Alfredo Santa Ana

Before The World Sleeps

Redshift, 2024

8/10

Listen to Before The World Sleeps

The esteemed composer Alfredo Santa Ana is joined by Miranda Wong’s keys for these solo piano pieces that recruit plenty of atypical ideas into the classical vision.

“A Council Of Apparitions” opens the listen with the fluid keys making for graceful and melodic gestures across the 3 movements that can also get haunting and cinematic.

In the middle, “Memory, I often think of you as time ash...” then radiates much warmth, where firm bouts and dreamy ambience is much appreciate, while “Colours” is indeed colorful, as sparse moments and rumbling ebbs showcase much diversity from Wong’s fingers.

The final track, “Little Ice Age”, then unfolds across 6 chapters of grace and beauty, where a heartfelt demeanor is both touching and memorable.

A complex body of work that has a global appeal, Wong’s performance is attentive and enlightening, where she illuminates Santa Ana’s vision with much detail towards timbre and harmonics.

Travels well with: Emilie Cecilia Leble- Landscapes Of Memory; Tim Brady- Imagine Many Guitars

Nicola Miller

Living Things

Cacophonous Revival, 2024

9/10

Listen to Living Things

The alto sax player Nicola Miller is joined by Frank Gratkowski, Doug Tielli, Nicholas D’Amato and Nick Fraser for these unorthodox jazz tunes that are as unpredictable as they are exciting.

“Barge” opens the listen with ambient field recordings, Fraser’s raw drums and Miller’s bouts of sax in the cinematic landscape, and “Night Crawlers” follows with a uniquely rhythmic moment of jazz nods amid the artistic sounds.

Halfway through, “Buffleheads” recruits Gratkowski on alto sax alongside the meticulous drumming and ‘found objects’ climate, while “Seaweed” makes great use of Tielli’s bright trombone for the playful, free jazz album highlight.

“Seagulls” and “Flies’ exits the listen. The former sees Tielli handling saw and D’Amato’s frisky upright bass helping cultivate a busy, dizzying, avant-garde moment, and the latter has Tielli contributing vocals through a tube via the cautious yet frisky finish that allows for Grakowski’s bass clarinet to shine.

A highly creative debut, Miller’s vision manipulates color, density and dynamics with a curious and memorable execution that will mesmerize those with an ear for experimental jazz.

Travels well with: India Gailey- Butterfly Lightning Shakes The Earth; Colin Fisher- Suns Of The Heart

Martin Tétreault

Vraiment Plus De Snipettes!!!

Ambiances Magnetiques, 2024

8/10

Listen to Vraiment Plus De Snipettes!!!

The 3rd installment in a series that began in 1992, the 25 mostly quick fragments here are yanked from reel-to-reel and cassette recorded archived material.

Early in the listen, the spoken word of “Tango enthousiaste” leads into a glitchy, artistic guitar and drumming that sounds like it’s constantly being interrupted, and it isn’t long until “Improviser” displays a disjointed and aberrant couple of minutes that nearly sounds sci-fi.

Further along, “Terry’s Electric Guitar” is full of odd progressions that might bring you back to backmasking a tape and looking for the hidden message, while “Morton & cie” recruits percussive exploration amid the sonic, video game-esque noises.

Deeper still, “Strange Ukulele” is actually warm and raw ukulele, and the 27+ minutes of “From Raymond á Micheline” exits with a kaleidoscope of sounds that could soundtrack a carnival, a rock concert, a spaceship or even a club.

A truly odd and yet captivating peek into Tétreault’s ultra-creative mind, there’s little reason to try and figure out what’s going on here, but every reason to just enjoy it.

Travels well with: Quatuor Bozzini- Alexandre David: Photogrammes; Eldritch Priest- Dormitive Virtue

Yahtzee Brown

You Got This

Sparkle Plenty, 2025

9/10

Listen to You Got This

A youngster with a cosmic version of Americana, the Austin resident Yahtzee Brown (real name Noah Siegel) bring classic country ideas and Brit-pop into these 9 thoughtful songs.

The warm and crisp “Take It Back” starts the listen with Michael Lockwood’s playful bass complementing Brown’s smooth voice across the indie-rock climate, and “Big Friday” follows with swirling guitar and Dancing Eagle’s fluid drumming that comes with a breezy demeanor.

Landing in the middle, the firm keys from Lockwood surround the busy yet meticulous “I Am Waiting”, while “I Guess I’m Sorry” is a heartfelt moment of rootsy flavor that invites singing along immediately.

“Halloween” and “8 Weeks” exit the listen. The former is a hazy and rich moment that’s elegant and even soulful, and the latter lands closer to folk-rock and seems suited for a campfire thanks to the cozy acoustic guitar and retro ideas.

An excellent starting point for Brown and company, the psychedelic Americana and country-psych mashing is really quite original, as they flirt with indie and alt-rock, too, via plenty of memorable songs.

Travels well with: Brian Mackey- Good Morning, Ireland; Molly Miller Trio- The Ballad Of Hotspur

LMNL

Rainbow

People Places, 2025

8/10

Listen to Rainbow

A collective spearheaded by the multi-instrumentalist Jerry Pergolesi, this reworking of the classic tune, “Over The Rainbow”, sung by Judy Garland, welcomes Louise Campbell to this highly ambient debut from LMNL.

The lone track, which is an hour long, opens with strong attention to ambience, where sparing vocals align with the mysterious electronics that drone with intrigue.

The strategic use of percussion and trumpet from Pergolesi blends into the atmospheric haze, and Campbell’s clarinet is barely detectable amid the waves of electronics and sampled vocals.

LMNL put an inimitable spin on this timeless track that has represented defiance, vulnerability and longing in the queer community, and it unfolds with an innovative and artistic quality that comes with a universal appeal to create, connect, and celebrate.

Travels well with: David Zucchi- Mandi; Kamra- Shift Circuit

Holy Void

All Will Be Revealed In Time

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to All Will Be Revealed In Time

The Manitoba outfit Holy Void know their way around a psychedelic song you won’t soon forget, where the now 6 piece bring a lot of influences to these complicated 9 tracks.

The dense “Too Close To The Sun” opens with Grant Trippel’s driving guitar and Kyle Loewen’s hard hitting drums making for a warm and adventurous version of psyche-rock, and “Dead” follows with Danny Hacking’s throbbing bass that suits the dreamy meets prog-rock fueled landscape.

“Passing” and “Golden Lights” land in the middle. The former is a calmer moment of mature song craft that’s textured with much beauty, while the latter is a dynamic, instrumental burst of meticulous and melodic alt-rock ideas.

Arriving near the end, “In The End I Am Nothing Anyways” touches on shoegaze, where the rich singing aligns with the harmonic and goth tinted album highlight, and “Salvation” exits with expressive singing amid the precise and memorable instrumentation.

A sonically complex experience, Holy Void’s addition of violin from Mirina Van Der Veen and Rob Knaggs’ cello is used sparingly but effectively via the varied rock affair that leaves a significant impression.

Travels well with: Devarrow- Heart Shaped Rock; Koyo- Onism

Big Al And The Heavyweights

Blues Power

VizzTone, 2025

9/10

Listen to Blues Power

The South Louisiana outfit Big Al And The Heavyweights pay tribute to their longtime keyboard player and vocalist, Wayne Lohr, who passed away, with these powerful and raw tunes.

The robust and thumping “Big Freight Train” opens the listen with Marcel Anton’s driving guitar and gritty pipes guiding the rugged climate, and “Blues Power” follows with Dennis Cedeno’s playful bass adding much to the flowing grooves.

Landing in the middle, “Tired Of Waiting” will get you on the dance floor via its infectious energy and Big Al’s animated drumming, while “Wasted So Much Time With You” bops and shakes thanks to Dale Roberton’s spirited harmonica and Anton’s powerful pipes.

Arriving near the end, “I Want To Know” is an intimate moment of careful song craft that’s soulful and touching, and “Fast Drivin’” exits with all 4 players contributing their inimitable talents with timeless and dynamic blues rock that we could never tire of.

A first rate effort that also uses funk, dance hall and zydeco bouts, the band suffered a tremendous loss with Lohr, but their new members, Robertson and Cedeno, sure don’t disappoint.

Travels well with: Amanda Fish- Kingdom; Chickenbone Slim- Damn Good And Ready

Quatuor Bozzini/Plaisirs du clavecin/Orchestre de l'Agora

Alexandre David: Photogrammes

Collection QB, 2024

8/10

Listen to Alexandre David: Photogrammes

An assembly of 3 different ensembles who all approach classical ideas with plenty of experimental spirit, the 3 involved pieces present unfold with tremendous skill and unpredictability.

Quatuor Bozzini starts with the dynamic strings of “Quatuor a cordes”, where Alissa Cheung and Clemens Merkel’s strategic violins radiate much ambience alongside Stéphanie Bozzini’s viola.

In the middle, Plaisirs du clavecin performs “Nanimissuat Ile-tonnerre, which showcases Clayton Kenney’s soaring baritone and Virginie Mongeau’s powerful soprano amid Caroline Tremblay’s recorder and the well timed strings.

Residing at the end, the Orchestre de I’Agora fleshes out “Photogrammes” via the quivering and cinematic quality and much mystery, where ominous bouts and layers of richness won’t go unnoticed.

A very artistic and sometimes abstract version of modern classical sounds, each selection radiates in its own unique territory via the avant-garde exploration.

Travels well with: Christopher Whitley- almost as soft as silence; Amy Brandon- Lysis

David Zucchi

Mandi

People Places, 2024

9/10

Listen to Mandi

The Canadian native and UK resident David Zucchi pens an iconoclastic version of jazz here, where Flavia Silano, Emma Purslow and Paul Zucchi contribute to the 8 unclassifiable tracks.

“Intro/National Anthem” opens, and is a retro recording of fuzz, soft piano and a youngster’s voice, and “Salve Regina” follows with manipulated sax gestures amid a mesmerizing ambience of electronics and Paul’s warm piano.

At the halfway point, “Notte Silenziosa” unfolds via a hazy presence alongside the child’s voice, while “Cemút Staial?” seems like a field recording in French against dreamy background keys.

“Mandi” and “Away” exit the listen. The former recruits a charming beat, soulful sax and a very cozy landscape that is the album’s best, and the latter swirls with a collage of electronics and layered, background talking.

An artistic body of work that seems like a family photo album set to music, Zucchi plays with jazz, ambient, electronic, experimental, and classical ideas that are intriguing in a minimal sort of way.

Travels well with: Kamra- Shift Circuit; Leslie Ting- What Brings You In

Eldad Tarmu

Silver On Aluminum

Queen Of Bohemia, 2025

9/10

Listen to Silver On Aluminium

On this 10th album as leader, the vibraphonist Eldad Tarmu gives the work of Horace Silver a fresh coat of paint via his inimitable delivery and the help of Mary Isenberg and Michael Shapira.

The animated and infectious “The St. Vitus Dance” starts the listen with the lively vibes and Isenberg’s frisky bass, and “Pyramid” follows with Shapira’s playful drumming complementing the fluid percussion.

At the halfway point, “Horacescope” isn’t short on rhythm amid the precise rhythm section, while “Gregory Is Here” allows for Tarmu’s mallet acrobatics to impress us in the album’s best track.

“Strollin’” and “Yeah” exit the listen. The former glides in 3 different keys with no lack of harnonies, and the latter is very quick, highly meticulous and dizzying in its rapid execution.

A jazz album that focuses on the vibraphone may be in short supply these days, but Tarmu’s innovative presence and commanding abilities might make you wish otherwise.

Travels well with: DNA- Continuum; The Joymakers- Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow

Seong-Jin Cho

Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Works

Deutsche Grammophon, 2025

9/10

Listen to Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Works

The inimitable pianist Seong-Jin Cho pays homage to Ravel on his 150th birthday with these interpretations of his complete solo piano music and with the two concertos to follow.

“Sérénade grotesque, M. 5” opens the listen with an animated and unpredictable climate that’s both playful and intricate, and it isn’t long until “Sonatine, M. 40” recruits plenty of intimacy via the rich and reserved piano progressions that radiate much beauty.

Finishing out Disc 1 is the colorful and manipulated keys of “Miroirs, M. 43” that nearly seems sci-fi, while Disc 2 opens with the dreamy and cinematic presence of “Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55”.

Deeper into the back half, “À la manière de Borodine, M. 63/1” showcases much melodicism, where Cho’s dancing keys are both heartfelt and mesmerizing, and “Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68” exits with a meticulous and memorable demeanor that’s cautious yet bright.

Cho’s performance is flawless, as his tribute to the Ravel flows with eloquence, adventurousness and much emotional depth and technical prowess.

Travels well with: Daniil Trifonov- My American Story: North; Yuja Wang- Rachmaninoff

Mark Scott III

Soft Light

Miller Three, 2025

9/10

Listen to Soft Light

The Austin, Texas jazz guitarist Mark Scott III has put in plenty of time as both a leader and sideman, and this debut trio album welcomes Ben Triesch and Mike Gordon to 11 tender and personal tracks.

The warm spirit of the radiant “Carpals” opens with Scott III’s meticulous guitar playing amid the frisky drums from Gordon, and “Food Court” follows with a soothing climate that benefits much from Triesch’s cozy bass playing.

“Sneak Peak” and “Monster Beat” land in the middle. The former is a playful moment where the trio interact with much energy and creativity, while the latter is strong on tonality and crisp drumming that suits the meticulous guitar progressions.

Landing near the end, the aptly titled “Warmth” offers an intimate moment of beauty and harmony, and “The Sun Behind A Cloud” exits with a heartfelt delivery that’s dreamy and gripping.

The impetus for this album came from a sudden loss in Scott III’s family, and the emotional appeal and highly technical playing emits a truly exceptional jazz guitar outing.

Travels well with: Marc Ciprut- Moonshine; Omer Leshem- Play Space

Rick Roe

Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill

Cold Plunge, 2025

9/10

Listen to Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill

Rick Roe, Robert Hurst and Nate Winn come together for this homage to Gregg Hill, where the 12 tracks cover a lot of moods and ideas in its timeless jazz appeal.

The frisky demeanor of “Elden’s Bop” opens the listen with Roe’s playful keys aligning with Winn’s meticulous drumming, and “Ducks Night Out” follows with a calmer setting, where the pretty keys and Hurst’s well timed bass adds much to the hazy versus upbeat climate.

In the middle, the rhythmic “Sunday Special” is full of soulful and dynamic interaction between the trio, while “Ballade” tugs on the heartstrings with its gorgeous piano, plucked bass and restrained drumming.

Arriving close to the end, the snappy energy of “Soul Element” emits plenty of melodic jazz that will always be relevant, and “The Singer” exits with a dance floor ready delivery that’s swift, intricate and finishes the album on a very high note.

A body of work that does justice to Hill’s legacy, all 3 players have exceptional resumes, and their combined strength makes for a must for fans of jazz from any era.

Travels well with: Bill Moio- Try This; Wayne Alpern- Gotham

Ermelinda Cuellar

Under A Lavender Sky

Self-Released, 2025

8/10

Listen to Under A Lavender Sky

The Texan-Peruvian singer Ermelinda Cuellar brings along an excellent cast for these warm and flowing jazz standards and lesser known Spanish roots songs.

“Poinciana” opens with Cuellar’s expressive pipes and Jere Jackson’s fluid drumming emitting much melody, and “Echos Of The Past” follows with a quick bout of cultured song craft that recruits Darrell Lavigne’s cozy piano and Sam Dinkins III’s animated percussion.

Halfway through, “Agua de Beber/Water To Drink” spotlights Horace Alexander’s well timed flute alongside Anthony Caceres’ skilled bass via much rhythm, while “Midnight Sun”, the best tune present, benefits from Andre Hayward’s rich trombone that suits Cuellar’s powerful and eloquent pipes.

“Maria Lando” arrives close to the end and makes great use of Steven Barrett Sills’ sophisticated cello that complements the sublime intimacy, and “Sol De Medianoche” exits with Young’s animated sax and Greg Petito’s spirited guitar amid the heartfelt singing.

A timeless effort in the area of jazz, Latin jazz and Spanish influences, the wealth of harmonies and grooves makes every track worth repeated listens .

Travels well with: Rosemary Loar- Coraçāo Vagabundo/Vagabond Heart; CeCe Gable- Love On The Tyrrhenian

Beth Levin

Blackbird & Ancestors

Aldilá, 2025

10/10

Listen to Blackbird & Ancestors

The Brooklyn pianist Beth Levin embraces the traditions of the Polish school and Walter Gieseking (via Marian Filar), Rudolf Serkin and Artur Schnabel (via Leonard Shure) in her craft, where these 3 cycles from legendary composers are captured live.

Mozart’s “Piano Sonata In A Minor K 310” starts the listen with the dancing keys radiating tremendous skill and melody, where the detailed progressions are nothing short of stunning.

The middle belongs to the tense bouts of “5 Stucke Fur Klavier Op. 21A”, which can rumble with intrigue just as it can retreat to bare moments of grace and reflection in the Tiessen piece, while Schubert’s “Piano Sonata In G Major D 894 Op. 78” exits with firm and pretty gestures amid the poetic and touching vision that’s timeless and touching.

An absolutely stunning display of classical music, Levin’s debut was at the age of 12, and her immense talent and experience in the area of solo piano is as luminous as ever here.

Travels well with: Jennifer Bellor- Long These Days; Michal Mizrahi- Dreamspace

Chamber Winds Of South Dakota

Moxie

Aerocade, 2025

9/10

Listen to Moxie

The Brookings, South Dakota ensemble Chambers Winds Of South Dakota flesh out 7 involved pieces that recruit orchestral and chamber ideas that may bring to mind Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss.

The title track opens with the woodwind quintet blending the rich clarinets with the light flutes and well timed oboe amid Nicole Chamberlain’s playful keys, and “Tray” follows with a calmer mood that allows for Marie A. Douglas’ soulful horn to complement the soothing intimacy.

In the middle, “Where The Colors Fall” recruits 10 musicians that emit much atmosphere and sublime attention to layering, while “Passing Through” moves slow with a cinematic presence of wonder that illuminates Elizabeth Robinson and Stephanie Kocher’s dreamy flutes with precision.

The final track unfolds across 3 chapters, where “Concertino For Flute Solo, Chamber Winds, And Piano” offers bright and animated musicianship that dances with playfulness and intrigue.

A highly eloquent affair that thematically surrounds the landscape of Utah, the aftermath of Trayvon Martin’s death, and hardship of musicians following Covid, every selection here is flawlessly executed and appreciated.

Travels well with: Meerenai Shim- The Audacity; Rachel Yonan- Kiss On Wood

Daniel Gall

Exit Paradise

Self-Released, 2025

9/10

Listen to Exit Paradise

The Oregon composer and author Daniel Gall makes quite an impression with this first album, which serves as a companion to his novel, Land Of Cults, and welcomes some impressive musicians.

Part One: The City Of Cults opens with Miguel Vargas’ adventurous flute radiating much beauty and warmth across “Entangled”, and isn’t long until “Ritual Dance Of The Grass Worshippers” recruits Nirvana Villegas’ animated clarinet and Luisana Hernandez’s well timed violin for the rich and unpredictable chamber climate.

Further along, “The Color Wheel” lands on Part Two: Paradise uses Carlos Ruiz and Fabian Zambrano’s cellos strategically amid the meticulous interaction, while Part Three: Eruption/Regenesis leads with “PAROXYSM/Act Of God” and showcases Laura Giannini’s dizzying violin prowess via a swift and detailed presence.

Deeper still, “extremophile/HIDE AND GO PEAK” allows for Giannini’s finger acrobatics to shine in the violin filled delivery, and “caldera/SALVATION” exits with an emotive and heartfelt finish of timeless and memorable strings.

An effort that has its origins in a monthly dance film series called Project Screendance, the carefully fleshed out tracks touch on chamber, classical and modern dance ideas that relays a musical story about a wanderer on his first pilgrimage to the City of Cults, and is highly articulate and enthralling.

Travels well with: Meerenai Shim- The Audacity; Peter Scott Lewis- Pacific Triptych

Peter Scott Lewis

Pacific Triptych

Sono Luminus, 2025

9/10

Listen to Pacific Triptych

The composer Peter Scott Lewis presents a three-movement score, where Blair McMillen’s exceptional piano playing is full of emotion, grace and unparalleled skill.

The title track opens with 3 movements, where the lower registers are met with animated gestures and upbeat bursts of dynamic progressions.

The middle belongs to “Seven Nuggets”, which embraces much diversity, as McMillen delivers melodic moments and lush playing that can tug on the heartstrings and also instill mystery, while “An American Travelogue, Book 1” exits with 4 chapters that take inspiration from the western, southwestern, and Gulf Coast of the United States, and attaches much personality to each selection.

Lewis’ vision in the area of modern classical music is worldly embraced, and McMillen’s execution is top notch and a must for ears that gravitate towards the solo piano experience.

Travels well with: Rachel Yonan- Kiss On Wood; Gerald Cohen- Steal A Pencil For Me

Meerenai Shim

The Audacity

Aerocade, 2025

9/10

Listen to The Audacity

The inimitable multi-instrumentalist Meerenai Shim returns with her 4th album and 10 years after her last solo release, which has her playing many instruments across the classical and chamber hybrid.

“Vermont Counterpoint” opens with 11 flutes harmonizing with tremendous beauty via the animated and energetic layers, and “O Sapientia” follows with flute, alto flute and electronics that suit Carl Alexander’s gorgeous countertenor that radiates much emotion.

Landing in the middle, “You Don’t Belong Here” showcases warm piano playing amid the dreamy flute and strategic drumming with much richness, while the title track is closer to rock territory thanks to the thumping drums.

Close to the end, “Miniatures, Book 4: Preset Etudes” meshes playful dream machine and poetic flute for the curious organic versus synthetic formula, and “Whispers On The Wind” exits with 22 minutes of ambience, mystery and even ominous bouts thanks to the cinematic and artistic qualities.

A sonically engaging effort, the modern recording techniques illuminates Shim’s superb playing and atypical vision that we can all appreciate.

Travels well with: Rachel Yonan- Kiss On Wood; Sean Hickey/Vladimir Rumyantsev- Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind

Kevin Daniel

Things I Don’t See

Self-Released, 2019

9/10

Listen to Things I Don’t See

Though Kevin Daniel’s musical career started out with piano and saxophone and playing music on the jazz and blues side of the equation, he’s played in several bands across the entire spectrum of sounds. These days he spends quite a bit of time behind a guitar and at the front of the stage on a flourishing and quickly rising solo career.

After the opening groove friendly and rock friendly “City That Saves”, “Used To Be” recruits spirited guitars in a warm, rootsy rock setting. “Pour Me A Drink” finds a nice place to reside amid alt-country and blues sounds, while “Jupiter” showcases Daniel’s gritty yet tuneful pipes on a country tinted highlight.

Near the end, “22” illustrates Daniel’s adeptness with folk influenced strumming, and “Time To Rise” delivers a raw, acoustic strummer with subtle yet effective pedal steal. “All I Need” ends the listen with some Nashville influenced fun with rural melodies and smooth vocals.

Daniel has already released a pair of exceptional EPs, and this first LP solidifies the Brooklynite as one of the most interesting and unpredictable songwriters in today’s Americana scene.

Travels well with: Jason Isbell- The Nashville Sound; Butch Walker- Stay Gold