call the next higher order of Napoleonic farce. But analogies are supposed to inform, not become games in their own right. Or so I thought.

I grew up in a period when it was still possible to see revolutions as implementors of progress, so it's somewhat discomfiting top watch them go awry. But in retrospect, I see more and more of that, to the point where I'm more likely to see a revolution as a gross failure of ancien regime management as opposed to the emerging will of the people and their drive for equality, freedom, and justice. I don't wish to deny Trump agency, but a lot of what elevated him was the failures of both parties not to oppose him but to do their fucking jobs and run the country in a decent and responsible manner. They couldn't do this, not because they were evil or even stupid, but because they found it expeditious to believe a lot of crap that simply was untrue. (See my inflation post for one prime example. The Iran war pieces at least point to a couple more.) I know I'm tilting at windmills here, but from where I sit, it all seems so perfectly clear.

Still, it's damn hard to write about it, and I'm running out of time and patience. I'm thinking about shifting direction and doing some long-neglected website work. I'm also thinking about running a mid-year jazz critics poll, even though I'm far from ready to commit to the end-of-year poll. These are stopgaps, because I'm not quite ready to do nothing at all. But I seem to be headed in that direction.

Meanwhile, my first short-week's 8 albums have grown to 47 here. No real guiding principles behind what I wound up listening to. Obviously, the [cd] entries were promos, with the archival music collections timed for Record Store Day. The Gil Scott-Heron was a reader suggestion. I get so few of them I'll probably follow up if I can find something to stream. I will say that I played Anthony Joseph shortly after that, and thought it fit the same niche, but with even better music. I have another question pending, on tornados, so I'll try to get to that next week.

New records reviewed this week:

Paulo Almeida: Love in Motion (2025 [2026], Dox): Brazilian drummer, also sings, sixth studio album, with Lorenzzo Vitolo (piano, synths), Josh Schofield (alto/soprano sax), Joan Codina (bass), plus vibes (Jorge Rossy) on one track, vocals (Lisette Spinnler) on another. Nice groove, vocals hit/miss. B+(**) [cd]

Angine De Poitrine: Vol. II (2026, Spectacles Bonzaï): Instrumental rock duo, from Chicoutimi in Quebec (I've been there, and think of it as far enough off the beaten path to be the Duluth of Canada), appear on stage with masks, one playing microtonal guitar, the other drums. B+(***) [sp]

Teller Bank$: Hate Island (2026, $357ENT): Underground rapper from Des Moines, half-dozen self-released albums since 2019, gave his label a name here. Interesting vibe here, but the pleasures aren't unequivocal. B+(**) [sp]

Yaya Bey: Fidelity (2026, Drink Sum Wtr): Neo-soul singer-songwriter from New York, seventh album since 2016. B+(***) [sp]

Julie Campiche [Solo]: Unspoken (2024 [2026], Ronin Rhythm): Swiss harpist, looks like she has several previous albums (but not in Discogs), this one billed as "Solo" (but with sampled voices and electronics, plus bass on 4 of 8 tracks; one track features a Spanish poem by Las Patronas (a group of Mexican women who help migrants to the US) accompanied by drum and shruti. B+(***) [sp]

Dälek: Brilliance of a Falling Moon (2026, Ipecac): Newark-based experimental hip-hop group, principally Will Brooks (MC Dälek), six albums 1998-2010, returned in 2016 with producer Mike Manteca (Mike Mare), fourth album together. Some interesting industrial undertow. B+(***) [sp]

Damana: Rhizome (2023 [2025], Umulius): Octet led by Norwegian drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen, released a good album on Clean Feed in 2016, group with three saxophones, trumpet, trombone, piano, and bass. B+(**) [bc]

Marie-Paule Franke: Through the Cracks, the Light Is Born (2026, MariPosa): Jazz singer-songwriter, born in Germany, raised in Belgium, seems to be her first album, with a "New York-based quartet." First song is a tribute to Joni Mitchell. Cabaret touches, nice saxophone, a closer in French I particularly like. B+(***) [cd] [06-26]

Fuerza Regida: 111xpantia (2025, Rancho Humilde/Street Mob/Sony Music Latin): Described as "an American regional Mexican band formed in San Bernardino," ninth album since 2019, evidently very popular (Spotify credits then with 45 million streams/month). B+(**) [sp]

Barry Greene: Giants (2025 [2026], Origin): Guitarist, recently retired from a long career teaching at the University of North Florida, has several albums, and books and videos on jazz guitar. Half trio with Pat Bianchi (organ) and Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums); half quintet with David Kikoski (piano), Steve Nelson (vibes), Marco anascia (bass), and Owens; with one original and covers mostly from the guitarists who inspired his title (Wes Montgomery, Grant Greene, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Russell Malone). B+(*) [cd]

Jared Hall: Hometown (2023 [2026], Origin): Trumpet player, based in Seattle, has a couple previous albums (including a Rick Margitza tribute), post-hard-bop quintet with Troy Roberts (tenor sax), Ben Markley (piano), bass, and drums. B+(**) [cd]

Phil Haynes/Ben Monder/Peyton Pleninger: Terra (2025 [2026], Corner Store Jazz): Drummer, originally from Oregon, moved to New York, was part of Joint Venture in 1987 (with Ellery Eskelin, Drew Gress, and Paul Smoker) and settled into their nook of the avant-garde, while maintaining his feeling for the "old, weird America" (not sure who coined that phrase, but you probably know what I mean). Trio with guitar and saxophone: Monder is well known, and coming off a duo with Haynes. Pleninger isn't, with just two credits on Discogs (one with Henry Threadgill). Engages gradually, but engages before the final fade. B+(***) [cd] [05-01]

IDK: E.T.D.S. A Mixtape by .IDK. (2026, Rhymesayers Entertainment): Rapper Jason Mills, born in London, parents from Sierra Leone and Ghana, grew up in Maryland, first mixtape in 2014, five albums since 2019, fifth mixtape (some as Jay IDK, I've seen this attributed both ways). Acronym stands for Even the Devil Smiles. Thematically works through a 15-year prison sentence he entered at 17 (3 years actually served). Not gangsta, but hard knocks. B+(***) [sp]

Kathy Ingraham: Jazz Dreams (2026, Peirdon): Singer, half-dozen albums since 2014, wrote two songs here, the rest rock era (roughly 1964-74) standards: "Dream On," "House of the Rising Sun," "Ruby Tuesday," "Eli's Coming," "Stairway to Heaven." Arranged by Pete Levin (piano/strings/bass), features called out for Randy Brecker (flugelhorn), Evan Christopher (clarinet), Elliott Randall (guitar), and William Galison (harmonica). B+(*) [cd]

Anthony Joseph: The Ark (2026, Heavenly Sweetness): Spoken word artist from Trinidad, based in England, honed his craft writing poetry and novels, half-dozen albums since 2013 (per Discogs; Wikipedia goes back to 2007), a striking lyricist but I'm even more impressed with the music. A- [sp]

Kesha: . [Period] (2025, Kesha): Dance-pop singer-songwriter, sixth album since 2010, her debut album a big hit, subsequent records never much impressed me, which may be why I didn't bother with this one. Or maybe the title escaped me, until someone translated . to Period — I've actually been listening to a version with three dots, which Spotify calls . (...), but which is the core album plus some not entirely redundant remixes. Or it just didn't garner the rep (AOTY 64/15), but I'm hearing a solid sequence of singles. A- [sp]

Jason Kruk: Beyond the Veil (2026, SunGoose): Drummer, has at least one previous album, this one leans fusion, with two guitarists (Wayne Krantz, on 2 songs, and Adam Rogers, on 4), Fima Ephron (bass, 6 songs), and "members of Snarky Puppy" — aside from Michael League (bass) and Bob Lanzetti (guitar) I'm not sure how (or why?) they figure that, as the others on the songs with them (5 of 11) are Art Hirahara (piano) and Brian Donohue (tenor sax). B [cd] [05-01]

Joachim Kühn: Joachim Kühn & Young Lions (2025 [2026], ACT Music): German pianist, debut 1967, 81 when he recorded this, with four younger players I don't recognize: Jakob Bänsch (trumpet), Andrés Coll (marimba), Nils Kugelmann (bass), and Sebatian Wolfgruber (drums), playing new (and quite tricky) pieces by Kühn. Some exceptional music, with the trumpet player a major find. A- [sp]

M.I.A.: M.I.7 (2026, Ohmni): Maya Arulpragasam, born in London, parents Tamils from Sri Lanka, moved back there from 6 months, where her father was active in a civil war, before she returned to England at age 11. Seventh album since 2005, from a time when she partnered with Diplo (2003-08), producing a very infectious funk-rap hybrid. Has had a tumultuous life, including a relationship with one of the Bronfman heirs (2008-12), and a set of political pronouncements that are fiercely heterodox, including endorsements of Corbyn and Trump (following RFK Jr., after she had become one of the world's most vocal anti-vaxxers). Parents were Hindu, but she attended a Catholic school in Sri Lanka, and declared herself a born-again Christian in 2017. This album is "structured around the seven Trumpets of Revelation," and is being treated as Christian rock/rap, although the gospel tinges are minor, the beats uniquely her own, and the narration, well, not something I particulary notice (or mind). B+(***) [sp]

Mammal Hands: Circadia (2025 [2026], ACT Music): British jazz trio, half-dozen albums since 2014, with Jordan Smart (sax), Nick Smart (piano), and Rob Turner (drums). Easy listening jazz with hints of more. B+(*) [sp]

Liudas Mockūnas/Samuel Blaser/Marc Ducret: Twisted Summer (2023 [2026], Jersika): Lithuanian avant-saxophonist (soprano/tenor/bass sax, also clarinet), trio with trombone and guitar. B+(**) [sp]

Ashley Monroe: Dear Nashville (2026, Mountainrose Sparrow): Country singer-songwriter, seventh solo album, the first previewed in 2006 but not released until 2009 (and then only digital), but got more notice for four albums in Pistol Annies. Theme is about the many ways Nashville screws you over. B+(*) [sp]

The Outskirts: Orbital (2025 [2026], Aerophonic, 2CD): Trio of Dave Rempis (alto/tenor sax), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass), and Frank Rosaly (drums), active in Chicago when the Norwegian bassist live there (2005-08), belatedly released a 2009 live album ("a barely usable rough mix") in 2020, but regrouped here for a couple of live dates in Europe: one in Padova on the first disc (74:41), and one a week earlier in Antwerp on the second (69:45), joined by pianist Marta Warelis. (I filed the old album under Rosaly's name, but Rempis claims all the compositions here.) Rempis is terrific, as usual. Warelis isn't necessary, but a plus. A- [dl]

Praed: Al Wahem (2026, Ruptured/Annihaya): Duo of Raed Yassin (keyboards, electronics, vocals, from Lebanon) and Paed Conca (clarinet, electric bass, electronics, from Switzerland), seventh album since 2008 (plus two albums as Praed Orchestra). B+(**) [sp]

Shalosh: What We Are Made Of (2025 [2026], ACT Music): Israeli piano trio: Gadi Stern (piano), David Michaeli (bass), Matan Assayag (drums). Six previous albums back to 2015. Some nice passages, some a bit overwrought. B [sp]

Jae Skeese & ILL Tone Beats: The Good Part, Vol. 1 (2026, Griselda): Buffalo rapper, busy since 2020, producer also from Buffalo, associated with Black Soprano Family, they did a single together in 2024. B+(**) [sp]

Peter Somuah: Walking Distance (2025 [2026], ACT Music): Trumpet player from Ghana, based in Rotterdam, has a couple previous albums (one called Highlife, which wasn't all that deeply rooted in its namesake music). This one doesn't totally dispense with eclectic exotica, but works as contemporary European postbop, with keyboards (Anton de Bruin), bass (Marijn van de Ven), drums (Jens Meijer), extra percussion (Danny Rombout), and spots of guest cello and flute. Still, this is a very nice example. I'd be curious what big fans of Ambrose Akinmusire make of it, since to my ears they are very similar. B+(***) [sp]

Station Model Violence: Station Model Violence (2026, Anti Fade): Australian post-punk group, first album, Bandcamp page starts by talking about Iggy Pop listening to Neu's "pastoral psychedelicism," which may be what they're aiming for (as opposed to the more obvious Wire gestalt). B+(*) [bc]

Taroug: Chott (2026, Denovali): Tunisian electronic producer, grew up in Germany, second album, some vocal content, some interest, not both at the same time. B+(*) [sp]

Katelyn Tarver: Tell Me How You Really Feel (2026, Nettwerk): Pop singer, from Georgia, probably songwriter, appeared as a teenager on American Juniors (2003), released an album in 2005 (at 16), did a fair amount of TV acting since 2010, third album since 2021, could pass for country but doesn't make a point of it. B+(**) [sp]

They Might Be Giants: The World Is to Dig (2026, Idlewild): Witty guys, John Linnell and John Flansburgh, released an eponymous album (group named after a cult fave movie) in 1986 that was easily my year-topper, but my interest waned fairly quickly after that, long before this 24th studio album. Which only really caught my attention mid-way through with their cover of "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" (written by Eric Carmen for Raspberries in 1974, the single from one of the year's best albums, Starting Over). The next songs registered stronger, which got me to replay the whole thing, paying more attention. It wasn't unrewarded. B+(**) [sp]

Viktoria Tolstoy & Jacob Karlzon: Who We Are (2025 [2026], ACT Music): Swedish jazz singer, adopted the surname of the Russian novelist, a great-great-grandfather. Fifteen albums since 1994. Has a previous (2013) album with the Swedish pianist, who has a similar number of albums since 1997, and who wrote all of the songs here (aside from the Radiohead cover). Choice cut: "Trigger Warning." B+(**) [sp]

Jessie Ware: Superbloom (2026, EMI): British pop singer-songwriter, sixth album since 2012, Barney Lister the most frequent co-writer/producer. Has some disco glitz. B+(*) [sp]

What You May Call It: Da Qi (2024 [2026], MechaBenzaiten): Quartet of Chris Kelsey (soprano/tenor sax, stritch), Rose Tang (guitar, vocals), Steve Holtje (keyboards, trombone), and Charles Downs (drums). Kelsey I recall as a jazz critic who did some records on CIMP that were long in my shopping list but hard to find. Holtje I know as ESP-Disk's publicist. Downs has a long and distinguished discography with Billy Bang, Cecil Taylor, William Parker, Jemeel Moondoc, etc., but mostly as Rashid Bakr. They make for some powerfully interesting music, but Tang's vocals — an acquired taste, quite possibly — disincline me from playing this again. B+(**) [cd] [05-08]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Angine De Poitrine: Vol. 1 (2024 [2026], Spectacles Bonzaï): First album, first self-released in 2024, then picked up by Les Cassettes Magiques, and now reissued by their Vol. II label. Six songs, 32:54. B+(***) [sp]

Joe Henderson: Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1978 [2026], Resonance, 2CD): Tenor saxophonist (1937-2001), made a big impression with Blue Note in the 1960s, and managed to keep going strong through the 1990s. Penguin Guide noted that he always sounds like he's in the middle of a big solo, and there is a lot of that here in sets that span 160 minutes. with Joanne Brackeen (piano), Steve Rodby (bass), and Danny Spencer (drums). Suffers a bit from sprawl, compared to albums like 1985's The State of the Tenor, but the high points are undeniable. A- [cd]

Joe Henderson Quartets: Tetragon (1967-68 [2026], Craft): After five more/less classic albums on Blue Note (1963-66), the tenor saxophonist moved to Milestone for this pair of quartet sessions, with Don Friedman or Kenny Barron (piano), Jack DeJohnette or Louis Hayes (drums), and Ron Carter (bass) on both. A- [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: At the Jazz Showcase: Live in Chicago (1976 [2026], Resonance, 2CD): Pianist (1930-2023), mostly trios starting in 1951, some quite brilliant, including the first disc here, with John Heard (bass) and Frank Gant (drums). Second disc slacks off some. B+(***) [cd]

Yusef Lateef: Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1975 [2026], Resonance, 3CD): Tenor saxophonist (1920-2013), also studied and played a lot of flute, especially as his interests moved into African and Middle Eastern musics. Born William Huddleston in Chattanooga, moved to Detroit where his mother remarried, briefly making him Bill Evans, until he converted to Islam and changed his name. Received advanced degrees, and taught in Massachusetts and Nigeria. Quartet here with Kenny Barron (piano), Bob Cunningham (bass), and Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums), runs the gamut, includes some impressive tenor sax and a lot of flute (which I've never much cared for, but is not uninteresting). B+(***) [cd]

Art Pepper: Everything Happens to Me: 1959 Live at the Cellar (1959 [2026], Omnivore, 4CD): Alto saxophonist, started out in the 1940s with Benny Carter and Stan Kenton, recorded some brilliant albums early but got busted for drugs and other crimes, spending most of 1954-64 in jail, except for a brief stretch from 1956-60, when he recorded his classics (the prime albums are Meets the Rhythm Section and Smack Up, but also look for the later-collected 1956-57 Aladdin sessions). After he got out, he gigged some, but didn't really get going again until his 1975 album Living Legend, followed by years of manic touring and massive recording until he died at 56 in 1982. The late studio work is collected in a 16-CD box set, The Complete Galaxy Recordings, which invites (and rewards) random sampling. Since his death, his third (and last) wife, Laurie Pepper, has been releasing his tapes, mostly from this late period. But this product goes back to the earlier period, with four hours of live sets recorded in Vancouver, with all the tape they could find (including incomplete tunes when tape ran out, ambient noise, chatter, etc.). Quartet with Chris Gage (piano), Tony Clitheroe (bass), and George Ursan (drums), who are proficient but hardly stars. But Pepper is a star, and able to extend his aura indefinitely. A- [sp]

Michel Petrucciani: Kuumbwa (1987 [2026], Elemental Music, 2CD): French pianist, short-lived (1962-99), physically stunted but he had an amazing span of the keyboard, trio with Dave Holland (bass) and Eliot Zigmund (drums), left some extraordinary performances, but this isn't quite one. B+(**) [cd]

Cecil Taylor Unit: Fragments: The Complete 1969 Salle Pleyel Concerts (1969 [2026], Elemental Music, 2CD): Pathbreaking avant-garde pianist (1929-2018), but a charmed one, who recorded early on for major labels, waltzed easily into DownBeat's Hall of Fame, and shows up here in an archival series that had never before strayed farther out than Mingus. But apparently this European tour packaged him alongside Duke Ellington and a very dismissive Miles Davis (described by Taylor as "pretty good for a millionaire"). His Unit always included Jimmy Lyons (alto sax), usually Andrew Cyrille (drums), and on this occasion Sam Rivers (tenor/soprano sax, flute). Three sets, over two long CDs (70:10 + 71:45), where Taylor works his magic, while the discordant horns wail away, remarkable as long as patience holds. A- [cd]

Old music:

Joe Henderson: The Elements (1973, Milestone): Featuring Alice Coltrane (piano/harp/tamboura/harmonium), with Charlie Haden (bass) and Michael White (violin) also noted on the cover, and various others. Interesting exotica. B+(***) [sp]

Kesha: Gag Order [Live Acoustic EP From Space] (2023, Kemosabe/RCA, EP): Four songs from her 2023 album Gag Order, mostly produced by Rick Rubin. B [sp]

Ashley Monroe: Satisfied (2006 [2009], Sony): Country singer-songwriter, got noticed for the trio Pistol Annies (3 good albums 2011-18, plus the 2021 Hell of a Holiday, which I missed), where Miranda Lambert was an established star, and Angaleena Presley and Monroe were newcomers, on their way to some pretty good solo albums. But this was Monroe's forgotten debut, recorded and teased with a couple singles in 2006, then shelved until 2009, when it appeared digital-only. She co-wrote seven songs, but the covers stand out ("Can't Let Go," a Randy Weeks song via Lucinda Williams, and a duet with Dwight Yoakam). B+(***) [sp]

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson: 1980 (1980, Arista): Politically-engaged poet, spoken word albums from 1971 on paved the way for rap, worked with Jackson's funk grooves for seven albums from 1974, with this the last of the series. Regarded by some at the time as the best of the bunch, I'm finding it a bit dated and quaint. B+(***) [yt]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Richard Gilman-Opalsky: A Fierce and Gentle Force (Edgetone) [03-15]
• Ize Trio: Global Prayer (self-released) [06-12]
• Myra Melford/Satoko Fujii: Katarahi (RogueArt) [05-15]
• John Pachnos: John Pachnos (Avgonyma Music) [05-15]
• Álvaro Torres Trio: Mairena (Fresh Sound New Talent) [05-01]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Thursday, April 16, 2026

April archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45803 [45771] rated (+32), 20 [29] unrated (-9).

Last week's Music Week dropped a day late, on Tuesday. After that, I figured I should flush out my Loose Tabs draft file before doing another Music Week. The Trump-Netanyahu wars against Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Somalia, and random boats in the Caribbean were roiling (as they still are), with maximum cognitive dissonance to try to hack through. I've written three substantial pieces on the Iran War — really the Trump-Netanyahu War, as it's hard to see any national interests being served by actions that are hard to make any sense of except as psychotic. These are:

• [03-13]: Days of Infamy: "Franklin Roosevelt knew how to sell a war." Donald Trump doesn't. He only knows how to start one.

• [04-03]: Iran War: The Three Questions: Why is this happening?

• [04-05]: Iran War: The Big Question: How does it end? Or does it end at all?

The latter provides a framework for trying to figure out how this ends, but as a born-and-bred optimist, my most likely error is in expecting that somehow it has to end, for better or worse. Given the two key political figures, the most likely scenario is that it doesn't end, at least as long as they remain in power, but rather cycles through periods of greater or somewhat diminished violence. The US-Iran "ceasefire" of the moment is an example of how a state of war can be extended on a budget, while Israel's continued siege of Lebanon reminds us that Israel can turn on America as readily as on anyone else.

Compiling Loose Tabs gave me a chance to catch up with what people were saying about the war. (I started to say with what's happening on the ground, but reporting on the actual war and its casualties is exceptionally spotty even by usual standards: there is very little reporting from Iran, while Israel's censor covers up Iranian strikes, and US media usually sticks to what they're told.) Consequently, it's hard to make any predictions based on leverage (losses and other costs). What we can say is that certain extreme outcomes (like collapse of Iran's regime, or of Israel's and America's bombing capability) will not happen. We can also say that Trump and Netanyahu (together but mostly separately) have incoherent and/or fantastical views and goals, so it's hard to see how they can end the war with any sort of plausible victory, or afford to swallow an obvious defeat.

I'm not sure what more to say about it, except to continue my usual harangues on the futility of war, and on how hard it is for the right to see this, given their habitual resort to violence to maintain domestic inequality and hierarchy. Given Trump's threats and dreams of using the armed forces against immigrants (and other Americans), how could anyone think he'd moderate against imaginary threats as feverishly hyped as Iran? He is an extremely violent man, perhaps not personally, but he has practically unlimited forces he can call on to do his dirty work, and he has little if any care or compunction about who gets hurt along the way.

I'm having increasing doubts about the viability of Loose Tabs (as well as its predecessors Speaking of Which and Weekend Roundup). The problem isn't just the amount of work such collation and annotation takes, or the increasingly dire state of the world, but that so many reputable sources are disappearing behind paywalls. I think I hit 5-6 different ones in a row yesterday. Sometimes I go ahead and jot down what I can see, and sometimes that suffices to make some point, but I run into a lot of dead ends, and that is doubly frustrating: an inconvenience for me, but also a grave distortion of the information landscape. My wife is a serious newshound, and subscribes to some things I may or may not piggyback on (but that's becoming even more difficult at places like the New York Times). I grew up poor and cheap, so I'm much more reluctant to indulge. (And when I do, I usually go for books, which seem like more durable investments. I've also bought a lot of music in my day, but not so much recently.)

I don't like to second-guess people on how they choose to make a living, but from a public viewpoint we'd be better off with a free exchange of ideas, which isn't possible in a world cluttered with toll booths. It wouldn't cost much to let anyone who wants to write (or engage in any other creative activity) to do so, with the fruits easily available for all. There's little chance of anything like that happening soon, not least because those in power jealously guard the artificial scarcity of information, especially given their role in fabricating much of it. On the other hand, the prohibitionist impulse, which objects to using tax money for anything one does not personally approve of, is still very much alive. The idea that we'd all be better off if other people were better off is hard to swallow for people who grew up in conditions of scarcity.

At some point, I should factor AI into this question. One potential problem is that as long as information is scarce and profitable, those who have leverage will be tempted to use AI to flood the market, driving less cost-effective intelligence to the sidelines — a result which would be much favored by the AI barons, who we're making incredibly rich on the hunch they will be positioned to extract incredible amounts of profit from the economy.

I'm still sitting on the fence regarding AI. I'm inclined to believe that it can be a very useful tool to help writers like myself who already have a pretty good idea how to think — several pieces in this Loose Tabs lean that way — but I have little idea how to start, or with what. But that I'm behind the learning curve seemed obvious tonight, when I went to the library and noticed a whole section of For Dummies books of various AI platforms: probably not the best place to start, but an indication that a lot of ground has been broken. Some of my needs are pretty simple, like reading my writing for typos and other grammar issues. I could also use something to dive into the old notebooks and summarize what I think about various issue. I could use a keyword generator. I could use research help. I've gotten a fair amount of value already from the AI that's recently been added to Google search. Good chance something better is available. I could also use coding help for website development. I'm a pretty fair programmer, but I don't know Javascript or Python, even tough I have a pretty good idea what one might do with both. But I don't have the energy I once had to throw myself into learning new things like that. (And, as I mentioned, I grew up cheap.)

Nine days in this week, which was barely enough to nudge me over the 30 album line. I had various distractions. Most significantly (for me, anyway), I spent a couple days cooking. I wrote up a bit about the meal(s) on Facebook, including two plate pictures (one for dinner, the other for dessert). A college friend turned me onto Greek cuisine, and that was my first major breakout from my mother's Arkansas soul food. Not sure when I'll get another chance, but it seems to be one of the few things I still feel pretty competent at.

Next week should be more house tasks. The biggest, most obvious thing will be getting the carport railing back up. That's been down since January (or maybe December). I probably won't do a Music Week next week, but will try to sync up again the following Monday (April 27). I'm not working very hard to track new releases, although we have an interesting batch of records this week — including one I hadn't heard of until I backtracked a subscriber to my free Substack — I seem to be stuck at 99 subscribers there, so if you haven't already, please sign up there — or was it Bluesky?

New records reviewed this week:

Juhani Aaltonen + Raoul Björkenheim: Nostalgia (2025 [2026], Eclipse Music): Finnish saxophonist/flautist, made some superb albums in the 1970s, with nothing under his own name between 1982-2000, but recorded much after that, including this album a few months before he turned 90. He plays flute here, in duets with the Finnish guitarist. I'm not much of a flute fan, but in the past he's stood out enough I've voted for him in polls. He's still on top here. B+(***) [sp]

Rodrigo Amado/This Is Our Language Quartet: Wailers (2019 [2026], European Echoes): The Portuguese tenor saxophonist's "American Quartet," with Joe McPhee (tenor sax), Kent Kessler (bass), and Chris Corsano (drums), first appeared on the album This Is Our Language in 2012. Impressive, as always, especially when both saxes crank up. A- [dl]

Atlantic Road Trip: Watch as the Echo Falls (2025 [2026], Calligram): Trio of Chad McCullough (trumpet/synths), Paul Towndrow (alto sax/flute/whistles) and Miro Herak (vibes), sort of chamber jazz. B+(*) [cd]

Mara Calder: We Stay Ugly 'Til the Pretty Decays (2026, Black Metal Archives Label): According to the only www source I can find, "Mara Calder is a 16-year-old musician and street-smart resident of Black City. Known as the girlfriend and creative partner of Kai (Purple C), she possesses the supernatural ability to see the dead, accompanied by her ghost companion Eli. A talented producer and vocalist, she balances high school life with the chaotic urban underground and paranormal encounters." Based on this debut album, I don't believe a word of this (except "talented producer and vocalist"), even before noting that the website seems to be a catalog of AI characters. Label is British, goes by BMAL, motto "Always underground/always antifascist," self-described as "an artist-first collective, operating on a transparent license." First song is "Junkyard Cabaret," built from "detuned piano, upright bass, clanking metal, and found sounds," including dramatic shifts and time changes that us old-timers recall from cabaret (or postmodern opera from Meatloaf to Ethel Cain). Some ballads are just backed by piano, and are nearly as striking as the more hyper stuff. What we used to call a "tour de force." Sample lyric: "If it's crashing, let it burn." A- [sp]

Chicago Soul Jazz Collective: No Wind & No Rain (2026, Calligram): Original songs by Larry Brown Jr. (guitar, some vocals) and John Fournier (tenor sax), with lead vocals by Dee Alexander, and support from Ryan Nyther (trumpet), Amr Fahmy (keyboards), Micah Collier (basses), and Keith Brooks II (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Paul Citro: Keep Moving (Home) (2024-25 [2026], Calligram): Chicago guitarist, first album, quartet with Nick Mazzarella (alto sax/wurlitzer), Matt Ulery (bass), and Quin Kitchner (drums), playin original pieces by Citro. B+(*) [cd] [05-01]

Caleb Wheeler Curtis: Ritual (2025 [2026], Chill Tone): Plays stritch mostly, with spots of soprano/sopranino sax and trumpet. Has several albums since 2018. This one with Hery Paz (tenor sax/flute), Orrin Evans (piano, 4/9 tracks in the middle), Vicente Archer (bass), and Michael Sarin (drums). B+(***) [cd]

Fcukers: Ö (2026, Ninja Tune): New York dance-pop group (duo? trio?), first album (11 songs, 28:57) after a couple of EPs. Lightweight but functional, which may be enough. B+(***) [sp]

Flea: Honora (2026, Nonesuch): Famous bassist, I recognized the pseudonym but couldn't place him (Red Hot Chili Peppers), debut solo album, plays trumpet on what is reportedly aa return to his jazz roots. That's not a parade I particularly want to rain on, but it doesn't particularly work as jazz, even as fusion. Part of this is that his social circle intrudes, and they're even less jazz-oriented than he is. B- [sp]

Sophie Gault: Unhinged (2026, Torrez Music Group): Americana singer, presumably writes some songs, second album, no notes I can find on it but puts one foot firmly in country by opening with a Buck Owens song, then rocks harder than the Nashville norm. B+(**) [sp]

Tomas Janzon: Jazz Diary (2025 [2026], Changes Music): Swedish guitarist, based in New York, half-dozen albums since 1999. Originals, backed by bass (Nedra Wheeler) and drums (Tony Austin or Chuck McPherson). Includes an extra track from 2000, with Wheeler on bass. B+(**) [cd]

Kin'Gongolo Kiniata: Kiniata (2024 [2025], Helico Music): Congolese group, from Kinshasa, first album, handcrafted instruments, in an album that will appeal to fans of Konono No. 1. A- [bc]

Kinact: Kinshasa in Action (2026, Nyege Nyege Tapes): Another Congo band, founded in 2015 by Eddy Ekete, with its own mix of electronics, homemade percussion, and industrial tools. While I find these bands hard to resist, this isn't always as musical as I'd like. B+(**) [bc]

Gurf Morlix: Cobwebs & Stardust (2026, Rootball): Alt-country singer-songwriter, started connected to Blaze Foley and Lucinda Williams, went solo in 2000, has become increasingly prolific. Choice cut: "My Guitar Is a Blues Machine." B+(**) [sp]

Jim Robitaille Trio: Sonic (2026, Whaling City Sound): Guitarist, at least eight albums since 2004, backed by bass (Tom Casale) and drums (Chris Poudrier), eight originals plus covers of Coltrane and Davis. B+(**) [cd]

Ted Rosenthal Trio: The Good Old Days (2024 [2026], TMR Music): Pianist, debut was a trio in 1990, quite a few albums since, including a Maybeck Hall solo and many trios. This is mostly trio, a mix of originals and standards, one session with Martin Wind (bass) and Tim Horner (drums), the other with Noriko Ueda (bass) and Quincy Davis (drums), with two of the latter including "special guest" Ken Peplowski (clarinet), who has since passed. The rags are especially delightful. B+(***) [05-01]

Fie Schouten/Vincent Courtois/Sofia Borges/Pierre Baux: Open Space (2025 [2026], Relative Pitch): Clarinets, cello, drums, and spoken voice (in French, which I'm not following very well, but finding interesting). B+(**) [cd]

Paul Silbergleit Trio: The Stillness of July (2024 [2026], Calligram): Guitarist, has a 1996 debut album but not a lot since. Trio with Clay Schaub (bass) and Devin Drobka (drums), playing three originals plus more/less standards from Charlie Parker to Stevie Wonder. B+(**) [cd] [05-01]

Harlan Silverman: Music for Stillness (2026, Intentional): Started off playing guitar for Mayer Hawthorne, member of Cosmic Tones Research Trio, first own album, on which he plays bansuri flute, cello, viola, piano, fender rhodes, aiming for "what might peace sound like?" Modest ambition, not to be scoffed at. Functional, even. B+(***) [bc]

Slayyyter: Wor$t Girl in America (2026, Columbia): Dance-pop singer-songwriter Catherine Slater, from suburban St. Louis, started with a mixtape in 2019, third album. B+(**) [sp]

Sky Smeed: Live at the Rock House (2026, self-released): Folkie singer-songwriter, based in Lawrence, KS (grew up near Chanute, which means something to me, probably not to you), has more than a dozen albums (4 on Discogs, as far back as 2004). A dozen songs, some attempts at audience participation, plus two "radio edits" (good to be prepared). A- [sp]

Alister Spence: Always Ever (2025 [2026], Alister Spence Music): Australian pianist, dozen or so albums since 2011, including a couple of duos with Satoko Fujii. Solo. Keeps it interesting. B+(**) [cd] [04-24]

Tanya Tagaq: Saputjiji (2026, Six Shooter): Canadian Inuk throat singer, seventh studio album since 2005. Played it last night and got nothing out of it, but noticed the first song was called "Fuck War," and heard if through the post-industrial din, followed by a spoken word explaining "we're children, needing nurture, not razorblades." Rest of the album wanders some, with nothing quite grabbing me the same way, but the bleak, disturbing chill comes off as its own virtue. A- [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Born in the City of Tanta: Lower Egyptian Urban Folklore and Bedouin Shaabi From Libya's Bourini Records 1968-75 (1968-75 [2025], Sublime Frequencies): Seattle label has been scraping together world music obscurities for at least 20 years, including a very wide swath of Asia as well as all of Africa and the deeper recesses of the Amazon (and one I haven't heard called West Virginia Snake Handler Revival). Some striking tracks here, less groove than later raï or dabke but no less remarkable. Hedged a bit because it's not all public. [4/8 tracks] B+(***) [bc]

Bill Evans: At the BBC (1965 [2026], Elemental Music): Piano trio, with Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker, two sets on one CD, runs 70:15, with Humphrey Lyttleton the announcer. Some remarkable passages, but that's not unusual for the dozen or more Evans live shots that have come out recently. B+(***) [cd] [04-18]

Freddie King: Feeling Alright: The Complete 1975 Nancy Pulsations Concert (1975 [2026], Elemental Music, 2CD): Blues guitarist-singer (1934-76), placed three albums on Robert Santelli's list of the best 100 blues albums. Live in France, a little more than a year before he died at 42. B+(**) [cd] [04-18]

Cecil Taylor New Unit: Words & Music: The Last Bandstand (2016 [2026], Fundacja Słuchaj): Avant-garde pianist (1929-2018), debut 1956, ran a legendary band called the Cecil Taylor Unit in the 1970s with Jimmy Lyons, mostly recorded duos and trios after that, including a monumental showcase in Berlin in 1988. Last recording in my database was a duo with drummer Tony Oxley from 2011, so this New Unit album comes as a surprise. With Harri Sjöström (soprano and sopranino sax), Okkyung Lee (cello), Oxley (electronics), and Jackson Krall (drums), with piano and spoken word by Taylor, in a single 79:23 take (now split into two tracks). The music is remarkable. The words, which appear in the second half, are hard to follow, but have their own musicality. A- [bc]

Miroslav Vitous: Mountain Call (2003-10 [2026], ECM): Czech bassist, studied music in Vienna, then got a scholarship to Berklee, emerging in 1970 as a founder of Weather Report, leaving in 1973 to pursue an eclectic solo career. Discography jumps a decade from 1992-2002, resumes with one of his best albums (Universal Syncopations), and continues, but with nothing since 2018. This picks from several sessions, with Michel Portal (clarinets) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) in large print on the cover, and variously the first nine pieces; Esperanza Spalding (voice), Bob Mintzer (bass clarinet), Gary Campbell (soprano/tenor sax), and Gerald Cleaver (drums) in smaller print, plus "members of Czech National Symphony Orchestra" (two extended pieces near the end). B+(*) [sp]

Mal Waldron: Stardust & Starlight: At the Jazz Showcase (1979 [2026], Resonance): A great pianist (1926-2002), came up during the hard bop era, is famous for accompanying Billie Holiday in her last years, but did some of his best work in the 1980s, leading free jazz groups on an Italian label. Transitional trio set here with Steve Rodby (bass) and Wilbur Campbell (drums), joined for the last two tracks by Sonny Stitt (alto sax). A- [cd] [04-18]

Old music:

Dorisburg & Sebastian Mullaert: That Who Remembers (2023, Spazio Disponibile): Swedish electronica producer Alexander Berg, third of three albums since 2016, Mullaert has more albums back to 2011, including a previous live album with Berg. B+(**) [sp]

Ted Rosenthal: Ted Rosenthal at Maybeck [Maybeck Recital Hall Series, Volume Thirty-Eight] (1994 [1995], Concord): Solo piano, part of a series Concord recorded from 1989-95, showcasing a who's who of (mostly) mainstream pianists (first volume was Joanne Brackeen, followed by Dave McKenna, Dick Hyman, Walter Norris, Stanley Cowell, Hal Galper, John Hicks, Gerry Wiggins, Marian McPartland, and Kenny Barron). He's relatively young here (35), with just a couple albums, but he's impressive, and touches a lot of bases (two originals, Porter and Gershwin, Dameron and Tristano, Powell and Nichols, Bach and James P. Johnson, "Gone With the Wind"). B+(**) [sp]

Wordsworth: Mirror Music (2004, Halftooth): Early album, savvy words and beats. B+(**) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Terry Callier: At the Earl of Old Town (1967, Time Traveler) [04-18]
• Roy Hargrove: Bern (2000, Time Traveler) [04-18]
• Kathy Ingraham: Jazz Dreams (Peirdon) [03-16]
• What You May Call It: Da Qi (MechaBenzaiten) [05-08]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

April archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45771 [45738] rated (+33), 29 [21] unrated (+8).

I've written answers to two recent questions. I don't get many, which sometimes excuses my slow responses, but I'm generally game. You can ask a question here.

Main thing I worked on last week was a two-part Substack post on Trump's Iran War:

• April 3: Iran War: The Three Questions: Why is this happening?
• April 5: Iran War: The Big Question: How does it end? Or does it end at all? These followed up from my earlier post:
• March 13: Days of Infamy: "Franklin Roosevelt knew how to sell a war." Donald Trump doesn't. He only knows how to start one.

The New York Times has a new piece, How Trump took the US to war with Iran, which reports on the war council meetings. It has more details like who sat where, but the outlines are exactly as I speculated in these posts. The only news seems to be that the insiders feeding the reporters these details are making sure to register their reservations, which if made obviously had no effect on Trump. It's the first draft of history, and already people want an edit.

What I didn't particularly anticipate was that Trump would reverse course and issue an apocalyptic ultimatum on Easter Sunday, then back off today and agree to a two-week ceasefire. As the New York Times reports: US and Iran agree to cease-fire, avoiding (or postponing) Trump's threats of imminent devastation. I haven't figured out what's going on yet, although the "TACO Tuesday" joke occurred to me before I heard it on Kimmel. Given that Trump wound up accepting an Iranian proposal as the "basis for talks" suggests that he blinked first, and that Iran expects to gain more diplomatic leverage in two weeks than the military advantage they lose as the US and Israel rearms. But how it might make sense isn't immediately clear.

I'll collect more on this during the week, and try to release a new Loose Tabs before next week. It should be shorter than the last couple, partly because I'm taking less time, and partly because I don't expect to have a lot of time this week. On the other hand, things are moving too fast to hold back just to pile up another TL;DR post. Meanwhile, you can read what I have so far in my draft file.

Music Week was delayed a day this week because a friend broke her hip and shoulder, and we helped get her settled back home from the hospital. As usual, they dump people out long before they're really ready to go. Some very interesting records below, including several that don't quite work for me but might be up your alley (Raye, Chalk, Jill Scott). I've been playing old favorites to start off most days, and I paid little attention to the demo queue this week (pretty much everything I have is still in advance of release, so it didn't seem urgent.

I have dinner plans for Saturday, and lots of house work to do. I'm not sure about the latter given how sore I still am from crawling around the attic last week.

New records reviewed this week:

Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman: Miami Lice: Season Four (2026, Rhymesayers Entertainment): Underground rappers Ian Bavitz and Angelo Del Villar II, both with long and notable solo careers, fourth EP/album together as Lice, getting closer to album length with 8 songs, 27:11. B+(***) [sp]

Ali & Charif Megarbane: Tirakat (2026, Habibi Funk): Ali (140 on Discogs) is a Jakarta-based trio, with a couple of previous albums. Megarbane is a Lebanese composer-producer of somewhat longer standing, including aliases like Cosmic Analog Ensemble, The Free Association Syndicate, The Submarine Chronicles, and Trans-Mara Express. B+(*) [sp]

Elles Bailey: Can't Take My Story Away (2026, Cooking Vinyl): English singer-songwriter, slotted over there as Americana, draws more on blues than country, eighth album since 2017. Strong singer, sounds good. B+(**) [sp]

Chalk: Crystalpunk (2026, Alter Music): Industrial dance-punk band from Belfast, first album, Ross Cullen the vocalist, Benedict Goddard multi-instrumentalist, they seem to also have some accomplishments in film. Starts out sounding like what I think metal should sound like, but they're more varied, and ultimately not much more hardcore than, say, the Fall (or some other 1980s band I can't recall but can almost picture). That seems about right, though I still haven't plumbed much depth here. B+(***) [sp]

Stew Cutler & Friends: Under Cover (Mostly) (2025 [2026], self-released): Guitarist, also plays harmonica, has several albums going back to 2000, mostly jazz side-credits (Bobby Previte, Wayne Horvitz), although I'm seeing this filed under blues (which works best when the friend is vocalist Bobby Harden; less so with the organ). Some nifty guitar in spots (but "Summer Breeze" is a bit too saccharine). B+(*) [sp]

The Delines: The Set Up (2026, Decor/El Cortez/Jealous Butcher): Retro country-soul band from Portland, led by reputable novelist Willy Vlautin, Amy Boone the vocalist, seventh album since 2014. B+(***) [sp]

Elucid & Sebb Bash: I Guess U Had to Be There (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): Rapper Chaz Hall, has a dozen or so albums on his own since 2007, aside from his work in Armand Hammer. With Swiss producer Sebastian Bashmolean. Pretty dense. B+(**) [sp]

Avalon Emerson & the Charm: Written Into Changes (2026, Dead Oceans): Singer-songwriter from Arizona, has a reputation as a Berlin DJ and electronic music producer, but at least here sings on what I'd call electropop (or synth-pop), keeping as group name the title of her 2023 debut. A- [sp]

Girl Scout: Brink (2026, Human Garbage): Swedish indie-pop group, Emma Jansson the singer, multiple songwriters, first album after two EPs. B+(*) [sp]

Irreversible Entanglements: Future Present Past (2026, Impulse!): DC-based free jazz collective, fifth studio album since 2017, with Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother, vocals), Aquiles Navarro (trumpet), Keir Neuringer (saxes/keyboards), Luke Stewart (bass), and Tcheser Holmes (drums). Impressive as ever. A- [sp]

DoYeon Kim: Wellspring (2026, TAO Forms): Korean, based in New York, plays gayageum (12- and 25-string), sings some, backed by Mat Maneri (viola), Henry Fraser (bass), and Tyshawn Sorey (drums). Interesting and fairly unique record, but not one I find myself particularly enjoying. B+(*) [cd] [05-01]

Erica von Kleist: Picc Pocket (2025 [2026], self-released): Flute player and saxophonist, born in Connecticut, several albums since 2005, this one focuses on the piccolo (which "has spent most of jazz history on the sidelines," not without reason). Backed by piano-bass-drums, with some trombone and tenor sax. B [cd] [04-23]

Kronos Quartet: Glorious Mahalia (2026, Smithsonian Folkways): Classical string quartet, founded by David Harrington (violin) in 1973, based in San Francisco, group was stable from 1978-99, with John Sherba and Hank Dutt retiring in 2024. Early albums included works of Terry Riley and Steve Reich, as well as modernists, but they've branched out widely, with Piazzolla and Partch, Dylan and Seeger, and lots of world music — Pieces of Africa (1992) a personal favorite. This tribute to the gospel great incorporates some of her singing, but is mostly built around spoken word samples, with Clarence Jones as well as Jackson, often focused on Martin Luther King Jr. A- [sp]

Buck Meek: The Mirror (2026, 4AD): Guitarist in Big Thief, was married to lead singer Adrianne Lenker when they founded the band, divorced in 2018, but remains in band, while both also record solo albums. This is his fourth. B+(**) [sp]

Fabiano do Nascimento & Vittor Santos E Orquestra: Vila (2026, Far Out): Brazilian guitarist, has a dozen-plus albums since 2011. Santos I know as a trombonist, but here he leads a large and rather lush orchestra: not my favorite thing, but lovely, for sure. B+(*) [sp]

Nubiyan Twist: Chasing Shadows (2026, Strut): British jazz-funk group, sixth album since 2015, much depends on their funk quotient. B [sp]

Bill Orcutt: Music in Continuous Motion (2026, Palilalia): Guitarist, has a noise-rock background starting in the group Harry Pussy, has quite a few instrumental albums, of late some with four guitars (including this one, but apparently here they're all him). B+(**) [sp]

Puma Blue: Croak Dream (2026, PIAS): British electronica producer Jacob Allen, singles since 2016 and albums since 2019, languid beats and dusky atmospherics roughly fit the genre of trip-hop. B+(**) [sp]

Raye: This Music May Contain Hope (2026, Human Re Sources): British pop/r&b singer-songwriter Rachel Keen, second album, has co-written songs for Beyoncé and Charli XCX. This is major, 17 songs for 73 minutes, with a dollop of Al Green in the middle. Too much, but half of this is as impressive as anything I've heard this year. B+(***) [sp]

Jill Scott: To Whom It May Concern (2026, Human Re Sources/Blues Babe): Soul singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, debut 2000, sixth studio album (last was 2015). A pretty major effort. B+(***) [sp]

Aktu el Shabazz: As Seen on TV (2026, 766303 DK): Underground hip-hop, Brooklyn-born, Vancouver-based MC, first album. B+(**) [sp]

Snail Mail: Ricochet (2026, Matador): Indie-pop group from Baltimore, Lindsey Jordan the singer-songwriter, third album since 2018. B+(*) [sp]

Tyshawn Sorey: Monochromatic Life (Afterlife) (2023 [2026], Dacamera): Jazz drummer, MacArthur Genius, just composer and conductor of this single 74:52 piece, played by Kim Kashkashian (viola), Sarah Rothenberg (piano/celeste), and Steven Schick (percussion), featuring the many voices of the Houston Chamber Choir: not that this sounds like a big vocal production — I'd file it under ambient, and forget it. B [sp]

Stu Bangas & Wordsworth: Chemistry (2026, 1332): Hip-hop producer Stuart Hudgins, from Boston, has put his name on 33+ albums since 2012, mostly as second bill to some rapper, including a previous album with rapper Vinson Johnson, whose first album appeared in 2002. Title is true, as words and beats mesh into continuous pleasure. A- [sp]

Thundercat: Distracted (2026, Brainfeeder): Neo-soul singer-songwriter Stephen Bruner, mostly plays bass, has a rep as a producer, fifth album since 2011. B+(*) [sp]

Mark Turner: Patternmaster (2024 [2026], ECM): Tenor saxophonist, impressive debut in 1995, recorded for majors through 2001 then fell off, but has been busy since 2018. Quartet with Jason Palmer (trumpet), Joe Martin (bass), and Jonathan Pinson (drums), whose names appear on the over, under the title. B+(*) [sp]

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Jazz Is Dead 26: Antonio Carlos & Jocafi (2026, Jazz Is Dead): Brazilian duo, Antonio Carlos Marques Pinto and José Carlos Figueiredo, who brought Bahia folk into MPB, recorded at least 13 albums 1971-96, fitting the producers' focus on 1970s artists who are still kicking (now in their 80s). I'm not familiar with their old work, but this seems like it should work as a fine introductory sampler. B+(***) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Eddie Condon: Surprise! Eddie Condon at Town Hall, c. April 1944 (1944 [2026], Jazz Lives): Early swing pianist (1905-73), known more as a bandleader than as a soloist, LPs start in 1956 but recordings go back to 1928. This live set is presented as having been discovered by Michael Steinman in 1988, from the collection of J. David Goldin, and recently cleaned up, running 57:07, with a long list of notable players, identified as we go by announcer Alistair Cooke (including Sidney Catlett [or Cozy Cole], Joe Bushkin [or Art Hodes], Buster Bailey, Pee Wee Russell, Miff Mole, Billy Butterfield, and Max Kaminsky). This material has probably appeared on CD before: Jazzology released 11 volumes of Condon's The Town Hall Concerts from 1944-45. I copied them all down from Penguin Guide, which singled out Volumes 3 & 7 for 4 stars. Before this, I've only heard one later excerpt, so it's impossible to weigh this out, but I'm enjoying this almost as much as Steinman promised. Still, without an actual CD, cover, etc., one shouldn't get carried away. [Link] B+(***) [yt]

Serengeti: Ajai 2 the Reimagine (2025, self-released): Chicago underground rapper David Cohn, lots of albums since 2006, one called Ajai in 2020, Agai II in 2023, previously graded (**) and (*), this one similar to one on Bandcamp called Ajai 2 Remix Album, which came out about the same time. Probably no better or worse than any other version. B+(*) [sp]

Serengeti: Universe (2022 [2025], CC King): Seems to be a 2022 LP release (50 copies), followed by a digital reissue, but whereas the former had five titles on the A-side, just 1 on the B, this only shows a "side one" and "side two" (which is mostly ambient). B [sp]

Old music:

Kronos Quartet: Howl, U.S.A. (1996, Nonesuch): A lot of back catalog to explore. This seemed like such a obvious item for me: not only does Allen Ginsberg read his epic poem, but we also get I.F. Stone reading "Cold War Suite From How It Happens," Harry Partch's "Barstow," and an opening piece called "Sing Sing: J. Edgar Hoover." Howl was a big part of my late teen years. (I had a poster of Ginsberg glued to the ceiling over the staircase, which my mother hated, and eventually painted over; and I was a subscriber to I.F. Stone's Weekly; my interest in Partch came a bit later.) Not quite sure the music fits, nor are the readers ideal, but Ginsberg's words often overcome all that. B+(***) [sp]

Kronos Quartet: Long Time Passing: Kronos Quartet & Friends Celebrate Pete Seeger (2020, Smithsonian Folkways): Friends are singers (Aoife O'Donovan, Brian Carpenter, Lee Knight, Maria Arnal, Meklit Hadero, Sam Amidon), preserving but reshaping folk songs, many classics, most original but some older, a couple surprises (I somehow missed that "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" was his song, as was "Turn Turn Turn"). An interesting and thoughtful reframing of a powerful legacy. A- [sp]

Soda Stereo: Canción Animal (1990, Sony): Rock group from Argentina, seven studio albums 1984-95, this fifth album "considered to be one of the best albums of all time of the Latin Rock genre" (per Wikipedia; Google also recommended it; I only asked because I have a reader lobbying for Argentinian rock in general — I had no idea where to start until this group came up, probably from the same reader). If I could follow the words, I might be able to figure out whether they're as good or bad or whatever as, to pull a couple not-dissimilar bands off the top of my head, Guns 'N Roses or Manic Street Preachers. But I can't, so I'm going off rhythm and sonics. B+(*) [sp]

Wordsworth and Stu Bangas: Two Kings (2024, Brutal Music): Rapper, goes back to 2002, and producer. I'm working back from their new one, Chemistry, and finding the same attraction here, in their first collaboration, although "the alliance of two giants" line isn't quite as interesting. B+(***) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Bobby Broom: Notes of Thanks (Steele) [05-01]
• Marie-Paule Franke: Through the Cracks, the Light Is Born (MariPosa) [06-26]
• Phil Haynes/Ben Monder/Peyton Pleninger: Terra (Corner Store Jazz) [05-01]
• Joe Henderson: Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1978, Resonance, 2CD) [04-18]
• Ahmad Jamal: At the Jazz Showcaswe: Live in Chicago (1976, Resonance) [04-18]
• Tomas Janzon: Jazz Diary (Changes Music) [04-10]
• Paul Kahn: Willingness (Carl Cat) [06-19]
• Jason Kruk: Beyond the Veil (SunGoose) [05-01]
• Yusef Lateef: Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1975, Resonance, 3CD) [04-18]
• Mal Waldron: Stardust & Starlight: At the Jazz Showcase (1979, Resonance) [04-18]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

March archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45738 [45700] rated (+38), 21 [26] unrated (-5).

I didn't give any thought to posting this on Monday. I was preoccupied with writing the follow up to my March 13 Iran war post, Days of Infamy. The new one attempts to explain the war through four questions: three factual, one calling for speculation. I've written quite a bit of this (you can peek at my draft file), but I wasn't happy with the final section, and still have some tidying up to do.

I don't get much done these days, especially on ones where my prime time gets interrupted by other exigencies. Yesterday, we had to go deal with taxes. Today I had to take the car in for service. When I got back, Laura told me that Trump had called off the war. While I would welcome that, if true it would mean that much of the thinking behind my fourth answer was wrong. I'm not saying that at some point Trump won't want to simply call off the war, but I doubt he's come close to that point yet, and it's really not just up to him anymore. So I've done some checking, and need to do some more. The net effect is that I'm more than a few hours away from wrapping the Substack piece up.

So I'm not getting that piece out today. Which means that once again I've limped through another month with only one Substack post to my credit. Given that I've yet to hit 100 subscribers, I'm feeling pretty bummed about the whole enterprise. But if I can't get that done today (and possibly not even this week), I reckon I can print out what I have for Music Week, so that follows.

I don't have much more to say about this week's music. Which I suppose is fitting given how many albums below I graded without offering any further explanation. I've been focusing more on the war writing this week, and that's taking a lot out of me. It may well mean I've missed a bunch of stuff. Of course, that's always true, but this week has been exceptionally distracting.

I've done the bare minimum of bookkeeping to go from March to April. I despair of ever catching up, but this coming week should be more distracted than usual, as I try to get some house work done while the weather is still relatively decent. (We've had what is probably a record number of 90+°F days for March.)

One correction/explanation: Last week I included the Docteur Nico album cover, but omitted the review. I fixed that, but rather than referring you back, I've duplicated both this week.

By the way, I continue to add minor bits to the March 22 Loose Tabs, but most new stuff is going into the draft file.

New records reviewed this week:

Joshua Abrams: Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation (2026, Drag City): Chicago bassist, debut 2002, in 2010 released a mostly electronics album called Natural Information, and has followed that with seven Natural Information Society albums. He composed to run non-stop for Lisa Alvarado's art exhibition, using two cellos, harmonium, and electronics, and mixed it down to a single 35:42 piece. Functional ambient music, and just interesting enough. B+(**) [sp]

Courtney Barnett: Creature of Habit (2026, Mom + Pop/Fiction): Australian singer-songwriter, pretty good guitarist, fourth album since 2015. A nice little rock record, a consistent pleasure. A- [sp]

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: We Are Together Again (2026, No Quarter/Domino): Singer-songwriter Will Oldham, started as Palace Brothers in 1993, then Palace Music, recorded a solo album under his own name in 1997, then started using this moniker in 1999, now up to 27 albums. I've always been rather put off by the name, for reasons I've never examined. B+(*) [sp]

Asher Brinson: Midnight Hurricane (2026, AsherBrin): Bluegrass singer-songwriter from North Carolina, first album, quite young but gets some veteran help and makes the most of it, padding eight original songs out with one cover and two instrumental tracks. Songs are solid-plus, set in some mighty fine picking. A- [cd] [04-03]

Owen Chen: Eternal Wind: The Ghibli Collection (2025 [2026], OA2): Guitarist, based in New York, first album, joined here by a second guitarist, Andrew Cheng, playing pieces written by Joe Hisaishi for Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli. Backed by piano-bass-drums, with harmonica and/or tenor sax on five (of 9) tracks. B+(*) [cd] [04-03]

Cyger & Butterworth: Plaid Pants (2024 [2026], Outrageous8): Saxophonist Ron Cyger (also plays flute) and bassist Brent Butterworth (also guitar, ukulele, and percussion), each writing four (of eight) songs, backed by various percussionists. Nice groove. B+(**) [cd]

Flying Lotus: Big Mama (Brainfeeder, EP): Electronica producer Steven Ellison, eight albums since 2006, seven tracks (13:19), also comes with a 13:21 continuous mix. B+(*) [sp]

Tigran Hamasyan: Manifeste (2023-25 [2026], Naïve): Armenian pianist, lives in Yerevan after some time in Los Angeles, over a dozen albums since 2006, most on major labels (Verve, ECM, Nonesuch), draws on a wide array of styles, using electronics and voices (including the Yerevan State Chamber Choir). Impressive moves, just not a mix I particularly enjoy. B [sp]

Joshua Idehen: I Know You're Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got to Try (2026, Heavenly): British poet, teacher, musician, sings, raps, sometimes just utters philosophical epigrams; third album since 2023. Good advice: "do not bend to fascism." While the words impress, the beats put this over. A- [sp]

Grace Ives: Girlfriend (2026, True Panther/Capitol): Synth-pop singer-songwriter, third album since 2019. B+(***) [sp]

Jamile/Vinicius Gomes: Boundless Species (2024 [2026], La Reserve): Brazilians in New York, vocals and guitar, along with Joe Martin on bass. B+(***) [cd] [04-03]

Robert Jospé Quartet: The Night Sky (2025 [2026], self-released): American drummer, has several previous albums, going back to the 1990s (hype sheet says this is his ninth). Quartet with Daniel Clarke (keyboards), Chris Whiteman (guitar), and Paul Langosch (bass). Mostly originals (including one by Clarke), with two standards. B+(*) [cd]

The Paul Keller Orchestra: Thank You Notes: The Music of Gregg Hill (2025 [2026], Cold Plunge): Hill, based in Lansing, has few if any performance credits to speak of, but tributes to his compositions have become a cottage industry in recent years. As he turns 80, bassist Keller, whose own big band is marking its 40th anniversary, gives him the royal treatment. B+(**) [cd]

Steve Kovalcheck: Buckshot Blues (2025 [2026], OA2): Guitarist, several records since 2009, trio with Jeff Hamilton (bass) and Jon Hamar (drums) &mdash Kovalchek was on 2025's Jeff Hamilton Organ Trio album. Mostly originals, with Hamar contributing one, the covers including "Skylark" and "I've Been Everywhere." The latter and the title cut, in particular, have a nice bounciness. B+(***) [cd] [04-03]

Scott Lee: Greetings From Florida: Postcards From Paradise (2024 [2026], Sunnyside): Composer, website shows one previous album (Through the Mangrove Tunnels, 2020 on New Focus), so evidently not Discogs' Scott Lee (5), a bassist with several albums on SteepleChase. This is music written for chamber ensemble and singer Camila Meza, drawing built around lyrics from Cuban American poet Carolina Hospital. The lyrics "balance ambiguity with clarity of message in a way that makes them perfect for setting to music." I didn't warm to the music, but the depth and art is clear. B+(*) [cd] [04-16]

Roc Marciano: 656 (2026, self-released): Rapper Rakeem Calief Myer, has a dozen solo or collaborative studio albums since 2010. B+(**) [sp]

Kristen Mather de Andrade: Sim Fin (2022-24 [2026], Ansonica): Clarinet player and singer from Youngstown, Ohio; based in New York, has at least one previous album; plays Brazilian music, backed here by string quartet and other notables, including Vinicius Gomes (guitar) and Vitor Gonçalves (piano/accordion). B+(*) [cd]

Mitski: Nothing's About to Happen to Me (2026, Dead Oceans): Japanese-American singer-songwriter, mother Japanese, born there, but father was a US State Department official who dragged her all over before ending up in New York. Eighth studio album since 2012, popular breakthrough in 2012. One of the year's top-rated albums (so far), but once again she mostly slips past me. B+(*) [sp]

Model/Actriz: Swan Songs (2026, True Panther/Dirty Hit, EP): Industrial/dance-punk band, originally from Boston, now in Brooklyn, two albums, this just 3 songs, 14:01. B+(**) [sp]

Beto Paciello: The Stoic Suite (2023 [2026], Moons Arts): Brazilian pianist/composer, seems to have been around, with several albums, recorded this in New York with Eric Harland (drums), John Patitucci (bass), John Ellis (tenor/soprano sax, flute, bass clarinet), Rogerio Boccato (percussion), and Anne Boccato (voice). As is often the case, I lose this with the vocals. B [cd] [04-17]

RJD2 & Supastition: According To (2026, RJ's Electrical Connections): Hip-hop producer Jon Krohn, appeared on a Def Jux Presents volume in 2001, and led his first joint in 2002. With rapper Kamaarphial Moye, from North Carolina, who goes back as far but only has one other album since 2007. Vintage beats, underground takes, clever enough even to mitigate my initial discomfort with "Bittersweet." A- [sp]

Robyn: Sexistential (2026, Konichiwa/Young): Swedish dance-pop singer-songwriter, debut 1995, started to break into US market 2005-10, only her second album since, and a fairly short one at that (nine songs, 29:30). A- [sp]

Marta Sanchez: For the Space You Left (2024 [2026], Out of Your Head): Spanish pianist, "(2)" on Discogs, several albums since 2008, some remarkable, including this one, solo, prepared piano but only occasionally does this move into a distorted range. A- [cd] [04-17]

Dave Schumacher & Cubeye: Agua Con Gas (2025 [2026], Cubeye Music): Baritone saxophonist, albums go back to 1993, second Cubeye album, with a mixed bag of Latin jazz musicians (notably pianists Manuel Valera and Silvano Monasterios, who contribute songs/arrangements). Three Schumacher originals, and two covers from Ronnie Cuber, who somehow figures into the motif. B [cd] [04-17]

Aaron Shaw: And So It Is (2025 [2026], Leaving): Saxophonist from Los Angeles, also plays bass clarinte and alto flute, first album, has some side credits with rappers (Tyler the Creator, Billy Woods), but mostly with Carlos Niño, who co-produced here. Shaw has a horrific health story which may contribute to the focus on what's called "spiritual jazz," or he may just dig Coltrane. B+(*) [sp]

Sideshow: Tigray Funk (2026, 10k): Los Angeles rapper (13 on Discogs, no Wikipedia), has a couple previous albums, trap beats, 32 short pieces. B+(**) [sp]

Kevin Sun: Lofi at Lowlands 三 (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): Tenor saxophonist, made a big impression with his 2018 Trio debut, another trio here — with Walter Stinson (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums) — third in a series of live albums from Lowlands Bar in Brooklyn. B+(**) [sp]

Tinariwen: Hoggar (2026, Wedge): Tuareg group, formed in Algeria by exiles from Mali, spent some time in Libya before returning to Mali and getting caught up in political struggles there. Recorded an album in Ibidjan in 1991, but their breakthrough didn't come until 2001, when they started touring Europe and releasing albums there. Tenth album since 2001, all are pretty good but not very distinct. This strikes me as a bit slower and moodier than usual, which diminishes excitement but still sustains interest. B+(**) [sp]

Gregory Uhlmann: Extra Stars (2026, International Anthem): Guitarist, based in Los Angeles, has several albums, notably two by the group SML, which includes most of the guests who appear on spots here — the rest, presumably, is solo, with Uhlmann credited for guitar, bass, synths, recorder, percussion, and piano. Has sort of a "fourth world" vibe. B+(*) [sp]

Underscores: U (2026, self-released): Experimental electropop by April Harper Grey, based in San Francisco, third album. Bounces hard, glitches some. B+(**) [sp]

Johannes Wallmann: Not Tired (2024 [2025], Shifting Paradigm): German pianist, based in New York, dozen or so albums since 2004, this one with Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), Nick Moran (bass), and Adam Nussbaum (drums), originals including two by co-producer Moran. B+(**) [bc]

Ben Wendel: BaRcoDe (2025 [2026], Edition): Tenor saxophonist, from Canada, a dozen or so albums since 2009, accompanied here by four vibraphonists (Joel Ross, Simon Moullier, Patricia Brennan, Juan Diego Villalobos), some also on marimba or balafon, most adding EFX. B+(**) [sp]

Xaviersobased: Xavier (2026, 1C/Surf Gang/Atlantic): Rapper/producer Xavier Lopez. Another one of those glitchy micro-genre joints. B+(**) [sp]

Zel: Still Right Here (2026, self-released): Maryland rapper and/or producer, got a rave Pitchfork review I can't read, doesn't have a Discogs I can find, or a Bandcamp; AOTY says the genre is "plugg," or maybe "ambient plugg" and/or "jerk," which Wikipedia describes as sub- or micro-genres of trap, itself a concept I have only the vaguest sense of. First take: sound is interesting, words escape me (18 tracks, 32:07). B+(***) [yt]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Docteur Nico: Presents African Fiesta Sukisa 1966-1974 (1966-74 [2025], Planet Ilunga): Congolese guitarist and bandleader Nico Kassanda (1939-85), joined Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz at age 14, left with Tabu Ley Rochereau to form L'Orchestra African Fiesta, discography has always been spotty, but this rounds up a prime period slice from his Sukisa label, available on 3-LP or with bonus songs for digital. A- [bc]

Bennie Green: Back on the Scene (1958 [2026], Blue Note): Trombonist (1923-77), from Chicago, started in the big bands of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, work in hard bop circles 1955-64 while keeping a fine sense of swing, later settled in Las Vegas, working in hotel bands. Fine quintet session here with Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Joe Knight (piano), George Tucker (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums), playing six tunes, including a self-penned blues and two by Melba Liston. B+(***) [sp]

The Lawrence Marable Quartet: Tenorman (1956 [2026], Blue Note): Drummer (1929-2012), from Los Angeles, associated with West Coast jazz starting with Hampton Hawes, Wardell Gray, and Herb Geller, extending to Charlie Haden's Quartet West. Discogs counts 246 albums he played on, but this is the only one with his name up top, and even here the title is a nod to the featured saxophonist, James Clay. He's terrific throughout, well supported by Sonny Clark (piano) and Jimmy Bond (bass). A- [sp]

Twisted Teens: Blame the Clown (2025 [2026], Jazz Life): New Orleans country punk duo. Second or third label this has been picked up on. B+(**) [sp]

Old music:

None.

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Paulo Almeida: Love in Motion (Dox) [04-24]
• Abate Berihun & the Addis Ken Project: Addis Ken (Origin) [04-17]
• Barry Greene: Giants (Origin) [04-17]
• Jared Hall: Hometown (Origin) [04-17]
• Kristen Mather de Andrade: Sim Fin (Ansonica) [03-01]
• Jim Robitaille Trio: Sonic (Whaling City Sound) [04-01]
• Yvonne Rogers: The Button Jar (Pyroclastic) [05-08]
• Fie Schouten/Vincent Courtois/Sofia Borges/Pierre Baux: Open Space (Relative Pitch) [03-27]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Monday, March 23, 2026

March archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45700 [45655] rated (+45), 26 [39] unrated (-13).

After last week's Music Week, I decided I really should publish a new Loose Tabs before the week was out. I had published my previous one on February 27, just hours before Trump started bombing Iran. I've been running about one Loose Tabs post per month, but the war news was coming so fast and furious I didn't want to wait a whole month. (Even so, the gap this time stretched out to 23 days.)

In the meantime I wrote about the war in my Substack feed, Notes on Everyday Life, in a piece called Days of Infamy. Since then, I've decided to follow up with a second piece, which will try to reduce all the complexity and nuance of the war to four questions:

1. Why did Netanyahu want to attack Iran?
2. Why did Trump go along with the attack?
3. Why didn't Iran surrender once it was attacked?
4. And how and when and under what conditions is this war likely to end?

I'll probably take a more serious tone, but it's tempting to answer the first three flippantly:

1. Because he's a hammer looking for a nail (he's been obsessed with crippling Iran for 44 years, and with a gullible blowhard as president of the US, this is his best chance ever).
2. Because he was given an opportunity to kill a devil (or so he was told), and it made him feel awesome. (What's the point of being president if you can't kill whomsoever you want?)
3. Because, well, would you surrender to these megalomaniacs when you still had even the slightest power to fight back and make them feel at least some of the pain they're senselessly causing you?

Actually, each of those three could get very long and involved if I got into the history and how it has influenced what passes for thinking in these conservative/crypto-fascist political and military leaders and their coterie of advisers and operatives. (I should perhaps be more tentative in my views of the Iranians, both because I don't follow them as closely, and because I have less feel for their history and philosophical views, but it's a pretty safe bet I understand them better than Trump and Netanyahu do.)

While I meant to post last night, the time got away from me, and I decided to wait until this afternoon: not to collect more links, but simply to add my table of contents, flesh out the section introductions a bit, and correct whatever typos I could find. But when I got up, my wife told me that Trump had called a pause in the bombing, citing productive diplomatic talks. That turned out to be not half what it was cracked up to be, but Trump did shelve his threat to start bombing Iranian power plants, causing blackouts and widespread damage and hardship. His hesitation probably saves retaliation against vulnerable infrastructure in the Persian Gulf states. Or it may signal a final recognition on Trump's part that Iran isn't going to be moved by ultimatums, no matter how deranged. I'm skeptical that Iran is going to "win" this war (to the extent that any war can be "won"), but the US is much more vulnerable, and more fragile, on many fronts than Trump was led to believe. And as these stresses interact and multiple, one shouldn't assume that the previous world order will hold. In my "Days of Infamy" piece, I spent a whole section on what I called "worser case scenarios." A week later, I find myself coming up with even worser cases.

My plan is to come up with a set of equations, each modeling a key consideration. One needs to look at what concessions Iran can and cannot make, and figure out what among the former might satisfy Trump. What Trump did was as inexcusable as, say, Putin in Ukraine (or Bush in Iraq), yet still as long as he's the guy, savvy diplomats need to figure out how to save him some face, even as they pressure him into unwanted compromises. Accordingly, a big part of the question is what sort of pressures can be brought to bear on Trump. (I have various ideas there, but Arab money is one that seems to particularly appeal to him, or at least to his craven son-in-law.) Still, I don't need to figure this out, as I'll be way out of the inner circle. Some rough sketches should suffice.

I wasn't only thinking about Iran last week. A while back, I went to the library, to return a couple books I hadn't found interesting enough to read, and see if I can pick up anything more appealing. I didn't really find anything other than Laura Field's Furious Minds, which I had just finished, but I checked out a couple of cookbooks for the hell of it. One was The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, which seemed to have definitive recipes for pretty much anything one might want to cook. I've never watched their shows, but I have a bunch of their cookbooks, and I especially use them for baking. I figured I might look it over, but would wind up ordering a copy, and using it as a fallback reference. Glancing through it today, I see some of what looks like excess complication: their matzo brei recipe calls for sauteeing onions, which I've never considered; the dumplings in their chicken & dumplings look right (I've always used shortening, but I could see using schmaltz if I had it handy), but their stock is basically chicken pot pie filler, lots of extras that detract from the dumplings. I just boil a chicken, strip off the meat, cook the dumplings in the stock, fold the chicken back in, check the seasoning.

The other book I picked up was Pyet DeSpain's Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking. I've barely dabbled in Mexican — I have a Diana Kennedy guide, but found it much less helpful than ATK's The Best Mexican Recipes — and know nothing of Native American cooking other than corn-beans-squash plus the latter-day addition of fry bread. But a couple recipes piqued my interest, so I figured I'd check it out, and make a dinner. After I got my "Days of Infamy" piece up, I figured I was due some fun, so I went shopping. We have some pretty good Mexican grocers here, but I still had a tough time coming up with ingredients (especially on the salad front, which called for dandelion greens, purslane, and/or water cress), as well as things like maple sugar and prickly pear syrup (which I've now found on Amazon). You can find a pic and brief write up here.

DeSpain is Potawatomi, living in northeast Kansas, and was "Winner of Gordon Ramsay's Next Level Chef season one," so the aim here is less authenticity than roots-inspired fusion. Unlike my ventures into national cuisines like Burmese or Cuban or Moroccan, where I could run through a broad range of traditional dishes, I doubt there is any single Native American cuisine, nor that this even captures one facet of it, but it is an interesting concept, and none of these were dishes I had ever attempted before. The menu is long enough for a birthday dinner:

1. Deer chili: I had a pound of ground venison in the freezer, just waiting for this; add two cans of pinto beans, and a cup of corn; in general I cut the chile quantities in half.
2. Steamed white fish in corn husks: I had a pound of rainbow trout filets in the freezer; this included a tomato-based salsa, but I made a couple extra salsa batches below.
3. Raspberry mezcal BBQ quail: I couldn't find quail, so I substituted cornish game hens, which I quartered; they are marinated, sauteed, marinated again, then roasted.
4. Tomatillo salad: With jicama, red onion, corn, apple, mango, and cilantro-lime dressing; I didn't get this done in time, but made it later.
5. Dandelion greens and pickled berry salad: I didn't get this done in time either, but had pickled the blueberries, so served them on the side; I made the salad later, using arugula, with julienned jicama, my leftover berries, and sunflower seeds.
6. Honey and habanero roasted butternut squash: I used a milder Indian dried chili.
7. Cilantro, honey, and lime grilled corn.
8. Roasted sage and maple sweet potatoes.
9. Fry bread.
10. Strawberry salsa.
11. Charred pineapple salsa.
12. Mezcal and Mexican chocolate cake: topped with a ganache made with coconut cream; served with vanila ice cream on the side.

I bought more stuff than I used, including big chunk of bison (the book has three bison recipes: jerky, meatballs, braised), and various greens thinking I might substitute for use in the salads. I ran late, but a guest rescued the grill dishes while I fried the bread. I wound up using pre-shredded cheddar instead of shredding a block of cotijo I had ready. By the time I served dinner, the kitchen was as messed up as it had ever been. I was so exhausted I took a rare nap afterwards. Cleaned up in the middle of the night, and found more the next day.

I thought everything came out very good. I should write some of the recipes down, but I might as well just buy the book. Not a lot more in the book I want to try. And although Laura has suggested a couple of these dishes should be in my "rotation," I don't really have such a thing. A quick check at Amazon shows several dozen other Native American cookbooks. As I suspected, there is a good deal of regional variation.

A lot of records below. I've made a significant dent in the demo queue, picking them off in release date order until I moved well into next week. The reissues are old items that Blue Note recently reissued in their Tone Poet vinyl series. All of them are streamed, but I counted them as 2026 reissues, having initially listed them as such in my tracking file. I've cut back on tracking new releases quite a bit this year: aside from tracking my own reviews, I'm only adding things that come to me with specific recommendations. I may have to open this up later if/when we get into jazz critics polling, but I don't need to get into that now.

New records reviewed this week:

David Adewumi: The Flame Beneath the Silence (2024 [2026], Giant Step Arts): Trumpet player, first album, side-credits since 2020, label touts this "modern masters and new horizons series," offering him a live venue and major league support: Joel Ross (vibes), Linda May Han Oh (bass), and Marcus Gilmore (drums). He's off to a strong start? B+(***) [cd] [03-27]

Tyrone Allen II: Upward (2024 [2026], Dreams and Fears): Bassist, based in Brooklyn, first album, a dozen side-credits back to 2018, with several notable younger players: Neta Raanan (tenor sax), Lex Korten (keys), Samantha Feliciano (harp), Aidan Lombard (trumpet), Kayvon Gordon (drums), Abe Nouri (live effects). B+(*) [cd]

Aymeric Avice/Luke Stewart/Chad Taylor: Deep in the Earth High in the Sky (2025 [2026], RogueArt): I've seen every permutation of artist credit order for this, with my CD listing the Taylor (drums) first above the title, then last under the title, while Bandcamp lists Stewart (bass) first, with a cover scan that seems to favor Avice (trumpet). Discogs, with the same cover scan (I just got a CD with no packaging) credits Stewart first. I initially listed Taylor, but on second thought, let's give it to the French trumpeter (evidently his first album). Free jazz bash, with mbiras. B+(***) [cdr]

Anthony Branker & Other Ways of Knowing: Manifestations of a Diasporic Groove & Spirit (2025 [2026], Origin): Composer and arranger, eleventh album since 2004, previous groups called Ascent and Imagine, this one well stocked with name talent: Steve Wilson (alto/soprano sax, flute), Pete McCann (guitars), Simona Premazzi (piano), John Hébert (bass), Rudy Royston (drums), and Aimée Allen (vocals). [cd]

Carl Clements and the Real Jazz Trio: Retrospective (2024 [2026], Greydisc): Saxophonist (tenor/soprano, also bansuri), based in Massachusetts, half-dozen albums since 2004, all original pieces, backed by a European trio: piano (Jean-Yves Jung), bass (Johannes Schaedlich), and drums (Jes Biehl). B+(**) [cd]

Daphni: Butterfly (2026, Jiaolong): British house producer Daniel Snaith, fourth album, label named for his 2012 debut. Nice bounce to it. B+(***) [sp]

Dave Douglas: Four Freedoms (2025 [2026], Greenleaf Music): Trumpet player, many albums since 1993, live set from the Getxo Kultura Jazz Festival in Spain, quartet with Marta Warelis (piano), Nick Dunston (bass), and Joey Baron (drums). Tricky music. B+(**) [sp]

Matt Dwonszyk: Live at the Sidedoor (2024 [2026], self-released): Bassist, third release as leader, eight originals, two covers, no musician credits on the packaging but per hype sheet: Josh Bruneau (trumpet), Matt Knoegel (tenor sax), Taber Gable (piano), Jonathan Barber (drums). The venue is located in Old Lyme, CT, and the musicians evidently have some kind of relationship to Jackie McLean. It comes through, and maybe a bit of Mingus too. B+(***) [cd]

Kim Gordon: Play Me (2026, Matador): Sonic Youth's better half, third solo studio album, "relies primarily on Gordon's trap vocals, [producer Justin] Raisen's industrial textures, and trip hop beats." Short (29:55) and rather cryptic. B+(***) [sp]

Simon Hanes: Gargantua (2024 [2026], Pyroclastic): California-born, Brooklyn-based composer/arranger, has a couple previous albums, draws inspiration from Rabelais for this "audacious new album," featuring three soprano voices, backed by three each on French horns, trombones, basses, and drum sets. The voices are the sticking point with me. B+(**) [cd] [03-27]

Alexander Hawkins/Taylor Ho Bynum: A Near Permanent State of Wonder (2024 [2025], RogueArt): Piano and trumpet (well, actually cornet and flugelhorn) duo, free jazz players of repute, and considerable rapport. B+(***) [cdr]

Steven Husted and Friends: Two Nights - "Live!" (2025 [2026], self-released): Bassist, worked in Bay Area before moving to Austin, website has two previous albums but none in Discogs. With sax (Grant Teeple) on the first half, guitar (Matt Berger) picking up the slack on the second, backed by keys (Milo Hehmsoth), and drums (Israel Yanez), playing eight originals plus standards by Irving Berlin, Clifford Brown, and Hank Mobley. Nice mainstream jazz. Runs over 77 minutes. B+(*) [cd]

The Interplay Jazz Orchestra: Bite Your Tongue (2025 [2026], Bigtime): Big band, directed by Joey Devassy (trombone) and Gary Henderson (trumpet), formed in 2013 but this is the only album I've found, three Devassy originals plus six standards, some sharp solo work, especially in the saxophone section. B+(***) [cd]

Javon Jackson: Jackson Plays Dylan (2025 [2026], Solid Jackson/Palmetto): Tenor saxophonist, has done impressive work since his 1991 debut, but hasn't always made the best choices. Plays ten Bob Dylan tunes here (after an original intro), backed by keyboards (Jeremy Manasia), bass, and drums, with two guest vocalists (Lisa Fischer and Nicole Zuraitis), singing the two canon songs I least want to ever hear the lyrics to ever again. I've heard a lot of Dylan over the years, and almost never want to hear him again these days. I've often been out of sync with other critics, which may have led to some bad feelings. But I was surprised by the three Jewels & Binoculars albums, where his melodies proved fruitful for a purely instrumental jazz trio. But this isn't that. B+(*) [cd] [03-27]

Anna Kolchina: Reach for Tomorrow (2021-25 [2026], OA2): Standards singer from "the Soviet Union about 18 hours from Moscow" (an odd measurement that could mean dozens or thousands of miles, but evidently someplace with horses), moved to New York City in 2017, "a place where you can become friends with your heroes." At least one previous album, as well as a connection to Sheila Jordan. Twelve songs recorded over several years, each backed by a sole guitarist: Paul Bollenback, Peter Bernstein, Ilya Lushtak, Romero Lubambo, Russell Malone, Yotam Silberstein. I couldn't sort out the guitarists, but they might make an interesting blindfold test. They are all fine, and the singer shines with such minimal support. A- [cd]

Ladytron: Paradises (2026, Nettwerk): English electropop band, eighth studio album since 2001, a long one with 16 songs running 71:31, Daniel Hunt the composer, Helen Marnie the lead vocalist. B+(*) [sp]

Julian Lage: Scenes From Above (2025 [2026], Blue Note): Well-regarded guitarist, debut 2009, sixth Blue Note album, featuring credits for John Medeski (organ/piano), Jorge Roeder (bass), and Kenny Wolleson (drums), with a couple credits for Patrick Waren (dulcitone, strings). He often strikes me as a bit languid, but on occasion, Medeski kicks this up a notch. B+(*) [sp]

Brian Landrus: Just When You Think You Know (2025 [2026], BlueLand/Palmetto): Baritone saxophonist, albums since 2007, also plays some tenor, bass clarinet, and flutes (down to bass flute), along with Zaccai Curtis (keyboards), Dave Stryker (guitars), Lonnie Plaxico (basses), and Rudy Royston (drums). Veers a bit toward easy listening. B+(*) [cd]

Tom Lippincott: Ode to the Possible (2025 [2026], self-released): Guitarist, plays an 8-string model with electronics, first album under his own name although he has scattered credits back to 1990. Qfuartet with David Fernandez (strong tenor/soprano sax), bass, and drums, plus a Camila Meza vocal on one track. B+(**) [cd]

Lisanne Lyons: May I Come In (2022-24 [2026], OA2): Standards singer, started in the Air Force, has sung in ghost bands (Harry James, Maynard Ferguson), first album, backed by a big band plus strings, produced by Mike Lewis. B+(**) [cd]

Luke Norris: Moment From the Past (2023 [2026], self-released): Saxophonist, also plays clarinet and synths, has a previous album from 2020, here with Dabin Ryu (keyboards), Tyrone Allen (basses), and Kayvon Gordon (drums), with Abe Nouri adding some "wildly inventive post-production." B+(***) [cd]

Adam O'Farrill: Elephant (2024 [2025], Out of Your Head): Trumpet player, son of Afro-Cuban Jazz majordomo Arturo O'Farrill (himself the son of famed Cuban bandleader Chico O'Farrill), has the chops to ply the family trade but on his own plays uninflected but often brilliant postbop. Quartet with Yvonne Rogers (piano), Walter Stinson (bass), and Russell Holzman (drums), with some electronics. A- [cd]

Meg Okura/Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble: Isaiah (2022 [2026], Adhyâropa): Violinist, born in Japan, makes a point in the notes of being an outsider ("an immigrant, a Jew by choice in an interracial marriage, and as a musician moving from classical to jazz"), but finding "solace" in composing, and in leading this twenty-year group with prominent names that don't strike me as conspicuously Asian. It's a terrific group, augmented by guests like Randy Brecker and Sam Newsome, playing scores that come from and go to pretty much everywhere. A- [cd]

Chenxi Pan: This Very Moment (2025 [2026], Origin): Jazz singer-songwriter, from China, moved to New York 2021, debut album, with tenor sax/clarinet, piano, guitar, bass, drums, violin, and cello. Matt Wilson produced. B [cd]

Poppy: Empty Hands (2026, Sumerian): Singer-songwriter Moriah Rose Pereira, tenth album since 2016, opens in pop mode, but follows up with metal thrash, which I'm surprised to enjoy more. B+(*) [sp]

Benjie Porecki: Faster Than We Know (2026, Funklove Productions): Pianist, also plays organ and other keyboards, from the DC area, eighth album sice 1996, eight original pieces plus a cover of "Superstar" (which I'm told was "famously covered by the Carpenters," but I associate with songwriters Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell). I prefer the piano to the organ. B+(*) [cd]

Reverso: Between Two Silences (2024 [2026], Alternate Side): Trombonist Ryan Keberle, his name no longer up front in this chamber jazz trio, with Frank Woeste (piano) and Vincent Courtois (cello), in what is at least their fifth album together (back to a Ravel-inspired 2017 album), this one original material from all three (3-5-2), this time inspired by Satie. B+(***) [cd] [03-27]

Joel Ross: Gospel Music (2026, Blue Note): Vibraphonist, grew up in Chicago, based in Brooklyn, fifth Blue Note album since 2019 (or 7th if you cound Out Of/Into, the "supergroup" I file under his name). Mostly original pieces (two exceptions), mostly quintet with Josh Johnson (alto sax), Maria Grand (tenor sax), Jeremy Corren (piano), Kanoa Mendenhall (bass), and Jeremy Dutton (drums), with a couple of guest spots for vocals and others (like Brandee Younger on harp). B+(**) [sp]

Harvie S: Bright Dawn (2024 [2026], Origin): Bassist, originally Swartz, shortened his name because so many people (including me) misspelled it, side-credit since 1973, has a couple dozen albums as leader or in duos (notably with Sheila Jordan). Quartet here with Peter Bernstein (guitar), Miki Hayama (piano), and Matt Wilson (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Walter Smith III: Twio Vol. 2 (2026, Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, from Houston, studied at Berklee and now chairs the woodwind department there, debut 2006, third album on Blue Note, revisits the concept of his 2018 album Twio, with a trio playing standards supplemented by two "eminent elders" (this time Ron Carter and Branford Marsalis; the bassist and drummer are also new this time, Joe Sanders and Kendrick Scott). B+(***) [sp]

Yuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall: Invocation (2022 [2026], self-released, EP): Singer and piano (or synths or sound design), four songs, 20:35, makes an impression. B+(**) [cd]

Harriet Tubman & Georgia Muldrow: Electrical Field of Love (2026, Pi): Avant-fusion trio of Brandon Ross (guitar/banjo), Melvin Gibbs (electric bass), and JT Lewis (drums), sixth album since 1998, with Muldrow added for vocals and keyboards (more than a dozen albums on her own since 2006). Heavy. B+(***) [cd] [03-27]

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (2025 [2026], Blue Note): Alto saxophonist, became an instant star when Blue Note released his Omega in 2020, has made the rounds as well as keynoting the Out Of/Into label all-star group. First live album, with Micah Thomas (piano), Ryoma Takenaga (bass), and Kweku Sumbry (drums); is being rolled out in bits, with this on CD and LP, and later digital-only releases for Vol. 2 (April 17) and Vol. 3 (May 15). I imagine that at some point I'll have to treat the combination as a single album, at least for polling purposes. I'm underwhelmed so far, but I've upgraded him in the past. B+(**) [sp]

Winged Wheel: Desert So Green (2025 [2026], 12XU): Discogs calls then "an indie supergroup," although I recognize just one name (Steve Shelley, from Sonic Youth), and two more bands (Circuit des Yeux, Tyvek), and never ran across their two previous albums. Does have a little Sonic Youth background sound. B+(**) [sp]

Jack Wood: For Every Man There's a Woman (2026, Jazz Hang): Standards crooner, "long a fixture in Southern California," has connections to Las Vegas and Utah (where most of this was recorded, cover cites special guests: The Lenore Raphael Trio with guitarist Doug MacDonald. Also strings. I have something of a soft spot for this sort of thing. B+(***) [cd] [03-24]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Docteur Nico: Presents African Fiesta Sukisa 1966-1974 (1966-74 [2025], Planet Ilunga): Congolese guitarist and bandleader Nico Kassanda (1939-85), joined Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz at age 14, left with Tabu Ley Rochereau to form L'Orchestra African Fiesta, discography has always been spotty, but this rounds up a prime period slice from his Sukisa label, available on 3-LP or with bonus songs for digital. A- [bc]

Hank Mobley Sextet: Hank (1957 [2026], Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, Leonard Feather called him the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone," which suggested that he couldn't compete with Coltrane and Rollins, but was masterful under any other light. This is pretty early, but one of seven albums from 1957 that Wikipedia lists, most with redundant or unimaginative titles, some tied to his membership in the Jazz Messengers. With John Jenkins (alto sax), Donald Byrd (trumpet), Bobby Timmons (piano), Wilbur Ware (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Reissued in Blue Note's Tone Poet series. B+(***) [yt]

Lee Morgan: City Lights (1957 [2026], Blue Note): Trumpet player, a key player in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, off to a very solid solo career. With George Coleman (tenor/alto sax), Ray Bryant (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Art Taylor (drums). Superb when he goes in hot, less so with a ballad. B+(**) [sp]

Tyrone Washington: Natural Essence (1967 [2026], Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, b. 1944, recorded three albums 1968-74, leaving music for religious reasons, and eventually becoming a Sunni Muslim minister (as Mohammad Bilal Abdullah). He joined Horace Silver for The Jody Grind in 1966, and Larry Young for Contrasts in 1967. This was his first as leader, with Woody Shaw (trumpet), James Spaulding (alto sax/flute), Kenny Barron (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), and Joe Chambers (drums). This is pretty exciting, especially Shaw. Evidently a second Blue Note session was recorded but never released. A- [sp]

Old music:

Hank Mobley: With Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan (1956 [1957], Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, one of seven albums he released in 1957, a four-song hard bop blowing session with the two trumpet players, piano (Horace Silver), bass (Paul Chambers), and drums (Charlie Persip). B+(**) [sp]

Hank Mobley: A Caddy for Daddy (1965 [1966], Blue Note): One of the few 1960s albums I missed by the tenor saxophonist, a sextet with Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), and Billy Higgins (drums), playing four originals and one Wayne Shorter piece. B+(*) [sp]

Barbara Rosene With Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks: Deep Night (2000-01 [2001], Stomp Off): Trad/swing jazz singer, Michael Steinman raved about a recent performance so I thought I'd look her up. Nothing new since 2013's Nice & Naughty, but I had missed this first album, and I felt like a break from the new stuff. Discogs doesn't list musicians, but Giordano plays tuba and bass, and his band recorded from 1984-2006 (also backing Loudon Wainwright III on his 2020 I'd Rather Lead a Band). AI suggests Conal Fowkes (piano), Dan Levinson (sax/clarinet), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), and Andy Stein (violin). B+(**) [sp]

Barbara Rosene & Her New Yorkers: Ev'rything's Made for Love (2003, Stomp Off): Another generous batch of old-timey songs (25, 73:40), backed by a nine-piece band where Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and John Gill (drums) are probably the best known, with notable contributions by Conal Fowkes (piano), Matt Munisteri (guitar/banjo), and Meg Okura (violin). B+(***) [sp]

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Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Atlantic Road Trip: Watch as the Echo Falls (Calligram) [04-03]
• Ryan Blotnick: The Woods (Fishkill) [04-17]
• Chicago Soul Jazz Collective: No Wind & No Rain (Calligram) [04-10]
• Paul Citro: Keep Moving (Home) (Calligram) [05-01]
• Caleb Wheeler Curtis: Ritual (Chill Tone) [04-10]
• Cyger & Butterworth: Plaid Pants (Outrageous8) [03-11]
• Bill Evans: At the BBC (1965, Elemental Music) [04-18]
• Robert Jospé Quartet: The Night Sky (self-released) [01-11]
• The Paul Keller Orchestra: Thank You Notes: The Music of Gregg Hill (Cold Plunge) [03-27]
• Freddie King: Feeling Alright: The Complete 1975 Nancy Pulsations Concert (Elemental Music, 2CD) [04-18]
• Michel Petrucciani: Kuumbwa (1987, Elemental Music, 2CD) [04-18]
• Ted Rosenthal Trio: The Good Old Days (TMR Music) [05-01]
• Paul Silbergleit Trio: The Stillness of July (Calligram) [05-01]
• Alister Spence: Always Ever (Alister Spence Music) [04-24]
• Cecil Taylor Unit: Fragments: The Complete 1969 Salle Pleyel Concerts (Elemental Music, 2CD) [04-18]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, March 14, 2026

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Music Week

March archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45655 [45603] rated (+52), 39 [11] unrated (+28).

This is indeed the first Music Week of March. I've been slow all year, and I'm not very optimistic about ever catching up, but I do keep plugging away at it. Last Music Week actually appeared around March 2, but was backdated to February 28, which was a fairly honest cutoff date. I had been held back trying to wrap up an overgrown and unruly Loose Tabs, which barely made it just before Trump's decapitation strike against Iran, and then got sidelined by a minor illness. The squeeze kept me from sending anything to my Substack newsletter, Notes on Everyday Life, although I had a draft piece on comfort cooking in the works, and several more ideas.

Those all got shelved by the Iran war. I was shocked and appalled the moment I heard the news, although the shock wore off as soon as I replaced the initial hypothetical (why would any rational leader do something as obviously stupid and counterproductive?) with the names of the actual leaders: Trump and Netanyahu. It's not that they are incapable of reason, although each is trapped in his own matrix of myths (some self-generated, especially for the exceptionally vain and gullible Trump), but their judgment is perverted by enchantment with power and a genuine lack of care for their victims, let alone any longer-term consequences.

I felt the need to write something, if only to clarify my own thoughts. I remembered what I had written on March 18, 2003, the day after Bush started his full-scale war on Iraq. I started out:

Yesterday, March 17, 2003, is another date that will live in infamy. On this date, U.S. President George W. Bush rejected the efforts and council of the United Nations, and the expressed concerns of overwhelming numbers of people throughout the U.S. and all around the world, and committed the U.S. to attack, invade, and occupy Iraq, to prosecute or kill Iraq's government leaders, and to install a new government favorable to U.S. interests.

At the time, the effort to sell Americans on the war didn't seem remarkable: it had started with the neocon Project for the New American Century in 1997, and went into hard sell, no-lie-left-unturned mode in September 2002. In the end, it's fair to say that the snow job failed, with Bush arbitrarily starting the war and palming it off as fait accompli (PR, much like his later "mission accomplished" moment). But as I started thinking about the "day of infamy" quote, it occurred to me that the word belonged more to the ones attacked. A more accurate word for the attackers would be "ignominy": the dictionary starts with "deep personal humiliation, public shame, or total disgrace," then adds "dishonorable actions or loss of reputation." While both wars started in fits of arrogance, Trump's is unique in his disregard for any sense of democracy. I'm not much impressed by Democrats who would like to support this war but who balk on procedural grounds, but they do have a point: this is not just a war against Iran, but one against whatever's left of democracy in America. It seeks not just to engage in war, but to deprive the people of any say in when or why the US goes to war. And while Democrats have often contributed to exalting presidential power — e.g., Obama's bombing of Libya and Syria — this time it feels different, because Trump's ambitions are domestic as much as foreign.

The rest of the Iraq war posts are interesting enough I'm tempted to dust them off as a "Big Lookback." On March 25, 2003, one week after the war started in earnest, I wrote:

The war grinds on. The fantasy that expected the Iraqis to roll out the red carpet for their American liberators has been dashed. Nobody expects that Iraq will be able to repulse the U.S. invasion, but the level and form of resistance pretty much guarantees that eventually the U.S. will leave Iraq without having accomplished anything more notable than the perverse satisfaction of serving up Saddam's head on some platter.

As I said earlier, the level of resistance will be telling. If you want a rule of thumb for neocolonialist wars of occupation, it's that once you can't tell your friends from your enemies in the native population, you're fucked. At its simplest level, that's because the occupiers get nervous and make mistakes. The mistakes, in turn, compound, pushing more and more people from the friendly side to the hostile side. That in turn reinforces the nervousness, the mistakes, the alienation. In turn, the resistance gets bolder; as this happens, the occupation digs in, becoming more brutal, vicious, capricious. The high-minded rhetoric is exposed as pure hypocrisy, and the occupation becomes more nakedly about nothing more than power. Such wars become vastly unpopular, and eventually the occupier has to cut their losses and go home. This is pretty much what happened in Vietnam, and we're going to be hearing a lot more about the similarity as this war bogs down. . . .

So, let's face it, the U.S. war against Iraq is a colossal failure. The only question remaining is how long it will take the U.S. to give up and get out, and how much destruction the U.S. will leave in its wake. So remember this: This war did not have to happen.

I also wrote this on April 11, 2003:

There was a period back in the Afghanistan war when the Northern Alliance started reeling off a quick series of victories — not so much that they were defeating the Taliban in confrontations as that the Taliban was high-tailing it out of the cities, allowing Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar to fall in quick succession. The hawks then made haste to trumpet their victory and to dump on anyone who had doubted the US in this war. Back then, I referred to those few weeks as "the feel good days of the war." Well, we had something like that in Iraq, too, except that use of the plural now seems unwarranted. So mark it on your calendar, Wednesday, April 9, 2003, was the feel good day of the Iraq war.

I mentioned the looting, the killing of shi'ite collaborators, and mob reprisals against Ba'ath leaders. I could have mentioned Rumsfeld's blasé "stuff happens" quote. I ended with "So happy last Wednesday. That's very likely to be the last one for a long time now." It was.

Anyhow, it took longer than I expected (what else doesn't these days?), but I finally sent out my Days of Infamy piece on March 13. Reaction so far has been underwhelming: three likes, no comments. A notice on Facebook got one like, no comments. (I've rather arbitrarily limited my Facebook "friends" list to people I know personally, but that's still over 100. By the way, I just enabled "Professional Mode," which I think will allow non-Friends to follow me. I don't really know a lot about this, but settings are pretty open, and we'll see how that goes.) Probably a lot of "TL;DR." It could have been longer, even beyond the earlier draft of a final section I cut (but it's still in the archive file, along with two more attached footnotes. I'll have more to say as I collect links for Loose Tabs (if you're interested, the draft file has a couple dozen already, as well as a few extras). I'll try to wrap that up fairly quickly (perhaps before next Music Week, which is likely to skip next week).

I'm also thinking about following up the Iran piece with a second, hopefully more succinct one. I'm thining the format there should be questions and answers. Here's my first stab at a list:

1. Why did Netanyahu want a war with Iran?
2. Why did Trump go along with the war?
3. Why didn't Iran surrender once the Supreme Leader has killed?
4. How long can Iran continue to fight back?
5. Is there any chance of regime change (anywhere)?
6. Will world opinion of the US and Israel change? And will it matter?
7. If the US and Israel aren't stopped, will they go on and attack more countries?
8. Will the war end democracy?
9. Is there any chance for a revival of international law?

Most of these questions are addressed in my piece, but not in a very well organized way. I could be more explicit about the political prospects for Trump and Netanyahu, but I thought I'd slip that in under "regime change" (since those are the regimes that really need to change). I could also break out the question of terrorism and other economic impacts. Important stuff, but I think secondarily (even through they're already receiving a lot of attention). Or I could just stop with the first four, and let the rest of the chips fall where they may. Maybe ask readers for questions. I do have a little-used question form.

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Oscars tomorrow night. My wife has been plotting to see all the nominated movies (except some rejected out of hand). We watch a couple hours of TV every night every night, which sometimes she wants to use for a movie. I have only rarely enjoyed movies for quite some time now. My most obvious complaint is the need to fit a whole story into allotted time, either compressing it or stretching it out, with a story arc that grows ever more clichéd, essentialist, and/or dreary. Still, given that I have a moment here, and I like to be reasonably well informed, I thought I'd run down the nominee films. No reviews, or even grades (which I've been known to do, but long ago). No real criticism (but some griping). Just notes. The best film nominees, as far as I know:

• Bugonia: We watched it tonight. I don't have much to say about it.
• F1: We watched 10 minutes last night. Full of shit, over the hill driver hitches a fast ride, probably to glory. I followed F1 closely in my teens, and I can tell you a lot about everyone from Tazio Nuvolari up to whoever preceded Niki Lauda (whose name I had to check spelling on). I'd watch it. I don't regret having watched Ford vs. Ferrari, which was history I knew, even if the focus had changed. Wasn't great, but watchable.
• Frankenstein: L liked, but I didn't see.
• Hamnet: L had no interest.
• Marty Supreme: I don't even remember hearing about it. Something about table tennis.
• One Battle After Another: L turned it off after a minute, but was talked into giving it another try. We watched it. I thought the politics were absurdly cartoonish. Only at the end did I see that it was based on Thomas Pynchon's Vineland. I've long been a huge fan of V., but only made it half-way through Gravity's Rainbow, and haven't tried his later books. Still, I wonder whether knowing it was based on Pynchon might have let me accept the premise and run with it.
• The Secret Agent: Brazilian film set in the 1970s. We watched it. I thought it was awful slow and I struggled to follow it — I didn't get that the tape-monitoring scenes were distant future (now-ish) until the end, which helped make sense. So I remember it better than I experienced it.
• Sentimental Value: Norwegian film. We saw it. I thought it was fine, but mostly after the fact.
• Sinners: We saw it. I hated the vampire shit, but otherwise it could have been good.
• Train Dreams: Didn't see. I don't think L did either.

Other films with prominent nominees:

• Blue Moon: Richard Linklater film about Lorenz Hart. We saw it. Dialogue reads better than it sounds, but I rarely mind that.
• If I Had Legs I'd Kick You: Didn't see, or hear of it.
• It Was Just an Accident: Set in Iran. We saw it. I found it tedious and uncomfortable. Settled better after it ended, not that I actually liked the ending.
• Song Sung Blue: We saw it. About a Neil Diamond tribute duo, which was bound to be hokey, but we enjoyed it.
• Weapons: I don't recall hearing about it, but as a "supernatural mystery horror film" I wouldn't. [PS: Turns out that L watched this. Liked it, but didn't think I would.]

I skipped over several films in the song, makeup, sound, and visual effects categories. In international features, we didn't see: Sirat; The Voice of Hind Rajab. We didn't see any of the documentary features. I didn't see any of the animated features, although L may have.

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Almost two weeks of records below. Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide got me to reevaluate Buck 65 and Gogol Bordello. Phil Overeem's February list was also useful. I've done some minor updating to the EOY Aggregate. I doubt I'll be doing much more of that, but hard to say for sure. I did save off my frozen 2025 file as of March 1, which is a month earlier than last year, but typical of previous years. Seemed like a good enough breaking point, as my appetite for more 2025 releases has sunk down to my level of interest in 2026 releases. I will continue adding late 2025 releases to that file, marked in color, as well as to the year-end lists for jazz and non-jazz.

Aside from the Streamnotes bookkeeping, I've finally caught up with my unpacking, hence this week's oversized list. I'll work on knocking that down.

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New records reviewed this week:

Melissa Aldana: Filin (2025 [2026], Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist from Chile, debut 2010, third album on Blue Note, a quartet with Gonzalo Rubalcaba (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Kush Abadey (drums), mostly playing Cuban ballads arranged by Rubalcaba. Cécile McLorin Salvant sings two of them. B+(**) [sp]

Kal Banx: Rhoda (2026, Top Dawg Entertainment): Rapper Kalon Berry, Discogs credits him with a couple of singles, also seems to have some production experience, first solo album a sprawling 25 tracks, 81 minutes. First half consistently solid; second slipped in and out. B+(**) [sp]

Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: Tragic Magic (2026, In Finé): The former is known for wrapping choral vocals in electronic loops, with four solo (and now three collaborative) albums since 2011. The latter, with solo albums back to 2013, adds harp. B+(*) [sp]

By Storm: My Ghosts Go Ghost (2026, Dead Air/By(e) Storm): Two-thirds of Arizona hip-hop trio Injury Reserve (rapper Nathaniel Ritchie and producer Parker Corey), carrying on after rapper Steppa J. Groggs died in 2020. Working through some pain, somewhat short of voice. B+(*) [sp]

Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard: Sweet, Sweet Spirit (2026, Blue Note): Bassist, best known as part of the Miles Davis Quartet (1963-68), nearing 90 he probably holds the record for most recording sessions ever (per Wikipedia: 2,221). Dillard is a gospel choirmaster, starting with his New Generation Chorale in 1990, and out in force here. Standards arranged around bass lines composed by Carter, it's fun to focus on the bass, although the rest is overkill. B+(*) [sp]

Charli XCX: Wuthering Heights (2026, Atlantic): An unlikely follow up to the huge Brat, a slim (34:34) batch of 12 songs tied to a new movie version of Emily Bronte's 1847 novel. Strings for soundtrack ambiance, and the ambiance is thick, but some songs are striking. B+(***) [sp]

Steve Cohn/Billy Stein: Up From the Soil (2021-24 [2025], Hathor Music): Cohn plays piano, shakuhachi, trombone, drums, and Fender Rhodes in four duets with the guitarist. B+(**) [cd]

The Cucumbers: As You Heard Me: Songs From "Hello George" (2026, Life Force): New Jersey group, formed by Deena Shoskes (vocals) and Jon Fried (guitar), released a good EP in 1983 and a great LP in 1987, with various stops and restarts ever since. This is a collection of 16 very fetching songs, based on the novella Hello George by Fried (who has several more short story collections). [PS: I have the novella, but haven't read it yet. Too much war in the way.] A- [cd]

Daggerboard: The Skipper and Mike Clark (2022 [2026], Wide Hive): Group led by Erik Jekabson (trumpet) and Gregory Howe (percussion), has a handful of albums since 2021. Skipper (bassist Henry Franklin) was a guest last time, joined here by keyboardist Mike Clark, Dave McNab (guitar), Dave Ellis (tenor/soprano sax), Mads Tolling (violin), and Babatunde (congas). B+(**) [cd]

Dead Pioneers: Po$t American (2025, Hassle): Indigenous punk rock band from Denver, second album, spoken word, so no compromising he messages by searching for rhymes. The music is as pointed as the critique of settler colonialism, with lines like "the audacity (no the caucasity)," "there will always be another settler to take your place," and an Indian name I can't transcribe which means "white person who talks too much, presumes too much, and has no boundaries, which is a mouthful." A- [sp]

DJ Eprom: We Are the Biobots (2026, JuNouMi): Polish electronica producer Michal Baj ("who has ties to Silesia") has synthesized the perfect Kraftwerk album, built from turntable scratch samples and electronically processed vocals. Thankfully, the robot world is one we can still laugh at. A- [sp]

Art Edmaiston & Chad Fowler: Memphis Mandala (2024 [2026], Mahakala Music): Tenor/soprano saxophonist from Tennessee, based in Memphis since 1990, has quite a few side credits since 1997, mostly with blues groups like JJ Grey & Mofro. Gets a shot at a free jazz album, with label head Fowler playing strich and flute, backed by bass (Damon Smith) and two drummer/percussionists (Ra Kalam Bob Moses and Clifford "Pee Wee" Jackson). Seems a little subdued. B+(*) [sp]

John Ellis & Double Wide: Fireball (2019 [2026], Sunnyside): Saxophonist from North Carolina, albums since 1997, band connected to New Orleans with Jason Marsalis (drums), Alan Ferber (trombone), Matt Perrine (sousaphone), and Gary Versace (keyboards; one track also with Rogerio Boccato on percussion). Recording date inferred from doc. The low brass is delightful. B+(**) [sp]

Fakemink: The Boy Who Cried Terrified (2026, EtnaVeraVela, EP): British rapper, has a previous album (21:17) as 9090gate, this one runs 7 songs, 14:39. B+(*) [sp]

The Femcels: I Have to Get Hotter (2026, Getting Hotter): British group, first album, sketchy punk-pop, often slips off the beat and sometimes out of tune, which is both appeal and some kind of limit. 16 songs, 32:31. B+(**) [sp]

Bill Frisell: In My Dreams (2025 [2026], Blue Note): Jazz guitarist, major figure since 1980, one frequent theme is his use of folk materials (including "Hard Times" and "Home on the Range" here). Group with strings — Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind Kang (viola), Hank Roberts (cello), Thomas Morgan (double bass) — and drums (Rudy Royston). B+(**) [sp]

Peter Furlan: The Peter Furlan Project Live at Maureen's Jazz Cellar (2025 [2026], Beany Bops): Tenor/soprano saxophonist, composer and arranger, Discogs credits him for this and two other albums (1981-83). Fairly large group (nine pieces), allowing for some interesting solo textures. B+(*) [cd]

Heavenly: Highway to Heavenly (2026, Skep Wax): British twee pop band, released four albums and an EP 1991-96, Amelia Fletcher the singer, first album since reuniting in 2023. B+(*) [sp]

Imarhan: Essam (2026, City Slang): Tuareg desert rock band from the Algerian side of the Sahara. Reports are that earlier albums distinguished themselves by rocking harder than their similar-sounding contemporaries, but this one starts out leisurely, and hardly suffers from doing so. B+(***) [sp]

Jon Irabagon: Focus Out (2022 [2026], Irrabagast): Saxophonist, alto here, a star in Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do the Killing, has a substantial discography on his own. Quartet with Matt Mitchell (keyboards), Chris Lightcap (bass), and Dan Weiss (drums), plus guest spots, including two Kokayi raps, and spots for trumpet, guitar, and tenor sax (two at once). B+(***) [cd] [03-13]

Jon Irabagon and Dan Oestreicher: Saturday's Child (2023 [2026], Irrabagast): Instruments not listed, but Oestreicher is a New Orleans-based baritone saxophonist who likely goes even lower here, giving this a delightfully jaunty oom-pah feel. Just the two of them, as far as I can tell. B+(***) [cd]

Lazy Californians: Back to San Francisco (2026, Angel Island): Group led by Cameron Washington, plays trumpet and vocals, based in San Francisco, patterned on New Orleans brass bands but supplements trad jazz with rap and funk organ and more. B+(***) [cd]

Shawn Lovato: Biotic (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): Bassist, has a couple previous albums, this one a trio with Ingrid Laubrock (tenor sax) and Henry Mermer (drums), a fine example of the form. B+(***) [cd]

Mandy, Indiana: Urgh (2026, Sacred Bones): French singer-songwriter Valentine Caulfield, mostly in French, organized the band in Manchester, although they also have a toehold in Berlin. Second album, with Scott Fair (guitar, production), Simon Catling (synthesizer), and Alex Macdougall (drums) sharing writing credits. Mostly going off sound here, which is dense but hard to parse. B+(**) [sp]

The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis: Deface the Currency (2026, Impulse!): Guitar-bass-drums trio had a couple albums (2018-19) before they joined up with the powerhouse tenor saxophonist. I filed the early albums under rock as the bassist (Joe Lally) and drummer (Brendan Canty) came from Fugazi, although guitarist Anthony Pirog had a fringe-jazz resume (two albums with Henry Kaiser, one a conduction of Terry Riley, a couple more I've heard but don't particularly recall). Time to move them into the jazz file, but I'm not all that pleased. The saxophonist makes a strong effort, but it's hard to sort him out. B [sp]

Pat Metheny: Side-Eye III+ (2026, Ubiquity Music): Jazz guitarist, long career, exceptionally popular, second Side-Eye recording (after 2021's Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV)), but a different group — the trio with Chris Fishman (keyboards) and Joe Dyson (drums) gets cover billing, plus guests including a vocal ensemble. B+(*) [sp]

Van Morrison: Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge (2026, Townsend Music/Orangefield): He turned 80 last year, has developed a reputation as a sociopolitical crank, and he's writing fewer songs (4 of 20 here, not sure how many are new), but keeps active, here with his 48th studio album, mostly blues covers that get a fresh dose of swing. He's in good voice, and plays a little saxophone, some harmonica, a bit of guitar, while entertaining guests like Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal, and Buddy Guy. Sounds good, but wears a bit thin before ending strong. B+(*) [sp]

Quinsin Nachoff: Patterns From Nature (2023 [2026], Whirlwind): Canadian saxophonist, based in New York, albums since 2006, some earlier side credits (especially with Michael Bates). Two long, complex pieces (one dubbed a concerto), played by a large ensemble with extra strings, a bit much for my taste. B+(***) [cd]

Negative Press Project: Friction Quartet (2025 [2026], Envelopmental Music): Bay Area chamber jazz octet led by Ruthie Dineen (piano) and Andrew Lion (bass), debuted in 2017 with an album called Eternal Life: Jeff Buckley Songs and Sounds, this their fifth album (although Discogs only lists their first), supplemented here by the Friction Quartet ("a cutting-edge string ensemble"). B+(*) [cd]

Angelika Niescier: Chicago Tapes (2025 [2026], Intakt): Alto saxophonist, born in Poland, debut album 2000, with a fairly well known pick up band in Chicago, names on the cover: Jason Adasiewicz (vibes), Nicole Mitchell (flute), Mike Reed (drums), Dave Rempis (alto/tenor sax), and Luke Stewart (bass). B+(***) [sp]

PVA: No More Like This (2026, It's All for Fun): British electropop, or perhaps trip-hop, group; second album, has a striking sound. B+(***) [sp]

Ratboys: Singin' to an Empty Chair (2026, New West): Chicago indie rock band, Julia Steiner the singer, guitarist David Sagan the other principal, sixth studio album since 2015. B+(**) [sp]

Ron Rieder: Compositions in Blue and Other Hues (2024 [2026], Meson): Composer, based in Boston, has a couple of recent Latin jazz albums, this a collection of more conventionally postbop pieces, played by a quintet I scarcely recognize — Yaure Muñiz (trumpet) is on some Cuban albums I've heard, and Mark Lockwood (bass) was in the Fringe. B+(**) [cd]

Brandon Seabrook: Hellbent Daydream (2026, Pyroclastic): Guitarist, also plays banjo, albums since 2014, many credits, has leaned toward metal noise, does some kind of chamber jazz experiment here, with bass (Henry Fraser), violin (Erica Dicker), and keyboards (Elias Stemeseder). Has some interest, but not much appeal. B+(*) [cd]

Shabaka: Of the Earth (2026, Shabaka): Last name Hutchings, British saxophonist, has been a major figure in groups like Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming, his own Ancestors, has a couple solo albums, at one point swore off sax in favor of flute, but seems to have recovered. Solo, with rhythm tracks and some rap. Still a lot of flute. B+(*) [sp]

Sleaford Mods: The Demise of Planet X (2026, Rough Trade): British post-punk duo, started in 2007 with raw rap vocals, has evolved into something slightly more sung, like Psychedelic Furs. Lyrics matter, but so far I'm mostly taking theirs on faith. B+(**) [sp]

Squirrel Nut Zippers: Squirrel Nut Zippers Starring in "Fat City" (The Ballad of Lil' Tony) (2026, Music Maker): Swing revival band from North Carolina, first appeared in 1995, five albums up through 2000, after which Jimbo Mathis recorded as a solo, and others scattered. A couple revivals later, he returns with a suite of songs based on his grandfather, Tony Malvezzi, "a bootlegger and juke joint operator" who moved on to promoting big bands in New Orleans. B+(**) [sp]

Karen Stachel, Norbert Stachel & LehCats: Live @ the Breakroom With Giovanni Hidalgo (2024 [2025], Purple Room Productions, 2CD): Wife and husband, she sings and plays flutes, he plays soprano and tenor sax (and more flutes), the band includes Matt Clark on keyboards, Dan Feiszli on bass, and Dan Gonzalez on drums, with guest percussion for more than a little Latin tinge. B+(*) [cd] [03-20]

Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers: Glory (2025, Mom + Pop Music): Australian riot grrrl-inspired quartet, second album after a couple EPs, 10 snappy songs in 29:16, songcraft up, energy down. B+(**) [sp]

They Might Be Giants: Eyeball (2026, Idlewild, EP): John Flansburgh and John Linnell, their 1986 debut was my favorite album of the year, although I've never again been so taken by their musical and lyrical wit. Four songs, 8:31, one a remix. B- [sp]

Zu: Ferrum Sidereum (2026, House of Mythology): Italian group, founded 1999, came to my attention in jazz but always had a fondness for noise and lately have gravitated toward metal. Principally Luca T Mai (sax) and Massimo Pupillo (bass), both also on keyboards, plus new drummer Paolo Mongardi. I have this tagged as "avant-metal," but it's instrumental, and as tricky as ever. B+(**) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy: African Skies (1993 [2025], Listening Position): Trumpet player (1927-2017), in Sun Ra Arkestra 1959-61, recorded several albums, leading Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Plays various instruments here (congas, flute, guitar, harp, trumpet, violin uke, and his own invention of an electrified kalimba, the frankiphone). Starts uncertain, with some vocals, but finds its groove, highlighted by a blues. A- [bc]

Marty Ehrlich/Julius Hemphill: Circle the Heart (1982 [2026], Relative Pitch): Hemphill (1938-95) founded the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, which Ehrlich joined before moving to New York. Duets, both playing soprano and alto sax, and flute, with Ehrlich also on bass clarinet. B+(**) [sp]

Grupo Um: Nineteen Seventy Seven (1977 [2026], Far Out): Brazilian jazz group, with Roberto Sion (soprano sax/clarinet), Lelo Nazario (keyboards), Zeca Assumpção (electric bass), and Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums), released three albums 1979-82, this find dating from a bit earlier. B+(**) [sp]

Abdallah Oumbadougou: Amghar: The Godfather of Tuareg Music Vol. 1 ([2024], Petaluma): Tuareg guitarist-singer from Niger (1962-2020), a pioneer in the Saharan rock style practiced by many later bands from Niger and Mali. No info on when this well-selected classic material was recorded, but Sahel Sounds released another good album from 1995, Anou Malane. A- [sp]

Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical: Galaxia Tropical ([2026], Analog Africa): Cumbia group, from Iquitos deep in the Pervian Amazon, led by singer Ranil (Raúl Llena Vásquez, 1935-2020). Dates are hard to come by, but he/they released a dozen albums starting in the 1970s (Discogs only has dates on three 1974-77 singles, plus some later compilations). This German label came up with a previous compilation in 2020 (plus a digital-only supplement called Stay Safe and Sound Rail Selection!!). A- [sp]

Old music:

Dead Pioneers: Dead Pioneers (2023, self-released): Indigenous punk-rap group from Denver, Gregg Deal the vocalist, with two guitars, bass, and drums, racing through 12 songs in 22:01. Starts with: "America's a pyramid scheme, and you ain't at the top." Continues: "The foundation of this country is rooted in slavery and genocide, born in the bosom of colonialism," then after noting capitalism adds "this structure is a rigged game." He goes on to admit to being a "Bad Indian" and a "Doom Indian" ("doom sustains me; it's no longer a description so much as a solid indigenous character; doom is angry and real and could care less about how it makes you feel." A- [sp]

Madonna: Madame X: Music From the Theater Xperience (2020 [2021], Warner): As the pace of her studio albums has slowed, she's gotten into the habit of punctuating them with live megatour albums — the tours being the main point of the albums. Thus we have The Confessions Tour (2007), Sticky & Sweet Tour (2010), MDNA World Tour (2013), Rebel Heart Tour (2017), and now this, following her excellent Madame X album (2019). This one was recorded in Lisbon, where Madonna moved in 2019, and incorporates a fado segment, among the new songs that mix in with the always welcome hits. In between, her banter is more sharply political than ever. Good. B+(***) [sp]

Madonna: MDNA World Tour (2012 [2013], Interscope): Her fourth live album, following MDNA, her twelfth studio album (2012), one of her better ones. The new album contributes 9 songs ("Turn Up the Radio" is one of the best), in a 114-minute, 24-song program. Sound is a bit thin, but the music is terrific, as ever. B+(***) [sp]

Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour (2016 [2017], Eagle): Another megatour, behind her thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart (2016), a concert from Sydney, originally released as a 138:16 video, later reduced by a 22-track, 99:01 album. Eight songs from a good but not great album, plus many more. B+(**) [sp]

Masaka Kids Africana: Greatful (2021, Masaka Kids Africana): Group of Ugandan teens (more or less), under the name of a nonprofit that helps "orphaned, vulnerable and abandoned children," in this specific case to become YouTube dancing and musical stars. Second album after a 2019 debut, one more since plus several EPs, including some Xmas music. Several sources misread the album title as "Grateful," which they may well be, but they're also pretty great. A- [sp]

Range Rats: Range Rats (1986 [2010], Mississippi): Ragged-but-right country-rock band led by Fred and Toody Cole, "some sad lilting ballads & some punk as hell," seems to be their only album under this name but the Coles have other credits, including the Rats (1980-83, before their country turn) and Dead Moon (1988-2004; I have two of their albums at A-). A- [sp]

Michael Hurley/The Range Rats: Dead Moon Night (1986-2017 [2024], Mississippi, EP): "Limited one time edition," consists of the folksinger covering a Dead Moon song from Portland's first Dead Moon Day (in honor of the band, after Freddy Cole's death), followed by a previously unreleased Range Rats song. Curios at best. B [bc]

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Grade (or other) changes:

Buck 65: Do Not Bend (2026, Vertices): Rapper/beatmaker Richard Terfly, from Nova Scotia, seems to be in Toronto these days, called his 1988-96 juvenilia compilation Weirdo Magnet, has released many albums since, with a 2014-22 break, but he's been superb ever since. Short one (14 tracks, 26:43), snappy, as exceptional as ever. Noted: "I don't like this universe, let's move on to another one." [Label unspecified, but Christgau used Buck 65's Substack title. Lyrics here.] [was: B+(***)] A- [bc]

Gogol Bordello: We Mean It, Man! (2026, Casa Gogol): New York-based punk band, principally Eugene Hütz, the one constant since 1999, draws heavily on his Ukrainian background. Strong album. [was: B+(***)] A- [sp]

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Unpacking: Found in the mail last week (actually last several, as I had fallen way behind):

• David Adewumi: The Flame Beneath the Silence (Giant Step Arts) [03-27]
• Tyrone Allen II: Upward (Dreams and Fears) [03-16]
• Anthony Branker & Other Ways of Knowing: Manifestations of a Diasporic Groove & Spirit (Origin) [03-20]
• Asher Brinson: Midnight Hurricane (AsherBrin) [04-03]
• Owen Chen: Eternal Wind: The Ghibli Collection (OA2) [04-03]
• Steve Cohn/Billy Stein: Up From the Soil (Hathor Music) [2025-10-03]
• Matt Dwonsyk: Live at the Sidedoor (self-released) [03-06]
• Simon Hanes: Gargantua (Pyroclastic) [03-27]
• Alexander Hawkins/Taylor Ho Bynum: A Near Permanent State of Wonder (RogueArt) [2025-09-12]
• Steven Husted and Friends: Two Nights - "Live!" (self-released) [02-16]
• The Interplay Jazz Orchestra: Bite Your Tongue (self-released) [02-26]
• Jon Irabagon: Focus Out (Irrabagast) [03-13]
• Jon Irabagon and Dan Oestreicher: Saturday's Child (Irrabagast) [03-13]
• Javon Jackson: Jackson Plays Dylan (Solid Jackson/Palmetto) [03-27]
• Jamile/Vinicius Gomes: Boundless Species (La Reserve) [04-03]
• DeYeon Kim: Wellspring (TAO Forms) [05-01]
• Erica von Kleist: Picc Pocket (self-released) [04-23]
• Anna Kolchina: Reach for Tomorrow (OA2) [02-27]
• Steve Kovalcheck: Buckshot Blues (OA2) [04-03]
• Brian Landrus: Just When You Think You Know (BlueLand/Palmetto) [03-20]
• Scott Lee: Greetings From Florida: Postcards From Paradise (Sunnyside) [04-16]
• Tom Lippincott: Ode to the Possible (self-released) [03-02]
• Lisanne Lyons: May I Come In (OA2) [02-27]
• Quinsin Nachoff: Patterns From Nature (Whirlwind) [02-27]
• Luke Norris: Moment From the Past (self-released) [03-20]
• Adam O'Farrill: Elephant (Out of Your Head) [03-20]
• Meg Okura: Isaiah (Adhyâropa) [02-20]
• Beto Paciello: The Stoic Suite (Moons Arts) [04-17]
• Chenxi Pan: This Very Moment (Origin) [03-20]
• Benjie Porecki: Faster Than We Know (Funklove Productions) [03-02]
• Reverso: Between Two Silences (Alternate Side) [03-27]
• Harvie S: Bright Dawn (Origin) [03-20]
• Marta Sanchez: For the Space You Left (Out of Your Head) [04-17]
• Dave Schumacher & Cubeye: Agua Con Gas (Cubeye Music) [04-17]
• Yuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall: Invocation (self-released) [03-20]
• Chad Taylor/Aymeric Avice/Luke Stewart: Deep in the Earth High in the Sky (RogueArt) [02-09] *
• Harriet Tubman & Georgia Muldrow: Electrical Field of Love (Pi) [03-27]
• Jack Wood: For Every Man There's a Woman (Jazz Hang) [03-24]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, February 28, 2026

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Music Week

February archive (finished).

Music: Current count 45603 [45565] rated (+38), 11 [27] unrated (-16).

I'm writing this introduction on March 2, but it seems fair to backdate this one. Not that I'm not happy to be done with February, but the shortfall of days messed up my schedule (or would have, if I had followed a normal schedule in February). Besides, the cutoff is honest. All of these reviews were logged by Feb. 28, and I haven't written any more since. Saturday was disrupted by having someone come over to trim the giant elm tree in the backyard. Then I picked up some kind of stomach bug, and I spent most of Sunday in bed. I'm feeling somewhat better today, but remain in a bad mood, and I don't expect that to alleviate any time soon.

I published a rather massive Loose Tabs on Friday, where I obviously didn't pay enough attention to the likelihood that Trump would be so befuddled as to launch a war against Iran. I did a minor update last night, where I noted that Franklin Roosevelt's designation of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor as "a day in infamy" applies equally well to Trump's attack on Iran and to Bush's 2003 attack on Iraq. I also wrote:

That Trump and Netanyahu have blindly thrust us into a new state of the world is undeniable. The things we should be absolutely clear on are: the "crisis" that precipitated this action was totally fabricated, the result of Israel hyping Iran as some kind of supreme existential enemy, for no reason beyond their desire to provide cover for their ongoing displacement of the Palestinian people; that the US has gone along with demonizing Iran because the CIA installation of the Shah in 1953 and the subsequent support of the Shah's terror campaign against his people is something Americans have never acknowledged and made any sort of amends for; and that several generations of American politicians, including Biden and Trump, have allowed themselves to be manipulated and dictated to by Israelis, Netanyahu in particular. There was never any need to go to war with Iran, and even a week ago an agreement could have been negotiated, at least had the US shown any decent respect for the Iranian regime and people.

I wasn't able to follow the news as the attack unfolded, and thus far I've barely skimmed a couple of reports. As far as I've been able to glean, Trump wants to continue bombing for several more weeks. As such, he's wasting the opportunity caused by killing Khamenei: a pause would allow cooler heads to regroup, while keeping up the attack will only increase Iran's resolve to fight back — as they are doing, but thus far to limited effect. I wouldn't dismiss the possibility that Iran could make their attackers feel real (if not commensurate) pain, but what worries me more at the moment is the extraordinary exhilaration and hubris Trump and Netanyahu are feeling in flexing their power to destroy and wreak havoc, especially given how unpopular their warmaking is. I doubt either of them will meet the justice they deserve. I just fear that they're on a path that will only get worse until someone finally stops them (as if anyone could or would).

In old age, I often reflect back on maxims I learned when I was a child. One of the most enduring is: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Sure, Trump was pretty corrupt long before he had the absolute power to kill thousands or millions of people. I don't know how people couldn't have seen through Trump, but for all of my lifetime, we've been brought up to adore and trust American power, despite constant reminders that we cannot and should not.

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I finally cracked into the 2026 promo queue last week (or two), so that's much of what you'll find below. I have more that I haven't unpacked yet. Main thing that's slowed me down is that my office space has descended into a horrible mess. I'll try to straighten that out next week. Meanwhile, my main source for new non-jazz picks this week is RiotRiot. I also looked up some Neil Sedaka after his death — I've been playing The Brill Building Box, where Stairway to Heaven is a favorite (here's a live take, in a medley) — and I also sampled a couple of this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees that I had nothing rated by (still missing for me are Inxs and Iron Maiden).

I'm not invited to vote, and almost certainly never will be, but Chuck Eddy is, so I followed his link as a checklist, then I compiled a table of the 17 nominees' graded albums: only 4 had A/A- graded albums (Joy Division/New Order, Pink, Shakira, Wu-Tang Clan), so I would have been very hard-pressed to meet their minimum of 7 votes: I wouldn't begrudge Vandross, and admit that lots of (almost exclusively British?) people like Oasis to a HOF degree, and I'm somewhat into the post-New Edition solo/trio albums. But it feels to me like in their rush to induct everyone they've started scraping the bottom of the barrel — although I'm pretty sure that if I did a bit of research I could find many much better individuals and/or bands they've overlooked (e.g., Pere Ubu, Pet Shop Boys, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, Pavement).

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New records reviewed this week:

Michael Aadal: Aggressive Hymns, Energetic Ballads (2025 [2026], Losen): Norwegian guitarist, tenth album since 2009, cover lists last name only, quartet with André Kassen (tenor/baritone sax), Audun Ramo (acoustic/electric bass), Gunnar Sæter (drums), all original pieces, most pretty strong. B+(***) [cd]

Joshua Achiron: Climbing (2026, Calligram): Young guitarist, from Chicago, first album, playing original pieces (plus one Ellington), backed by veteran who elevate his game: Geof Bradfield (tenor sax), Clark Sommers (bass), and Dana Hall (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Naseem Alatrash: Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas (2025 [2026], Levantine Music): Cellist, Arabic heritage, teaches in Boston, is a member of Turtle Island Quartet, has credits with Danilo Perez and Simon Shaheen. Seven original compositions, 32:03, backed by piano, bass, string quartet, and drums. Zips right along. B+(***) [cd] [02-27]

Eddie Allen's Push: Rhythm People (2023 [2026], Origin): Trumpet player, originally from Milwaukee, based in New York, credits back to 1987 (Lester Bowie, Mongo Santamaria), albums from 1993, one called Push from 2014. Sextet here, plus "special guest" Steve Turre (trombone). B+(**) [cd]

Courtney Marie Andrews: Valentine (2026, Loose Future): Country singer-songwriter, ninth album since 2008. B+(*) [sp]

Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet: The Solastalgia Suite (2024 [2026], Pyroclastic): Pianist, originally from Canada, put together a series of impressive albums in the 2000s, then moved to the forefront when she set up a label that is much more than just herself. Now she's making moves, this one with a scratchy Polish string quartet that doesn't allow you the option of not listening. A bit too "classical" for my taste, but those not similarly prejudiced are likely to be impressed. B+(***) [cd]

Hilary Duff: Luck . . . or Something (2026, Atlantic): Pop singer-songwriter, sixth album since 2002 (when she was 15), only second album since 2007 (when she was 20), started as a Disney "teen idol," has a fairly long (if not all that distinguished) list of acting credits, and has written a trilogy of "young adult" novels. B+(**) [sp]

Gaudi: Jazz Gone Dub (2025, Dubmission): Italian producer Daniele Cenacchi, plays keyboards, has been dabbling in jazz, electronica, and especially dub since the late 1980s, moving to London in 1995. B+(**) [sp]

Gogol Bordello: We Mean It, Man! (2026, Gogol): New York-based punk band, principally Eugene Hütz, the one constant since 1999, draws heavily on his Ukrainian background. Strong album. B+(***) [sp]

Andy Haas: In Praise of Insomnia (2025 [2026], Resonant Music): Saxophonist, career goes back to the 1980s, including the notable group Radio I-Ching. Solo exercises, credit "saxophone, circular breath, nano pulsar"). This format is inevitably limited, but revelatory if you pay close attention. Helps that it is varied but short: 12 tracks, 29:24. B+(**) [cd]

Hemlocke Springs: The Apple Tree Under the Sea (2026, AWAL): Pop singer-songwriter Isimeme Udu, has degrees in biology and medical informatics, released a well-regarded EP in 2023, first album (10 songs, 33:22). B+(***) [sp]

Joyce Manor: I Used to Go to This Bar (2026, Epitaph, EP): Punk band from California, Barry Johnson the singer-songwriter, Chase Knobbe on guitar, Matt Ebert on bass, various drummers since 2011, seventh album, but at 7 songs, 19:03 I'm inclined to treat it as an EP. B+(*) [sp]

Gil Livni: All In (2024-25 [2026], OA2): Guitarist from Israel, seems to be his second album, a quartet with Amit Friedman (sax), Yonatan Riklis (organ), and Yonatan Rosen (drums), so soul jazz? Three covers (including a Lennon-McCartney), seven originals, pretty lively. B+(**) [cd]

Chris Madsen/Dana Hall/Clark Sommers: Threefold (2025 [2026], Calligram): Tenor/soprano saxophonist, name listed last but type suggests crediting him first. If so (he produced and wrote 4/8 songs, the others by bassist Sommers), this may be his first, although he has side credits back to 2000. This is very solid. B+(***) [cd] [03-06]

Luke Marantz/Simon Jermyn: Echoes (2025 [2026], Chill Tone): Presented as duets (although a drummer is also credited), Marantz plays piano/keyboards, Jermyn electric guitar and bass. Marantz has a fair number of side credits since 2011. Jermyn, from Ireland but based in New York, had a debut album in 2010 (solo electric bass). B+(**) [cd]

Bruno Mars: The Romantic (2026, Atlantic): Pop genius Peter Gene Hernandez, broke through with Doo-Wops and Hooligans in 2010, and since then has shown occasional flashes of brilliance without putting together another compelling album. But this is only his fourth, with a 10-year gap since 2016's lame 24K Magic. This isn't lame, but the overproduction is pretty severe. B+(*) [sp]

Megan Moroney: Cloud 9 (2026, Columbia Nashville): Country singer-songwriter from Georgia, third album. B+(***) [sp]

Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon: As of Now (2026, Lex): Rapper Jamonte Lyde, from Charlotte but he's been around, Discogs lists 15 albums since 2019 but this is his big step forward. A- [sp]

Kate Olson: So It Goes (2025 [2026], OA2): Soprano saxophonist, from Seattle, has a previous (2009) album of "improvised duets" I wouldn't hold against calling this a debut, and side work with Wayne Horvitz, who appears as a guest here (3 tracks). Mostly quartet with Conner Eisenmenger (trombone), Tim Carey (electric bass/guitar), and Evan Woodle (drums), with extra double bass (Geoff Harper) on three tracks. B+(***) [cd]

The Paranoid Style: Known Associates (2026, Bar/None): Singer-songwriter Elizabeth Nelson, with husband Timothy Bracy, fifth album, pens historico-politico-philosophical tracts set to conventional, guitar-heavy but far from sludgy rock and roll. As someone who is slow to grasp lyrics, I tend to be less than impressed at first, then start to notice phrases and appreciate the clarity of the music. Main thing I've noted so far is that these songs are all hooked to their titles, which are somewhat more oblique than usual ("Tearing the Ticket," "A Barrier to Entry," "Shark Eyes," "Elegant Bachelors," the title song). A- [sp]

Pony: Clearly Cursed (2026, Take This to Heart): Toronto indie-pop group, Sam Bielanski the singer-songwriter, third album, with Matty Morand now the exclusive guitarist. Ten songs, 30:45. B+(**) [sp]

Brad Schrader: Late Nights With Brad Schrader (2025, self-released): Standards singer, been plying his trade for 25 years, nothing under Discogs, this seems to be his first. Seven standards (23:50, including the all-but-obligatory Jobim), backed nicely by piano (music director Jerry Vezza), bass, drums, and sax. B [cd]

Noé Sécula/Jorge Rossy: A Sphere Between Other Obsessions (2023 [2026], Fresh Sound New Talent): French pianist, second album, mostly duo with vibraphone (7/10 cuts), mostly playing Monk tunes. B+(*) [bc]

Dave Stryker: Blue Fire: The Van Gelder Session (2025 [2026], Strikezone): Guitarist, from Nebraska, called his first album First Strike (1988), co-led a long-running group with saxophonist Steve Slagle, has lately been in the habit of releasing something new every January. This year's offering is a back-to-roots session with organ (Jon Gold) and drums (McClenty Hunter). B+(**) [cd]

Mattias Svensson: Embrace (2022 [2026], Origin): Swedish bassist, studied in New York but returned to Sweden, has a couple previous albums under his own name, plus several dozen side-credits (especially with Jan Lundgren and Viktoria Tolstoy). Wrote all the pieces here, performed with Bill Mays (piano) and Morten Lund (drums). Nice outing. B+(**) [cd]

Craig Taborn: Dream Archives (2024 [2026], ECM): Pianist, first came to my attention in James Carter's 1990s quartet, has a wide-ranging solo career with several dozen albums and many more side-credits, ultimately leading to a MacArthur grant in 2024. Trio with Tomeka Reid (cello) and Ches Smith (drums). Talented group, but doesn't really take off (unlike, say, 2025's Trio of Bloom). B+(*) [sp]

Vance Thompson: Lost and Found (2024 [2026], Moondo): Trumpet player, founder/director of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, lost his ability to play due to focal dystonia, but has returned to music here, playing the vibraphone in a quintet with piano, guitar, bass, and drums. B+(*) [cd]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

John Vanore & Abstract Truth: Easter Island Suite (1989-2024 [2026], Acoustical Concepts): Trumpet player, several albums since 1991, started composing this suite in the 1980s and recorded the first movement in 1989, returning to the studio for the middle sections in 2012, then the final movement in 2024. The groups evolved, but all are deep in brass. B+(*) [cd]

Old music:

Phil Collins: Face Value (1981, Virgin): First solo album by the former Genesis drummer, started a string of eight gold/platinum albums (up to 2010), none I've heard so far, which is unusual for someone being given serious consideration for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (but not the only 2026 nominee I have nothing in the database for: also INXS, Iron Maiden, and New Edition). Seems like an agreeable pop album, but the only whole song that caught my attention was the Beatles cover ("Tomorrow Never Knows"), and the only other bits I was impressed by were drum breaks. B [sp]

The Damned: Damned Damned Damned (1977, Stiff): English punk rock group, first album, Dave Vanian the singer, backed by guitar (Brian James), bass (Captain Sensible), and drums (Rat Scabies), produced by Nick Lowe. I recall the group getting a lot of hype at the time, but little respect. Sounds pretty good at first, a little short of material toward the final rave up. B+(**) [yt]

New Edition: New Edition (1984, MCA): Another RRHOF nominee I totally missed, released 7 studio albums 1983-2004, selling over 20 million copies. Boy group, conceived as successor to the Jackson 5, updated with some rap to coin the term "new jack swing," the five members on this second album went on to solo acts for Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant as well as the trio known as Bell Biv Devoe. (Later member was/is Johnny Gill.) B+(**) [sp]

The OKeh Rhythm & Blues Story: 1949-1957 (1949-57 [1993], Epic/Legacy, 3CD): Label founded 1918 by Otto Karl Erich Heinemann (1876-1965), recorded early "race" records including Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens. The label was sold to Columbia in 1926, sold off in 1934 and bought back by CBS in 1938, which periodically shut it down and revived it. This was their prime R&B period, with plenty of hot jump blues, but nothing I recognize from standard compilations (like Rhino's fabulous The R&B Box), and a shortage of star power (the "big" names here are Big Maybelle, Chuck Willis, Hadda Brooks, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins). B+(***) [sp]

Rosé: Rosie (2024, The Black Label/Atlantic): Born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, moved to South Korea (where her parents had emigrated from) and joined the bestselling girl group Blackpink, released a solo "single album" in 2021 (6:15, expanded on CD to 12:30), then this studio album, which belatedly came to my attention thanks to the Bruno Mars feature "APT." That single sound pretty good, but it's hardly helped by an overload of ballads, even if they're not bad. B+(*) [sp]

Neil Sedaka: Sings His Greatest Hits (1958-62 [1963], RCA): Brill Building songwriter, an original member of the Tokens (which had a 1961 hit with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), recorded a half-dozen top-ten singles 1959-62, which loom large here. Seems like he should have a memorable period compilation. This comes close. B+(***) [yt]

Neil Sedaka: Neil Sedaka and the Tokens (1956-57 [1963], Guest Star): Short compilation (10 songs, 21:54), unclear exactly when recorded (Google says that Sedaka left to go solo in 1958), but 6 songs are credited to Sedaka alone, 2 with the Tokens, and 2 (twisters) to Joe Martin and His Orchestra. B [sp]

Neil Sedaka: Sedaka's Back (1972-73 [1974], Rocket): Elton John's label compiled this from three UK-only LPs, including songs that were hits for others, and one that became his first since 1962, and set him up for years to come. B+(*) [sp]

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