Ibid: Chance Encounters
They say : IBID is Keyna Wilkins (piano/flute) and Shane Carpini (drumset). Together they play jazz/classical/folk interpretations of stream of consciousness improvisations and their own compositions inspired by philosophy, astronomy and human behaviour. (https://www.ibidartist.com/)
Infinito Menos: Três-Tríade-Triângulo-Trio
They say : Três-Tríade-Triângulo-Trio is a collaborative piece by Brazilian experimental music trio Infinito Menos (Henrique Iwao, Mário Del Nunzio and Matthias Koole). Procedures range from structured improvisation, video score, instructions for gestural interaction and informal composition, with varying degrees of prescription and indeterminacy, offering a microcosm of the group’s performance and interests. (Seminal Records #095)
Jackson, Laird: Life
They say : An original to the core, Laird asserts that whenever you sing, you’re giving voice to your soul. She spreads her emotional soundscape wide. She dives deep into dramatic mystery, quiet romance, elemental wonder, profound sadness, ruminative ecstasy, improvisational beauty and the dreamy tug between longing within and pushing outward away from all boundaries to find freedom. (self-released)
Jazzmen: Nineteen Sixty-Six
They say : Before Joe McPhee’s 1968 debut album, Underground Railroad, bassist Tyrone Crabb led The Jazzmen, featuring McPhee on his first instrument: trumpet. This – the long lost tape, labeled: “Joe McPhee, 1966, trumpet” – foreshadows the free jazz to follow, and is a marker of McPhee’s foundations in hard bop and soul jazz. (Corbett vs. dempsey)
Jeschke, Joel: Time & Place
They say : Joel Jeschke is a highly sought-after drummer in both the jazz and rock scenes in Edmonton, Alberta. Having performed and recorded with countless artists – including rock bands Royal Tusk (MNRK Records) and Whale and the Wolf, as well as with modern jazz artists Aretha Tillotson, the Stephanie Urquhart Quartet, and Brett Hansen – Jeschke now turns his attention to Time & Place, his debut album as a composer and bandleader. (Independent)
Johnson, Tom: Time Takes Odd Turns
They say : Original modern, complex charts for a full jazz orchestra written and conducted by Tom Johnson (Self Released)
Juhasz, Marton: Metropolis
They say : Multi-award winning Basel-based Hungarian drummer Marton Juhasz’s approach to his instrument has seen him perform all around the world alongside highly celebrated names of modern jazz including Gilad Hekselman, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Jorge Rossy and more. Through Metropolis, Juhasz develops on the 70’s fusion sounds of Weather Report and Headhunters to offer a fresh contemporary perspective on the style. (Unit Records)
Kanazoe / Rullaud, Clotilde / Traore, Abdoulaye / Djiga, Boubacar / Nacoulma, Achille: Kananayé
They say : Kananayé was recorded by Peter Soldan at Dada Studios in Brussels and by Kaskade at Studio Hanou in Bobo-Dioulasso, before being mixed and mastered in New York. The album consists of seven original compositions, along with a cover of the American traditional “Sea Lion Woman,” famously interpreted by Nina Simone (Tsig’art TZIG241122)
Kenny Wheeler Legacy: The Lost Scores: Some Days Are Better
They say : Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores is a wide-ranging, expansive new project celebrating the legacy of one of the great, original voices in contemporary jazz, Kenny Wheeler. Released to coincide with the publication of Wheeler’s highly anticipated biography on Equinox Publications, Some Days Are Better explores an undiscovered treasure of rarely-heard works by the iconic composer from a crucial and largely unknown period in his musical emergence. A transatlantic occasion, this project combines features the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra from the UK and the University of Miami’s Frost Jazz Orchestra and is augmented by a host of Wheeler fans, devotees, and past colleagues such as Shelly Berg, Etienne Charles, James Copus, John Daversa, Ingrid Jensen, Brian Lynch, Evan Parker, Chris Potter, Nick Smart and Norma Winstone. (Greenleaf)
King, B.B.: In France: Live at the 1977 Nancy Pulsations Festival
They say : The great master of the blues B.B. King is captured live with his band in a previously unissued live recording in France. (Deep Digs)
Kira Kira: Kira Kira Live
They say : Kira Kira is: Satoko Fujii – piano, Natsuki Tamura – trumpet, Alister Spence – fender rhodes electric piano, Tatsuya Yoshida drums. The five compositions explore a range of moods—from ghostly and mysterious, to jump-cut high energy, to powerful groove, to quirky and ironic—with a trademark ‘anything-could happen’ sonic signature. This is Kira Kira’s second album, recorded live on tour in Japan in January 2024. (Alister Spence Music (ASM015))
Knats: Knats
They say : Fast-rising Newcastle trio – recently toured as the backing band for Eddie Chacon and Geordie Greep (black midi). (Gearbox Records)
Korman, Cliff: Urban Tracks
They say : Cliff Korman’s Urban Tracks features the inventive pianist playing Brazilian and jazz classics in a trio with bassist Harvie S and drummer Rafael Barata. The music, which ranges from Benny Golson to Caetano Veloso, has consistently brilliant piano playing and close interplay by the trio. (SS)
Krokofant: 6
They say : The Norwegian jazz rockers Krokofant is back as a trio, and their 6th album is an explosion of guitars, drums and saxophones! (Is it Jazz? Records, KAR287)
Kyle Shepherd Trio: A Dance More Sweetly Played
They say : Matsuli Music is proud to share the Kyle Shepherd Trio’s first album in over a decade – A Dance More Sweetly Played. “To hear one of South Africa’s foremost pianists play with intention, freedom and enjoyment, in the tradition and beyond it, is above all a gift to the listener.” (Ngwako Malakalaka). (Matsuli Music, MM129)
Lackner, Benjamin: Spindrift
They say : “Spindrift” sees Benjamin Lackner leading a new quintet, formed for this particularly fruitful session recorded in 2024. Here subtle fanfares meet contemplative lyricism in a programme of originals that prioritise melody and ensemble chemistry. The pianist is joined by Mark Turner (tenor saxophone), Mathias Eick (trumpet), Linda May Han Oh (bass) and Matthieu Chazarenc (drums). (ECM Records 7528004)
Latham, Karl: Living Standards II
They say : The highly-acclaimed jazz and rock drummer Karl Latham on Living Standards II turns rock favorites into jazz fusion jams. With an all-star cast that includes bassist Mark Egan and special guest Wolfgang Lackerschmid, Latham digs into pieces associated with Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, the Doors, Steppenwolf and other rock icons, giving them new life and fresh ideas. (Dropzone Jazz DZJ20241001)
Lee, Peggy & Schmidt, Cole: Forever Stories of: Moving Parties
They say : Two key Vancouver creative musicians Peggy Lee (cello) and Cole Schmidt host an astonishing cast of guests on this varied set including JP Carter, Erika Angell, Meredith Bates, Frank Rosaly, Sara Schoenbeck, Wayne Horvitz, Dylan van der Schyff and more. (Earshift Music)
Life Force (Roblin, Diane): Breath of Fresh Air
They say : Diane Roblin’s dynamic career has earned her a place among Canada’s most respected women in jazz. Known for her powerful compositions and expressive keyboard style, Roblin’s performances blend technical agility with a deep commitment to the connective power of music. As a composer, pianist, electric keyboardist, improviser, and bandleader, Roblin’s spirited, genre-crossing work has led to collaborations with artists ranging from avant-garde improviser Charles Gayle to the iconic rock band Rough Trade. (ZSAN Records (ZSAN02145))
Locatelli, Giancarlo Nino: Tilietulum
They say : Soft, non-aggressive improvised music. It’s a melodic solo full of noise. It’s dirty, and the dirt is the interesting part of it. An unscreamed cry. (We Insist!)
Lossing, Russ: Moon Inhabitants
They say : There is an oddly satisfying feeling while floating. The sensation of being untethered from gravity has fascinated people for ages. In a musical sense, performing without the weight of tempo or rhythmic structure has been explored by many improvisers, but finding a place not quite tethered to tempo or rhythmic structure remains a difficult challenge for most. Pianist/composer Russ Lossing has exercised a balance between structure and freedom in his music for decades. His trio with bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Billy Mintz has found that balance after 25 years of performing together. Their latest release, Moon Inhabitants, is a fantastic example of their ease in expression in less than one hundred percent gravity. (Sunnyside Records)
Lunceford, Jimmie: Jimmie Lunceford & his Orchestra: Rhythm Is Our Business
They say : Rhythm Is Our Business presents 53 superb examples, from his first successful record, coupling Jazznocracy and White Heat in 1934, through all the glory years to his final top 10 hit, The Honeydripper, in 1945, not long before his early death. (Retrospective – RTS4425)