Mabern, Harold: Afro Blue
They say : Special 10th anniversary edition of a remastered, remixed Afro Blue album (2014) to be released on what would’ve been Harold Mabern’s 90th birthday (March 20, 2026). Featuring Mabern at the helm with a spectacular roster of vocalists: Norah Jones, Gregory Porter, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, and Alexis Cole. (Smoke Sessions Records SSR-2507) Hear Harold Mabern.
Mammal Hands: Circadia
They say : For their upcoming 6th album Circadia, Mammal Hands have signed with celebrated German label ACT and welcome a new drummer in the shape of Rob Turner – the long-time driving force behind British jazz success story GoGo Penguin. (ACT Music)
Marantz, Luke & Simon Jermyn: Echoes
They say : This atmospheric duo consists of Brooklyn-based pianist Luke Marantz and Berlin-based Irish guitarist/electric bassist Simon Jermyn along with contributions from drummer Josh Dion. Together they’ve created a delicate, genre-defying sound full of textured sonic voyages. (Chill Tone)
Maroney, Denman: Umwelt
They say : “How could I have missed this fantastic composer, a sort of Conlon Nancarrow who can swing like Thelonious Monk; a return to the origin where jazz reclaims its polyrhythms and complex polytemporalities?” Umwelt is the third album Denman Maroney has made since moving from New York to France in 2020. All three include Scott Walton (bass), Robin Fincker (reeds), and Samuel Silvant (drums). Umwelt includes Guillaume Orti (reeds). (Neuma Records 243) Hear Denman Maroney.
Marquès, Albert & Therrien, Rachel: Dialogue – Vol. I
They say : Brooklyn-based pianist Albert Marquès (from Catalonia) and trumpeter Rachel Therrien (from Quebec) announce the November 14th release of Dialogue – Vol. I, the first in a two-part collaboration blending improvisation and composition. Capturing the duo’s decade-long musical rapport, the album explores texture, emotion, and trust through jazz, flamenco, Afro-Latin, and contemporary influences. The result is an intimate, spontaneous conversation inviting listeners into a shared, boundary-defying creative space. (Chronograph Records) Hear Albert Marquès.
Mattias Risbergs Mining: Mining At Fasching…and elsewhere
They say : In May 2024 Mattias Risbergs large ensemble Mining XL – an ensemble of 15 of Swedish most prominent jazz/impro musicians – did a shorter tour in Sweden. The performances were a continuation of the Mining project up to that point. The sessions were recorded and on 17 October 2025 it was released as a CD. This is the band’s fifth record since the start 2018. (Kullen Reko KRCD006)
McBee, Cecil: Mutima
They say : Cecil McBee’s debut album, Mutima (reissuing on CD/LP December 12), blends the deeply introspective qualities of spiritual jazz with adventurous post-bop and avant-garde influences. Released in 1974, the album highlights McBee’s virtuosic skill on the bass alongside his remarkable gift for crafting compositions that resonate with emotional and intellectual depth. Backed by a stellar ensemble featuring luminaries such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Onaje Allan Gumbs, and Dom Salvador, Mutima – translated as “unseen forces” – unfolds as a vivid musical journey. A cornerstone of 1970s jazz, Mutima solidifies Cecil McBee’s reputation as a trailblazer, channeling the spirit of innovation and collective artistry into a timeless recording. (Mack Avenue CD-SES-7417252)
Mehler, Elan: Renee Said
They say : The ambitious album from pianist, composer, and Newvelle label director Elan Mehler is part of the Newvelle Ten Collection celebrating the revered label’s 10th anniversary. Bringing together a seven-piece ensemble featuring Mehler, Loren Stillman (alto saxophone), Scott Robinson (tenor saxophone), Ben Monder (guitar), Tony Scherr (bass) and drummers Francisco Mela and Matt Wilson, Renee Said is both a celebration and a statement — expansive, daring, and deeply personal. (Newvelle)
Meyer, Björn : Convergence
They say : With Convergence, his second solo album, Swedish-born bassist Björn Meyer further develops music on the blueprint established with his recording Provenance (2017), making use of the technical potential of the bass guitar to establish striking sonorities and grained textures while also being acutely aware of the acoustic space in which his sounds emerge. Convergence was recorded in September 2024 and was produced by Manfred Eicher. (ECM 2844)
Mumin, Yusuf: Journey To The Ancient
They say : Yusuf Mumin of the Black Unity Trio unveils previously unreleased music from his personal archive. (Wewantsounds WWSLP113) Hear Yusuf Mumin.
Nachoff, Quinsin: Patterns from Nature
They say : Saxophonist/composer Quinsin Nachoff’s ambitious new multimedia project was developed with physicist Stephen Morris and four filmmakers. The project brings sound and image into a single architectural framework that explores the ways that design and spontaneity can animate one another. The vibrant 45-minute suite brings together chamber orchestra and improvising soloists including Nachoff, pianist Matt Mitchell, trombonist Ryan Keberle, clarinetist François Houle, percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, bassist Carlo De Rosa, and the Molinari String Quartet. (Whirlwind)
Negative Press Project: Cycles I
They say : A chamber-jazz octet co-founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2013 by pianist/composer Ruthie Dineen & bassist/composer Andrew Lion, for their 5th album Negative Press Project collaborates with the innovative string ensemble Friction Quartet. The result is a stunning coalescence of post-bop jazz & postmodern classical music, simultaneously their most adventurous & most accessible work to date. Also featuring saxophonists Chris Sullivan & Lyle Link, drummer Isaac Schwartz, guitarist Luis Salcedo. (Envelopmental Music) Hear Negative Press Project.
Nelson, Bill: Live At Nelsonica & Clothworkers Hall
They say : This is the first ever released recording of this unique trio comprising Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe/Red Noise) Theo Travis (Soft Machine/Robert Fripp/Steven Wilson) Dave Sturt (Gong/Jade Warrior). The trio performed various concerts between 2009 and 2019 often as part of Bill Nelson’s ‘Nelsonica’ conventions. Following years of planning and preparation, this album consists of live recordings made by the trio in 2011, 2012 and 2018 from 3 concerts in Leeds and York. (Ethersounds ESCD012)
NoCuts Quartet: Echoes Of Wanderlust
They say : Nocuts is a modern jazz band with dreamlike, cinematic colors, blending refined composition, rich nuances, and free improvisation. Warm clarinet and bass clarinet tones contrast with the energetic rhythm section, creating music both accessible and demanding. Drawing on pop, rock, and classical influences, the band explores emotional and sonic journeys. Following their 2020 debut Itinéraires, their second album, Echoes of Wanderlust (March 2026), reflects the inner and geographical travels of composers Gaëlle Coquempot (piano) and Olivier Roch (clarinet). (Inouïe Distribution)
Noonan, Sean; London Symphony Orchestra: The Drummer Of Tedworth
They say : Blending jazz, contemporary classical, and global folklore into immersive zany narrative performances, equally at home in a Fringe fest as in the darkest corners of your mind; fuses the scale of rock opera, the intensity of a wild Irish griot, and the surreal logic of the Theatre of the Absurd. As if Samuel Beckett had taken up punk jazz. The album transforms an English ghost story into a surreal fantasy post-theatrical epic. Some say it redefines ‘bizarre’ (Neuma 245) Hear Sean Noonan.
Norvo, Red: Red Norvo: The Secret Session
They say : Guerrilla recordings during World War II. Never heard before; part of the ‘Legends’ series (Dot Time Records)
