Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted May 18 Posted May 18 Ben Wolfe, Any Time After Now was released on May 15, 2026. "Bassist and composer Ben Wolfe has been a prominent fixture in the jazz scene for decades, his New York career stretching back to the mid-1980s. For Any Time After Now, he’s brought together a fresh ensemble and written music that serves the group rather than showcasing himself. Melody and atmosphere take precedence, and every player — vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist Sullivan Fortner, tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis, drummer Aaron Kimmel — sounds like an essential color in the mix." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Receiver2000 5,122 Posted May 18 Posted May 18 17 minutes ago, Sk1Bum said: Ben Wolfe, Any Time After Now was released on May 15, 2026. "Bassist and composer Ben Wolfe has been a prominent fixture in the jazz scene for decades, his New York career stretching back to the mid-1980s. For Any Time After Now, he’s brought together a fresh ensemble and written music that serves the group rather than showcasing himself. Melody and atmosphere take precedence, and every player — vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist Sullivan Fortner, tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis, drummer Aaron Kimmel — sounds like an essential color in the mix." You can read the rest of the review here... Nice piano on that one 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted May 19 Posted May 19 Stacey Kent, A Time For Love was released on April 3, 2026. "Largely known for her bossa nova sway, American singer Stacey Kent has turned toward a more minimalist sensibility in recent years. Her latest release, A Time for Love continues this shift in musical attitude. No less lovely, this reinvention might come as a surprise to some devoted fans. Joined by her husband, saxophonist Jim Tomlinson and pianist Art Hirahara, the trio takes on music covers from a variety of sources like The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach and many others." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted May 20 Posted May 20 Marilyn Crispell & Anders Jormin, Memento was released on March 20, 2026. "US pianist Marilyn Crispell and Swedish bassist Anders Jormin filter their decades of musical experience and improvisational instinct into Memento, their debut duo recording. Combining original compositions with four freely created pieces, the album focuses on the universal themes of memory and loss." You can read the rest of the review here... 3
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted May 20 Posted May 20 Gregory Groover Jr, Old Knew was released on November 7, 2025. "Gregory Groover follows up his Criss Cross debut Loveaby with a sparkling 11-track set of originals that are custom-built for his sax and vibes front line. Vibraphonist Joel Ross returns and once again his percussive glint and metallic shimmer dovetail neatly with Groover’s rounded airy sound on tenor sax. A fresh, one-off rhythm section knits Kendrick Scott’s drum subtleties with the strength of Harish Raghavan’s bass; pianist Paul Cornish, who recently debuted on Blue Note, provides a fresh-faced spark." You can read the rest of the review here... 3
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted May 25 Posted May 25 Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet, A Blue Time was released on April 24, 2026. "On A Blue Time, the stellar, sophisticated, wildly adventurous sophomore album by the Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet, the veteran visionary drummer and bandleader continues his ongoing dialogue between jazz tradition and imaginative reinvention, guiding his nimble, well-heeled powerhouse ensemble through a spirited, stylistically fluid set that balances vintage swing, Afro-Latin grooves, cool-toned introspection and playful experimentation. " You can read the rest of the review here... 4
bit4net 147 Posted May 31 Posted May 31 (edited) Just bought Boards of Canada new album Inferno . Edited May 31 by bit4net 2 1
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted July 25 Posted July 25 Carolyn Lee Jones, Eklektika was released on June 15, 2026. "Ms. Jones’ style is taking vintage standard jazz tunes and cabaret material, incorporating Latin grooves and reimagining arrangements, then tossing in a few original songs for good measure. She refreshed them all with her singular, easy-listening style and warm charisma." You can read the rest of the review here... 3
Rob 6,815 Posted July 28 Posted July 28 My wife and I stopped at a restaurant today and the waiter asked me about my Axpona t-shirt and we got on the subject of music. He introduced me to a new band named BILLY STRINGS from right here in Michigan. So far I like what I’ve heard. 4 1
BobTFM35 3,345 Posted July 28 Posted July 28 YeeHaw!! Had me on the first strum of the banjo!! Love it!! 1
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 5 Posted August 5 Euge Groove, The Phoenix was released on July 17, 2026. Euge Groove’s album The Phoenix is a deeply personal reflection on recovery and renewal following heart surgery. Blending smooth jazz with emotional restraint and lyrical saxophone work, the record captures a period of physical and creative rebuilding. Tracks like Heart of Gold and Those Night Alone highlight a patient, expressive sound shaped by lived experience, while Groove’s long-standing collaborations and signature tone reaffirm his place in contemporary instrumental music. You can read the rest of the review here... 3
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 7 Posted August 7 Steve Cole, Sleight of Hand was released on June 5, 2026. The latest album from saxophonist and composer STEVE COLE has just won release via Mack Avenue and ‘Sleight Of Hand’ (a 10 tracker) won’t disappoint his followers or indeed anyone who relishes professionally-produced, groove-heavy smooth jazz. You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 7 Posted August 7 Elias Haslanger, Legacy was released on July 24, 2026. "At first listen, the album appears to continue the straight ahead jazz tradition that Haslanger has embraced throughout his career. The more time one spends with these compositions, however, the more obvious it becomes that this record occupies a unique place in his artistic journey. It is less about preserving tradition than about revealing the man behind it." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 9 Posted August 9 Larry McCray, Heartbreak City was released on June 13, 2025. I know it's over a year old, but I just found it today. "Joe Bonamassa identified Larry as one of the most under-appreciated but talented blues musicians performing today and vowed to raise awareness of him. Joe and Josh Smith stepped into the producer’s chair for Larry’s 2022 album Blues Without You and the duo returned to produce this album, Larry’s eleventh release." You can read the rest of the review here... Mr McCray's voice reminds me a great deal of Jeff Taylor, lead singer of Altered Five Blues Band. 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 13 Posted August 13 Larry Goldings Peter Bernstein Bill Stewart, Rhombus was released on August 7, 2026. "Some albums announce themselves with grand concepts and sweeping statements. Rhombus needs neither. From the moment it begins, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, and Bill Stewart make it clear that they have returned not to revisit a celebrated past but to demonstrate how decades of shared experience can deepen an already extraordinary musical dialogue. Few ensembles in modern jazz have sustained such a distinctive identity over so many years, and fewer still continue to sound this inspired. Their new recording feels both timeless and completely alive, reaffirming why this trio remains one of the defining small groups of contemporary jazz." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 14 Posted August 14 The Strokes, Reality Awaits was released on July 24, 2026. " Reality Awaits is both serious and weird, catchy and doomy, the sound of five guys in their 40s being TikTok rock stars while the world burns." You can read the rest of the review here... 1
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 20 Posted August 20 Bob Baldwin, BSpoke was released on July 31, 2026. "BSpoke is a vibrant and sophisticated Smooth Jazz project from acclaimed pianist, composer, and producer Bob Baldwin, showcasing his signature blend of contemporary jazz, soul, Caribbean influences, and urban grooves. The album captures Baldwin’s ability to create music that is both musically rich and radio-friendly, continuing a recording career that spans more than three decades and dozens of releases." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 21 Posted August 21 E. Pruitt, Bass Graffiti will be released on August 28, 2026 except on youtube where the complete album is available now. "Built around Pruitt’s custom 7-string bass guitars played not simply as foundational rhythm instruments, but as commanding lead voices, Bass Graffiti is a muscular, melodic and surprisingly soulful take on contemporary jazz." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 21 Posted August 21 Lee Jones, Smooth Jazz Grooves Volume 1 was released on May 1, 2026. "Lee Jones is a multi-instrumentalist. Playing woodwinds (flute, clarinet and alto sax), guitar, bass guitar, keys, composer and occasional vocals. His self produced music features him playing multiple instruments on a recording." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 31 Posted August 31 Rob Dixon, Naptown Soul was released on August 21, 2026. "Naptown Soul doesn’t waste much time making an impression. From the opening notes, Rob Dixon and his band come out with a soulful, hard-hitting sound that grabs your attention and makes you want to keep listening." You can read the rest of the review here... 1
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted August 31 Posted August 31 Zaccai Curtis & Insight, A Genesis was released on May 29, 2026. "Brothers Zaccai and Luques Curtis are the driving force behind the group Insight, whose A Genesis is a spirited blend of Latin jazz with elements from other genres. Pianist Zaccai composed most of the songs and the music is arranged and performed with skill and energy." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted September 2 Posted September 2 Sullivan Fortner, Leave That In There was released on August 28, 2026. "Sullivan Fortner’s Leave That In There is a deeply personal jazz album rooted in New Orleans, memory, history and Black musical traditions, blending acoustic piano, Hammond B3, synthesizers, marimba and Bàtá percussion." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Sk1Bum 13,618 Posted September 2 Posted September 2 Keb Mo, The Breakdown was released on August 21, 2026. "The 10-song collection was recorded at his home studio outside Nashville and written in the wake of life-saving open heart surgery, the end of his nearly 20-year marriage, and a period of profound personal upheaval. Stark and deeply honest, The Breakdown is Keb’ at his most revealing, grappling with the passage of time and the inevitability of change while still holding on firmly to the hope, faith, and love that have always guided him." You can read the rest of the review here... 2
Receiver2000 5,122 Posted September 2 Posted September 2 Whenever I hear him I think about my Muddy Watters "Folk Singer" record. 2
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