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