Banshee Tree

Bad Luck

Self-Released, 2026

9/10

Listen to Bad Luck

The Boulder, Colorado outfit Banshee Tree return with a sophomore album, where many genres are touched upon via the quartet’s varied influences and strong attention to detail.

The rich and reflective “Look High Over The Mountain” opens with Thom Lafond’s warm keys and expressive voice alongside Jesse Shantor’s careful sax playing, and “Bad Luck” follows with Michelle Pietrafitta’s punchy drums and stylish sax that swirl with a textured and melodic mood.

Moving into the middle, “Might Stay” finds itself in indie-folk territory via the acoustic guitar and dreamy singing, while “Company Of Crows” touches on psychedelic pop with its clever dynamics and jazz rock flashes.

Later on, “Glue” features Leftover Salmon’s Andy Thorn and his quick banjo for the bluegrass tinted moment, and “Stars Above The Lightning” exits with experimental ideas front and center, where Jason Bertone’s animated bass playing won’t go unnoticed.

An indie-rock band with an affinity for avant-garde traces, Banshee Tree are all over the spectrum with their unpredictable formula that embraces tension, beauty and even darkness at times.

Travels well with: ALO- Frames; The Shootouts- Switchback

Jason Kruk

Beyond The Veil

SunGoose, 2026

9/10

Listen to Beyond The Veil

The fusion drummer, Jason Kruk, is joined by the guitarists Wayne Krantz and Adam Rogers plus members of Snarky Puppy for some really intricate songs.

“Ascension” opens with Kruk’s meticulous drums alongside Brian Donohoe’s rich tenor sax prowess in the jazz-rock climate, and “Awakening” follows with Fima Ephron’s funky bass and Adam Rogers’ playful guitar making for some prog-friendly ideas.

Further along, the thick appeal of “The Eagle” benefits from Wayne Krantz’s dense guitar amid the thumping drums, while “Water” enlists Bob Lanzetti’s unpredictable guitar that suits the quick texturing of the album’s best.

Arriving late, “Earth” moves cautiously thanks to the attentive rhythm section and colorful wind, and “Creation” exits with a hazy approach, where Michael League’s bass and Art Hirahar’s rhodes add much to the cinematic finish.

A unique blend of jazz, fusion, rock and funk, the shifting tempos, detailed grooves and no lack of solos makes for a spontaneous and sometimes intense experience.

Travels well with: Dave Stryker- Blue Fire: The Van Gelder Session; Peter Furlan Project- Peter Furlan Project Live At Maureen’s Jazz Cellar

Paul Kahn

Willingness

CarlCat, 2026

9/10

Listen to Willingness

The vocalist Paul Kahn and some excellent players come together for these 6 old songs that were reworked in 2025 and emit warmth and sincerity you could dance to.

“Stain On My Sleeve” opens with Shawn Pelton’s skilled drums and Russell Hall’s playful upright bass that suits the reggae tinted mood and Kahn’s smooth pipes, and “Memory Lane” follows with Matt Munisteri’s warm guitar amid Kahn and Catherine Russell’s cozy vocal harmonies that unfold with soulfulness.

The title track lands in the middle and is a cautious moment of beauty and grace, where Kahn’s cozy voice tugs on the heartstrings, while “Pull Another Leaf From The Clover” makes great use of Glenn Patscha’s frisky Hammond C3 and Veronica Dye’s dreamy flute via the breezy climate.

“No One To Cry” exits, and it benefits from Ben Rosenblum’s strategic accordion and both Kahn and Russell singing with a rich and comforting spirit.

Russell’s contributions on vocals, mandolin and keyboards can’t not be mentioned here, as Kahn touches on many genres with fluidity and timelessness thanks to his group of New York’s finest.

Travels well with: Tomas Janzon- Jazz Diary; Jake Hertzog- Longing To Meet You

Tomas Janzon

Jazz Diary

Changes, 2026

8/10

Listen to Jazz Diary

The guitarist and composer Tomas Janzon is joined by Nedra Wheeler, Tony Austin and Chuck McPherson for 11 songs that stem from early morning handwritten notation.

“Spirit Secret” starts with Janzon’s warm guitar amid Austin’s crisp drums and the playful bass thanks to Wheeler, and “May Six” follows with plenty of rhythm via the meticulous rhythm section and radiant guitar playing.

In the middle, the precise guitar prowess of “All Neighbors” draws us in immediately, while “She’s Listening” benefits from the Janzon’s finger acrobatics across the adventurous drumming of the album’s best.

Moving close to the end, “To Summer” benefits from McPherson’s distinct drumming alongside the melodic guitar lines, and “Six On Five” exits with a lush and harmonic spirit that allows for the duo setting to emit much care and sincerity in the live setting.

An album of both composition and improvisation, the bluesy moments, folk stabs and timeless jazz formula makes every moment worth revisiting.

Travels well with: Tomas Janzon- Nomadic; Carl Clements- Retrospective

Marie-Paule Franke

Through The Cracks The Light Is Born

MariPosa, 2026

8/10

Listen to Through The Cracks The Light Is Born

The adaptable jazz singer Marie-Paule Franke brings us 7 haunting and emotive tracks for this debut that welcomes Amir Mankovski, Dongfeng Liu, Marcos Varela and Mathias Kunzli.

“Twilight Whispers” opens with a soft tribute to Joni Mitchell, where Liu’s gentle keys and Kunzli’s cautious percussion suits the pretty singing, and “‘Tis Yours” follows with Mankovski’s soulful sax that complements the expressive vocals of the powerful setting.

“Freedom” and “Dagger Heart” arrive in the middle. The former is strong on ambience via the colorful scatting, crisp drums and warm piano, while the latter offers a poetic moment that’s eloquent and heartfelt thanks to Franke’s careful delivery.

“Echo Nomade” exits, and showcases Franke’s bi-lingual skills amid Varela’s bass plucking acrobatics in the rich and timeless finish.

The songs surround love, pain, loss and freedom, as Franke’s diverse pipes align with rhythmic moments, balladry and no lack of melodies and mysterious bouts.

Travels well with: Margee Minier-Tubbs- The Bells; Bonnie J Jensen- Rise

David Sanchez

Carib

Ropeadope/Stretch, 2019

8/10

Listen to Carib

A Grammy Award winning saxophonist with a penchant for rhythm and groove, David Sanchez’s new album, Carib, draws inspiration from the sounds of the Afro Puerto Rican and Haiitan Traditions where he pays tribute to the Afro dependent communities, as well as his late father and wife, who all shaped his art.

“Morning Mist” starts the affair with playful horns before setting into a nice jazz groove, and “Wave Under Silk” leads with keys across an elegant, melodic 7+ minutes of beautiful interplay between the noisemakers.

Although Sanchez makes full use of longer tunes- most hovering around the 6-7 minute mark- the brief “Prelude To Canto” is a sparse offering of warm guitars while the short lived “Iwa (Contemplation)” offers tumbling percussion and cozy brass.

Of the fuller tracks, “Mirage” is exceptionally radiant, as acrobatic percussion contrasts against the restraint of the rest of the tune, and “Iwa (Spirit Going Back Home)” brings countless ideas to the table on a busy journey of cautious musicianship and timeless melody. The album exits on “A Thousand Yesterdays”, where soft keys build into a quick tempo of sublime beauty.

A listen that is very much suited to the islands in which Sanchez draws influence, his tenor playing is top notch here, and with his esteemed band helping the tunes flow in and out of each other with Latin and World Fusion nods, it’s quite clear that after two and a half decades, David Sanchez’s work sounds better than ever.

Travels well with: Paul Austerlitz- Dr. Merengue; William Cepeda- My Roots & Beyond