Reid, Julian Davis / Circle Of Trust: Mercy We Need
They say : Pianist-composer Julian Davis Reid and Circle of Trust creates music on Mercy We Need that is spiritual, soulful, and inventive jazz. The quintet, with singer Tramaine Parker on half of the selections, performs thought-provoking music that is soothing yet passionate. (Too Lost Distribution)
Reiersrud, Knut & Sundstøl, Geir: Purcell. Truth, Lies and Bad Memory
They say : Two pioneering Norwegian guitarist collaboate for the first time. Taking the works of the legendary British composer as their starting point, these veterans have made the songs their own. Knut began with his acoustic guitar but switched to harmonica, resonator guitar and oud. Geir plays a variety of guitars and percussion. (Elevator / Grappa EMCD6115)
Reverso: Between Two Silences
They say : Trans-Atlantic trio Reverso, pianist Frank Woeste, trombonist Ryan Keberle and cellist Vincent Courtois, released Between Two Silences on March 27, 2026 via Alternate Side Records. Rather than reinterpreting his compositions directly, the album responds to the spirit and aesthetic philosophy of Erik Satie, following previous Reverso projects devoted to Maurice Ravel and Les Six. Recorded in Paris in December 2024, the 11-track set blends chamber-jazz lyricism with abstraction, balancing structure with open improvisation (Alternate Side Records) Hear Reverso.
Robeone: If You Don’t Know What It Is, It Must Be Jazz
They say : If you don’t know what it is, it must be jazz Is my 9th solo record. All but my first solo record has had some elements of jazz. Jazz has always been a big influence on my playing from Big Band, Gershwin, Jimmy Smith, Brian Auger and Oscar Peterson. (Transglobal Records digital only)
Robinson, Jason: Blue Salience: For Yusef Lateef
They say : The music of the legendary Yusef Lateef made a profound impression on composer, saxophonist, flutist and bandleader Jason Robinson. This new double album with Robinson’s 17-piece Janus Orchestra pays tribute to the great multi-instrumentalist and composer with a monumental new work. With its diverse colors and dynamics, Robinson’s bold music celebrates Lateef as a paragon of boundless possibility. (Circumvention Music)
Rollins, Sonny: Tenor Madness
They say : Tenor Madness is one of the early classic albums by Sonny Rollins. Released in October 1956 on Prestige Records, it is most notable for its title track, a collaboration between Rollins and John Coltrane, the only known recording featuring the two giants of the tenor playing together. Sonny Rollins – tenor, John Coltrane – tenor, Red Garland – piano (Jazz Wax JWR4532LP LP)
Rudolph, Adam: Invisible Threads
They say : As ever in Rudolph’s non-idiomatic vision, Invisible Threads is no mere fusion of musical traditions; instead, it is a journey of discovery shared and shaped by the merging of several profoundly individual voices. Rudolph is joined on the album by the Istanbul-based musicians Ahmet “Haci” Tekbilek, master of the ney, the traditional Turkish flute; percussionist Okay Temiz; violinist Özlem Kaya; flutist Sıla Gerbag; and vocalist Sumru Ağıryürüyen; along with Italian guitarist Marco Cappelli and Danish bassist Jesper Egelund Pedersen. (Omni Sound) Hear Adam Rudolph.
Safir, Jamie: Momentism
They say : London-based pianist and composer Jamie Safir, an in-demand accompanist for vocalists from Veronica Swift to Kylie Minogue, steps into the spotlight with this debut album as a leader. The album features saxophonist Iain Ballamy, bassist Conor Chaplin and drummer Luke Tomlinson on a set of nine moving and infectious new songs. (Chill Tone)
Sanders, Brandon: The Game Changer
They say : Drummer and former basketball player Brandon Sanders presents a program split evenly between highly approachable originals and well-chosen covers on his feel-good fourth album. Joining him are Warren Wolf, Jeremy Pelt, William Hill III, Stacy Dillard, Eric Wheeler and guest vocalist Briana Swann. (Savant/High Note)
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Second Attempt
They say : The third of five orchestra albums Fujii is releasing in 2026, Second Attempt features Fujii and the band spontaneously blending composition and improvisation, in ways that are unique in Fujii’s enormous book of orchestral compositions. (Libra Records)
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Korekara
They say : The fourth of five new 2026 orchestral albums by composer, pianist, and bandleader Satoko Fujii features her Orchestra Nagoya in a four-part suite that Fujii composed for the 20th anniversary of the café Rojiura no Matahari, a gathering place for the city’s arts lovers. The performance exudes warmth, joy, and the ensemble’s exceptional camaraderie. The adventurous, forward-looking music aptly reflects its title, which translated means “from now.” (Libra Records)
Scornful Four, The: Hopeful Music For Hopeless People
They say : The debut LP from the multi-generational Brisbane (AUS) quartet. Recorded in a single three-hour session with the audiophile purity of only four condenser microphones (one for each musician) in one room, the album is imbued with an honesty and immediacy of communication and expression that is rarely heard, even on jazz records. Heavily influenced by the piano-less quartets of Coltrane and Rollins with heavy nods to Gerry Mulligan and Ornette Coleman. Hope you dig it. (4000 Records 4K71) Hear The Scornful Four.
Scott Lee Ensemble feat. Camila Meza: Greetings From Florida
They say : Composer Scott Lee’s Greetings from Florida: Postcards from Paradise, released April 17, 2026 on Sunnyside Records, is a genre-blending song cycle featuring vocalist-guitarist Camila Meza with a chamber ensemble of Floridian musicians. Eight poems by Cuban American poet Carolina Hospital, set as lyrics, examine the gap between Florida’s postcard image and the realities of tourism, retirement, immigration and ecological loss. Lee teaches composition at the University of Florida and blends classical, jazz and pop structures. (Sunnyside Records) Hear Scott Lee.
Seligo, Wolfgang: Live In Ljubljana
They say : Live in Ljubljana (Alessa Records) documents a live performance by Austrian pianist and composer Wolfgang Seligo, recorded during an official Austria-Slovenia neighborhood dialogue concert. Characterized by a fusion of force and sensitivity, the piano trio’s style alternates between quiet, lyrical phases and impulsive, powerful outbursts. While previously available on physical media, the digital release launched in March 2026. www.wolfgangseligo.com (Alessa ALR1100) Hear Wolfgang Seligo.
Serrano, Rosino: Orquesta Moderna Coalescencia Music By Alex Mercado
They say : Orquesta Moderna, the large ensemble founded and directed by Rosino Serrano—widely recognized as one of the most prominent figures in Mexico’s music scene—announces the upcoming release of two new recordings that continue its work in new music creation, sonic exploration, and the dialogue between diverse musical languages. (Independent, digital only)
Sheard, Mali: Hayfever
They say : London-based saxophonist and composer Mali Sheard releases her debut album, Hayfever, a collection of original contemporary jazz inspired by identity, family and the natural world. Recorded with fellow musicians from Tomorrow’s Warriors and the Royal Academy of Music, with guests Rob Luft and Huw Warren, Hayfever showcases Sheard’s lyrical compositions and distinctive emerging voice. (Mali Sheard Music – MSM01CD)
Shields, Susanne: Songs For Gaza
They say : British vocalist-composer Susanne Shields releases her debut album “Songs for Gaza”, a humanitarian project recorded at Zoot Studios (Paris) with a small collective of musicians from the Paris jazz scene. The album is entirely self-financed, with all proceeds being donated to emergency relief efforts in Gaza. Inspired by her father’s military service in Palestine during the final years of the British Mandate, the album transforms personal history into an act of solidarity. (Independent 20260130) Hear Susanne Shields.
Silvano, Judi / Garden Winds: First Flight
They say : Judi Silvano’s Garden Winds is a group that is as unique as the music that they perform on First Flight. The voicebassoon- flute trio takes listeners through a set of unpredictable and colorful improvisations filled with surprises. (JSL Records #011)
Smith, Tommy: Four
They say : Comprising the second set of a concert saxophonist Tommy Smith played with Steve Hamilton (piano), Orlando Le Fleming (bass) and Sebastiaan de Krom (drums) in Gateshead in 1999, FOUR is the natural, honest sound of four musicians interacting with one another in front of an audience. There was no PA, no amplifiers, just a single stereo microphone capturing a set of mostly standards and one Smith original. A digital release that puts the listener in the room with the musicians. (Spartacus Recordings STS 033) Hear Tommy Smith.
Smith, Wadada Leo: Constellations And Hemispheres
They say : Constellations And Hemispheres, the expansive and mysterious new album from composer/ trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, features four different ensembles: a trio with pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and drummer Marcus Gilmore; a quintet with vibraphonist Bobby Naughton, bassists Bill Laswell and Melvin Gibbs, plus drummer Pheeroan akLaff; a sextet with guitarist Lamar Smith, Naughton, akLaff, and percussionists Brian Jarawa Gray and Mauro Refosc; and an octet featuring Naughton, Lamar Smith, Gibbs, Laswell, akLaff, Gray, and Refosco. (Burning Ambulance)
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Ellington Masterworks
They say : Duke Ellington is widely acknowledged as jazz’s greatest composer. While Ellington experienced many artistic peaks, such as the 1927 Cotton Club “Jungle Band,” the 1940 orchestra with Ben Webster and Jimmie Blanton, the post-Newport 1956 band, and the mid-60s ensembles powered by drummers Sam Woodyard and Rufus Jones, he produced memorable compositions during every phase of his career. This live recording of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO) proves that point, as it features several rare masterworks composed between 1940 and 1968. (A-Train / Mcg Jazz MCGJ1062 CD)
Sun, Kevin: I. And II.
They say : A self-portrait in two parallel but distinctively bold new albums, Kevin Sun, I and Kevin Sun, II are designed to be listened to in any sequence, each complete on its own terms but also illuminating the other. “This isn’t really a conventional double album,” says Sun. “It’s more like a pair of video games set in the same universe, each with its own style and cast of characters.” (Endectomorph)
Szunyogh, Gábor: Bend
They say : Budapest-based pianist and composer Gábor Szunyogh returns with Bend, a 14-track solo album moving freely between jazz, blues, classical, psychedelic and world-music influences. Built around piano and electric piano, the record ranges from intimate, meditative pieces to playful jazz, blues and cinematic soundscapes. Rather than following genre boundaries, BEND reflects Szunyogh’s personal musical perspective, shaped by more than 25 years of composing, arranging, improvising and performing. (5320786 Records DK – UPC 701546931741) Hear Gábor Szunyogh.