Philip Glass/David Henry Hwang/Third Angle New Music

1000 Airplanes On The Roof

Orange Mountain, 2026

9/10

Listen to 1000 Airplanes On The Roof

The Portland, Oregon-based contemporary music outfit, Third Angle New Music, turn in a daring project, where they tackle this first-ever complete recording of Philip Glass' 1000 Airplanes On The Roof, with libretto by David Henry Hwang.

The title track opens with plenty of ambience, as playful synth surrounds the cinematic climate, and “City Walk” follows with spoken word from Joellen Sweeney amid the warm synth.

Moving along, “Screens Of Memory” blends the vivid storytelling with chunky moments and bright synth gestures, while “Return To The Hive” recruits dreamy winds alongside the animated story about bees.

“Grey Cloud Over New York” arrives late and pairs the winds and synth with descriptive wordplay, and “A Normal Person Running” exits with a mesmerizing bout of swirling dynamics and captivating storytelling.

Disc 2 of the package contains the selections sans vocals, which gives the listeners another avenue to explore, though Arwen Myers’s stunning soprano voice on disc 1 sure is alluring, and Maria Garcia and Yoko Greeney’s synths, Sean Fredenburg’s soprano saxophone/tenor saxophone, John Nastos’ flute/soprano saxophone and Sarah Tiedemann’s flute/piccolo/wind synthesizer also do a fascinating job illuminating this haunting, cryptic sci-fi adventure.

Travels well with: David Handler- Life Like Violence; Percussia- Murmuration

2002

The Wishing Well

Galactic Playground, 2026

9/10

Listen to The Wishing Well

This 23rd album from the esteemed outfit 2002 sees their meditative and lush ways unfolding across 10 relaxing tunes.

“Overture: The Restless Heart” opens the listen with Keyreel Raskolenko’s gripping violin adding much to the atmospheric synth and gentle percussion, and “Three Wishes” follows with elegant keys that emit much beauty and grace.

The middle track belongs to the playful “Dream Chasers”, where frisky strings and a charming cinematic appeal unfolds, while “Moon Lore” blends the keys with a stirring ambience of poeticism and reflection.

Residing close to the end, “Bellehaven” radiates a unique dreaminess that could lull you into slumber, and “Savitri’s Dream” exits with a similar approach via waves of gentle warmth that blends synth, percussion, piano and wordless vocals into a sea of ethereal ideas.

Pamela, Randy and Sarah Copus, i.e. 2002, embrace all the hallmarks of New Age, prog-rock and ambient ideas, where a very enlightening and tranquil landscape draws us in from beginning to end.

Travels well with: Jon Jenkins- FLOW; Ann Sweeten- Still

Matt Smith

…this is not ok…

6 String Ranch, 2026

9/10

Listen to …this is not ok…

The renaissance man Matt Smith presents a 20th album, where a personal and socially aware body of work blends a wealth of genres into a very detailed effort.

“World Is A Wheel” starts the listen with Ange Kogutz’s soulful voice alongside Smith’s smooth pipes and spirited guitar amid the rich climate, and “Cry For America” follows with David Webb’s bright piano and Brian Mendes’ punchy drums that suit the gritty yet tuneful delivery.

“Level Ground” and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” land in the middle. The former is a poetic and intimate moment of folk beauty via the emotive singing, while the latter offers a swift moment of dance floor ready energy thanks to Jimmy Kelley’s frisky drums and playful voice.

Arriving near the end, the thick guitar of “Bad Man” brings plenty of rock to the equation, and “From The Ashes” exits with Ernie Durawa’s soft drums and Tony Perrino’s elegant organ that complements the heartfelt duet.

A very thoughtful effort that balances roots, blues, soul, funk, jazz and rock, Smith was inspired by the 2024 election to write these songs, and he turns his anger and frustration into eloquence that can bring us together, which is very much needed right now.

Travels well with: Larry Beckett- Though We Have Only Love; Edelston & Dulcimer- Making Waves

Neave Trio

In Her Hands

Chandos, 2026

9/10

Listen to In Her Hands

The Grammy nominated outfit Neave Trio return with an 8th album, where they spotlight the richness and multifaceted strengths of women’s contributions to the chamber music spectrum.

Clara Schumann’s “Trio, Op.17” starts with 4 movements that allow for Anna Williams’ intricate violin to weave in and out of Eri Nakamura’s dancing keys, where frisky moments, heartfelt bouts and rich melodies are present.

In the middle, Dora Pejacevic’s “Trio, Op. 29” emits much elegance via Mikhail Veselov’s meticulous cello that suits the firm keys and gripping violin of the commanding and colorful piece.

The last selection belongs to Cecile Chaminade’s “Trio No. 2, Op. 34”, where the dynamic interaction between the 3 makes for a charming finish that excels in bouncy moments, sublime beauty and cinematic bouts.

Neave Trio certainly do justice to the female composers, where the artistry and emotional components are delivered with expressive, melodic and inventive chamber playing that you can’t not be in awe of.

Travels well with: Miró Quartet- Hearth; Nicholas Finch- Cellostatus

Jon Jenkins

FLOW

Spotted Peccary, 2025

9/10

Listen to Flow

This remastered version of Jon Jenkins’ FLOW sees the masterpiece in ambient music with even more depth and intensity, as David Helping, Jeff Pearce and Howard Givens help out with the 11 sonically engaging tracks.

“From The Spring” opens with plenty of cinematic gestures and atmosphere that makes mysteriousness and warmth amid Helpling’s swirling guitar, and “Into A World Of Wonder” follows with chilling synth and an ethereal backdrop which emits much grace.

Further along, “Cross Over” welcomes Givens’ meticulous guitar that floats alongside the colorful dynamics, while “Breathing In The Deep” exercises minimalism and emotion alongside great use of Pearce’s distinct electric guitar.

Arriving near the end, “Part Of The Solution” spends 16+ minutes mesmerizing us via the waves of synth that shimmer with a spacey appeal that’s nearly spiritual, and “Ebb” exits with a distinct intimacy which lulls us into its dream like state.

A 74 minute journey into lush texturing and New Age nods, Jenkins and company embrace introspection and a unique emotional capacity that’s truly timeless.

Travels well with: Chronotype Project- Chronology; Aetopus- Cup

Dennis-P. Merklinghaus

The Scene Police Story: A Story of Rebellion, Passion, and Financial Ruin

Earth Island, 2026

10/10

More info about The Scene Police Story: A Story of Rebellion, Passion, and Financial Ruin

Dennis-P. Merklinghaus did what legions of punk kids in the early ‘90s dreamed of- he ran a fully DIY record label that put great music into the hands of like minded people worldwide.

Of course, it wasn’t all glamorous and certainly not always fun.

In this very forthright book, Merklinghaus tells the tale of his fanzine, Interpol Times, which escalated into a record label, Scene Police Records. It turned into a collective setting, as the workload was far too much for one person to handle, and Scene Police eventually evolved into a mailorder and tour booking machine, which kept Merklinghaus traveling with his bands and sleeping on floors, in squats and with little or no money being made.

A entrepreneur with rigid ethics, the records he put out aligned with his social and political ethos, and he often put out music not so much because it was in demand, but because he believed in it with his heart and soul.

And in the grand tradition of all things punk, there was plenty of turbulence along the way. Conflict within the Scene Police collective, disagreements with bands and their behavior and misguided tours that left bands often playing to a few people and with no compensation. At every corner, despite his passion for the projects, problems arose.

After 6 years and 40 records, the debt that Merklinghaus accumulated on his label was to a point that he had to shut everything down. The burnout was immense, the turmoil insurmountable. In 2003, Scene Police ceased to exist.

An excellent account of a dream gone awry, Merklinghaus made lifelong friends across the globe, and put out some important records along the way (I actually own 2 Scene Police 7”s that I bought in the late ‘90s). Some guest writers appear to give their accounts of the stories, and Merklinghaus’ own writing style is direct, reflective and one of much appreciation for the life he lived. There’s also many pictures included that give us a great visual of the characters he discusses and the records he made.

I read this book in just 2 sittings even though I was unfamiliar with most of the bands mentioned. It’s just so well laid out and written, the pages just kept turning themselves. Years ago, Larry Livermore wrote a book called How To Ru(i)n A Record Label about the legendary Lookout Records, and this saga of Scene Police runs a similar course.

Interestingly, after a 20+ year hiatus, the Scene Police label has been resurrected, and they’ve already got a dozen or so releases under their belt. Now older, wiser and more stable, Merklinghaus clearly still has the DIY punk spirit running through his veins.

Listen to Scene Police Records

Anna Kolchina

Reach For Tomorrow

OA2, 2026

8/10

Listen to Reach For Tomorrow

The Russian jazz vocalist Anna Kolchina made her move to New York in 2017, and the songs here surround her journey, where the moments and chapters fuel the intimacy she shares with several different guitarists.

“Dancing In The Dark” leads with Kolchina’s expressive voice and Ilya Lushtak’s sublime guitar making for much soft beauty, and “You And The Night And The Music” follows with Yotam Silbertein’s cozy guitar that suits the elegant singing.

Moving into the middle, “All Or Nothing At All” allows for Peter Bernstein’s meticulous playing to complement Kolchina’s inimitable delivery, while “What Now My Love” showcases Romero Lubambo’s dreamy guitar chops amid the sublime vocals that are heartfelt.

Landing near the end, Paul Bollenback’s precise guitar illuminates the gentle voice of “Whistling Away The Dark”, and the title track exits with Silberstein’s playful progressions that align with the stirring pipes from Kolchina.

The songs were recorded between 2021-2025, but they blend together cohesively, where Kolchina’s tender singing is timeless, vulnerable and elegant.

Travels well with: Kelsey Mines-Everything Sacred, Nothing Serious; Dawn Clement-Delight

Langhorne Slim

The Dreamin’ Kind

Dualtone, 2026

10/10

Listen to The Dreamin’ Kind

This 9th album from the revered singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim sees the 12 songs diving into plugged in, retro fueled rock.

“Rock N Roll” opens with Slim’s smooth voice that suits Daniel Wagner’s thumping drums and the fuzzed out guitars, and “Dream Come True” follows with warm acoustic guitar and Sam F. Kiska’s cozy accordion amid the rich textures.

Further along, “Stealin’ Time” places Casey McAllister on synth bass and Mat Davidson on fiddle for the intimate climate, while “Strange Companion” offers a driving rocker thanks to Wagner’s vibro guitar and Kiska’s mellotron that complements the sing-alongs and anthemic delivery.

Residing close to the end, “Haunted Man” lands in rugged territory via the dense guitar licks and arena ready rhythm section, and “Engine 99” exits with Cameron Neals lap steel and scrappy drumming amid the galloping, rhythmic and busy yet precise finish.

If you weren’t paying attention to Slim before, which I’m guilty of, you will be now, cause his mashing of roots sounds with power chords, garage rock nods and stadium ready riffs grabs ahold and doesn’t let go across this incredible record.

Travels well with: Mason Jennings- Red Heart; Blitzen Trapper- 100’s Of 1000’s, Millions Of Billions

Few Of A Kind

Few Of A Kind

Adhyâropa, 2026

9/10

Listen to Few Of A Kind

An all-star outfit consisting of Vienna Teng, Brandon Ridenour, Ben Russell, Yousif Sheronick and Andrew Gutauskas, as Few Of A Kind they integrate classical chamber music, improvisation, and folk storytelling into a new sound.

“Five’s Alone” opens the 4 songs with Teng’s mesmerizing piano alongside Russell’s meticulous violin and the bright wind and brass for a rich, animated start, and “Transcontinental, 1:30am” follows with a soft ambience of beauty and grass via the mature piano and Sheronick’s cozy percussion that complements Teng’s intimate voice.

The back half offers us “Alone” and “Two Steps From The Blues”. The former places Russell’s deep voice amid Ridenour’s rich trumpet, and the latter allows for Gutauskas’ strategic sax to shine alongside the authentic and powerful spirit.

Each member of Few Of A Kind has an excellent resume, and their combined talents make for a crossover, fusion experience that embraces humor, melancholy, improvising and polyrhythms.

Travels well with: Darol Anger- Diary Of A Fiddler #2: The Empty Nest; Wes Corbett- Drift

Tyshawn Sorey

Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)

Dacamera, 2026

9/10

Listen to Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)

A 75 minute score that’s fleshed out by Davóne Tines, Kim Kashkashian, Sarah Rothenberg, Steven Schick and the Houston Chamber Orchestra, Tyshawn Sorey took inspiration from Rothko’s late paintings and Morton Feldman’s ‘Rothko Chapel’ for this powerful piece.

The lengthy track leads with emotive strings and a light ambience, before the tense percussion from Schick complements Kashashian’s cautious viola. Rothenberg’s piano is used sparingly and often in a haunting fashion, as Tines’ very low voice enters and adds another emotional level to the mood.

Moving into the back half, the setting builds with an ominous backdrop before graceful keys take focus, and the last 10 minutes emit a droning component amid the mature strings and strategic keys.

An often chilling journey that approaches chamber and classical ideas from a very creative standpoint, Sorey’s vision is one of atypical color that makes an indelible impact.

Travels well with: Lorelei Ensemble- Scott Ordway: North Woods; Gloria Cheng- Root Progressions

Kim Moberg

All That Really Matters

Self-Released, 2026

8/10

Listen to All That Really Matters

This 4th album from the Massachusetts singer-songwriter Kim Moberg explores human emotions and experiences that stem from betrayal, loss of friendship, self-love and social justice, where several excellent players are in attendance.

“I’ll Always Be A Friend” starts the listen with Moberg’s intimate voice and soft guitar alongside Jon Evans’ warm bass and light drums, and “Straight For The Heart” follows with rhythm and atmosphere thanks to Evan’s upright bass and baritone guitar that suits Moberg’s vivid storytelling.

The title track lands in the middle and recruits Eve Samaha’s cello and Dorothea Samaha’s violin that adds much grace to the cautiousness, while “$20 Bill (For George Floyd)” pays tribute to the tragedy that changed the world via a thoughtful dreaminess and much eloquence.

Getting closer to the end, “Brimstone And Fire” has Moberg playing both acoustic and electric guitar amid the thicker, mesmerizing presence, and “Both Sides Now” exits with an orchestral influence that complements the emotive singing of the Joni Mitchell cover.

A very thoughtful and topical body of work, anyone with an ear for folk, Americana and acoustic music and whose heart is filled with empathy and compassion will find much to enjoy.

Travels well with: Diane Coll- Strangely In Tune; Heather Aubrey Lloyd- Panic Room With A View

Sofia Talvik

Wrapped In Paper

Makaki, 2025

9/10

Listen to Wrapped In Paper

The Swedish vocalist Sofia Talvik fleshes out a 2nd holiday album, where 10 originals and 2 covers emits cinematic ideas that might bring to mind Nick Drake, Bob Dylan or Judy Collins.

Talvik’s elegant voice opens the warm spirit of “Let Peace Be The Song”, and “At Christmas” follows with scrappy drumming and stirring guitar playing that uses strings strategically.

The title track lands in the middle and recruits glowing pedal steel via the intimate setting that allows for Talvik’s stunning voice to shine, while “Poem At Year’s End” floats with a charming dreaminess that’s indeed poetic and heartfelt.

Landing close to the end, “This Mess We’re In” uses the drums and bass with much grace amid the colorful singing and light grooves, and “Merry Christmas, Adios So Long” finishes with more emphasis on strings that swirls with sophistication.

A diverse effort that spans protest balladry, folk-rock fun and pensive moments, Talvik’s pipes are captivating and the songs lull us into a cozy, comfortable space.

Travels well with: Hansan- Vargar; Sofia Talvik- Center Of The Universe

Hansan

Vargar

Makaki, 2026

9/10

Listen to Vargar

The German-Swedish duo Hansan incorporate folk, dream-pop and cinematic ideas into their thoughtful vision, which unfolds here with guitar now added to the formula.

The title track opens with the soft vocals and wordless gestures that are met with graceful cello and warm guitar, as Stefan Sundström lends his raw voice, and “Allting är förlåtet” follows with a thicker approach that makes great use of front woman Sofia Talvik’s expressive pipes amid much ambience.

Halfway through, the cozy presence of “Hela natten lång” makes for a heartfelt and poetic mood, while “Väck mig” blends the intimate guitar with David Floer’s lush cello playing.

Arriving near the end, “Sommarlov” welcomes the children’s of 4/5 A of the Pops Academy in Stockholm, whose voices help create a heartfelt and rich album highlight, and “Ladidej” exits with charming wordless vocals alongside the droning cello.

An alluring and enlightening record, the ‘60s hazy, timeless pop bouts and cinematic storytelling makes for an engaging body of work that blurs reality and dreams.

Travels well with: Sofia Talvik- Center Of The Universe; Sofia Talvik- Wrapped In Paper

Brandon Seabrook

Hellbent Daydream

Pyroclastic, 2026

9/10

Listen to Hellbent Daydream

The always creative guitarist, banjoist and composer Brandon Seabrook is joined by Henry Fraser, Erica Dicker and Elias Stemeseder for these iconoclastic, jazz-ish sounds that incorporate dream logic and surreal storytelling.

“Name Dropping Is The Lowest Form Of Conversation, Waltz” opens with Seabrook’s animated guitar and Dicker’s fascination violin making for a warm yet exciting start, and “Bespattered Bygones” follows with Seabrook’s frisky banjo fills amid the bright delivery.

The title track lands in the middle and carries a distinct dreaminess that’s awash in ambience, while “I’m A Nightmare And You Know It” is a bit jagged, certainly atypical and radiates a unique rhythm thanks to Fraser’s unpredictable bass.

Near the end, “The Arkansas Tattler” blends the quick strings with swift banjo, and, later on, a soothing climate of emotion, and “Autopsied Cloudburst” finishes with Stemeseder’s synth tinkering that helps create a mood of mystery and nearly sci-fi exploration.

Seabrook’s vision is always imaginative and atypical, and these selections continue that path with chamber, folk and jazz nods meshed with experimental, noisy, prog tendencies.

Travels well with: Brandon Seabrook- Objects Of Unknown Function; Spinifex- Maxximus

Traitrs

Possessor

Freakwave, 2026

10/10

Listen to Possessor

The Toronto coldwave duo, Traitrs, are back with a 4th album, and it’s an effort that explores mortality, alienation and existence with the members Sean-Patrick Nolan and Shawn Tucker in fine form.

“Burn In Heaven” opens with a dense beat, where Tucker’s striking voice is met with swirling guitar that unfolds with a tuneful version of post-punk, and “I Was Ill, You Were Wrong” follows with buzzing synth and powerful singing that’s noisy but still melodic in a dark manner.

Moving into the middle, “Selfish Hunger” recruits ambience and builds into a busy mesmerizing display of sonic energy, while “Dream Drowning” embraces both dance floor tendencies and gothic ideas that radiate in a meticulous album highlight.

“Japanese Picture Pony” and “Crawl” exit the listen. The former rumbles amid firm drum sounds and Nolan’s bright synth, and the latter enlists traces of intimacy via the heartfelt singing and hazy climate.

It’s pretty hard not to think of The Cure, Sisters of Mercy or Bauhaus when listening to Possessor, and as a post-punk fan I am more than ok with that, which means that I will be revisiting TRAITRS often.

Travels well with: Dear Boy- Celebrator; The Wants- Bastard

Dave Slonaker Big Band

Shifty Paradigms

Origin, 2026

9/10

Listen to Shifty Paradigms

An orchestrator, arranger and composer, Dave Slonaker is well versed in Big Band sounds, and this 3rd album with the Origin label finds him in great company for 8 rhythmic and harmonic tracks.

The animated “Dash Cam” opens with Peter Erskine’s frisky drums and the rich horns drawing us in, and “Bye Bye Blues” follows with Edwin Livingston’s lively bass that aligns with the soulful horns via a bright delivery.

The middle songs bring us “Blue Windows” and the title track. The former is strong on ambience thanks to the meticulous reeds, while the latter emits an infectious energy due to Brian Kilgore’s glowing percussion and plenty of cultured playfulness.

Residing late, “Cathedrals” builds into a layered album highlight of colorful brass and winds, and “Roundabout” exits with Ed Czach’s well timed keys that complements the reeds, trumpets and trombone’s meticulous dynamics.

Slonaker composed 7 of the 8 tracks here, and his lengthy resume has him versed in sounds from the ‘50s and on, which is evident across this swingin’ great time.

Travels well with: Lisanne Lyons- May I Come In?; Michael Dease- Spartan Strong

Lisanne Lyons

May I Come In

OA2, 2026

9/10

Listen to May I Come In

The inimitable vocalist Lisanne Lyons is in some fine company, as she swings through 10 rich tracks of timeless Big Band sounds.

The upbeat energy of “The Song Is You” starts with Lyons’ bright voice that suits the lively brass and Mike Harvey’s scrappy drums, and “This Is Always” follows with John Hart’s warm guitar amid the intimate singing of the emotive climate.

“Tulip Or Turnip” lands in the middle and enlists Chuck Bergeron’s bouncy bass that complements the expressive singing and rich saxophones, while “May I Come In?” uses the winds strategically, where Lyons sings with much grace and an impressive range.

“Lover Come Back To Me” and “There’ll Be Another Spring” exit the listen. The former bops and shakes via a frisky energy that benefits from John Toomey’s meticulous piano, and the latter emits elegance and a cinematic quality, where the stirring strings add much to the heartfelt finish.

Lyons guides us through a memorable listening experience, as her vocal jazz prowess is much appreciated and puts a fresh coat of paint on some classic songs.

Travels well with: Kate Olson- So It Goes; John Gunther- Painting The Dream

Eric Moe

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS

New Focus, 2026

9/10

Listen to WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS

The pianist and composer Eric Moe presents 5 works for solo keyboard and 1 with an ensemble, where natural, scientific and social phenomena provide inspiration for the detailed effort.

“Alternating Currents” starts with Solungga Liu’s dancing keys that radiate mystery and exploration across the 8 minutes, and “Like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust” follows with Moe’s cinematic finger acrobatics that emit all sorts of playful ideas in under a minute.

Halfway through, “Scree Slope” allows for Moe’s vision to glide with agility and attentiveness to tonality, as he executes with precision, while “Now This” brings Liu back for the firm gestures and slight rumbling which yields both haunting and colorful moments.

The last tune, the title track, employs the New York New Music Ensemble, where winds, strings and piano make for both busy and soft moments of meticulous and textured instrumentation.

Moe takes a cliched job interview question and turns it into a rhythmic, unpredictable and engaging body of work that uses observed dynamics to his advantage and our benefit.

Travels well with: Ensemble Dal Niente- portrait RE / Flux / Pacific Time; Ken Ueno- Wavelengths

Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project

The Longest Way Round

One Trick Dog, 2026

9/10

Listen to The Longest Way Round

The pianist, accordionist and composer Ben Roseneblum is joined by an all star cast for these 11 worldly and diverse tracks that are rooted in jazz but find all sorts of avenues to explore.

The frisky energy of “Merengue x Fantasy” starts with Ben Zweig’s lively drums and Gustavo Di Dalva’s animated percussion alongside Rosenblum’s warm accordion, and “Sheridan’s Reel” follows with Brad Dutz’s graceful percussion that suits Jasper Dutz’s cozy clarinet.

“Scenes Frozen In Time” occupies 4 chapters, where Rosenblum’s mature piano and atmospheric accordion are met with rich sax initially, before Wayne tucker’s bright trumpet enters, and a dizzying display of meticulous drumming, though Rafael Rosa’s soaring guitar exits.

Deeper into the listen, “Albatross” enlists flowing keys, crisp drumming and Marty Jaffe’s meticulous bass for the album’s best tune, and “Last Call” exits with Jasper’s dreamy flute that adds much elegance amid the lush textures.

An eclectic affair that employs Dominican merengue, West African and Caribbean rhythms, Irish folk music, neo-soul and and J-pop into an enlightening and really fun listen.

Travels well with: Shawn Lovato- Biotic; Kris Davis- The Solastalgia Suite

Blind Lemon Jazz

After Hours

Ofeh, 2019

8/10

Listen to After Hours

You’re probably more familiar with Blind Lemon Pledge, aka James Byfield, who has made 7 albums of his esteemed bluesy, Americana ways. Here, Byfield has a handful of his tunes redone by a jazz quartet, with much attention to rhythm, melodies and recruiting plenty of solos along the way.

The title track starts the album with warm, soulful vocals against soft keys and a light retro-jazz setting, and this theme continues to the bluesy, upbeat “If Beale Street Was A Woman”, the playful “Rich People In Love” and the vocally expressive jazz waltz “How Can I Still Love You”.

The back half of the album offers the emotive and gospel friendly “You Can’t Get There From Here”, the sophisticated “Moon Over Memphis” and the jumpy keys of “Ketchup Spaghetti”, which is easily one of the album’s best.

Near the end, the romantic “Lights Out” is another highlight with gorgeous interplay between the musicians, and “Blue Heartbreak” ends the listen on the soft guitars and strong vocals of Marisa Malvino, whose efforts really help illuminate this project.

Byfield proves here that his songwriting abilities transcend genres, and sounds just as vibrant in jazz territory, too. As authentic, heartfelt and intimate as all of his work, this chapter of Blue Lemon Pledge is hopefully just the beginning of the exploration other of avenues of Byfield’s artistry.

Travels well with: Sarah Vaughan- Brazilian Romance; Mose Allison- Mose In Your Ear