Pianist and composer Edward Simon beautifully recasts the music of his native Venezuela in a jazz idiom, and trumpeter and composer Adam O’Farrill blends minimalism and postbop in a dazzling contemporary offering.
Mix Masters
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Take Your Pick
Here are four noteworthy releases—from Flyways (Mara Rosenbloom, Anaïs Maviel, Jordyn Davis), Joel Harrison and the Alternative Guitar Summit, Adonis Rose and Phillip Manuel, Duo Corda (Jacqueline Ultan and Pavel Jany)—each inhabiting a completely different musical neighborhood. There’s something for everyone, and everything for some.
Music That Takes a Stand
Two groups with activist genes—Dave Douglas’s new quartet and Bellbird—offer releases that take clear political and moral positions.
The Peaceful Struggle of Yosef Gutman
I’ve been tracking the music of Yosef Gutman since first encountering his Upside Down Mountain in 2022 and have reviewed two subsequent albums, Why Ten? and River of Eden. I’m drawn to his music’s humanity, clarity, and spiritual depth. His latest, Resisei Lyla, carries those qualities forward.
Catching Up
The “must listen” pile has been growing steadily, so I again offer up a few quick first- or second-impression reviews to reduce its height. The four featured albums include two jazz releases that follow the familiar format of improvising on a written composition and two that offer intuitively improvised compositions. All four albums have much to offer.