Jamie Davis, the Grammy Award-winning baritone and former lead vocalist of the Count Basie Orchestra, returns with Steppin’ Out, a journey through classic jazz, timeless standards, and modern swing. The album’s lead single, “Fragile,” is currently in consideration for the 2027 Grammy Awards in the Best Jazz Performance category. Davis surrounds himself with serious firepower … Continue reading
Big Dipper is the posthumous debut album from pianist and composer Stephen Braude, recorded with Belgrade’s Yamara Band and completed after his death with the help of producer David Rodriguez and Braude’s widow, Gina Ruk. The ten-track record is billed as alternative jazz fusion, drawing on tango, bebop, and other strands of jazz tradition. The … Continue reading
Sherman Holmes has been one step ahead of the blues for over six decades. Born in New Jersey in 1939 and raised in Virginia, he launched his career in 1959 as a founding member of The Holmes Brothers, going on to earn two Blues Music Awards along the way. Now, with his new album One … Continue reading
JUNO Award-winning blues singer Crystal Shawanda returns with Homesick Indian Blues, her latest studio album on her own New Sun Records. The Ojibwe Potawatomi artist, who grew up on the Wikwemikong reserve on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, has spent the last several years carving out a reputation as one of the most powerful voices in contemporary … Continue reading
Back Home is a vibrant showcase of student talent from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, recorded by two ensembles within the school’s Jazz and Commercial Music program: the Joe Williams Combo and the Latin Jazz Ensemble. The album leans heavily on original compositions penned by the students themselves, including the title track “Back Home,” … Continue reading
My Favorite Things, the 2026 release from UNLV Jazz Ensemble I, is a showcase of just how far a college jazz program can reach. Recorded during the 2025–26 academic year under director David Loeb and released in August 2026, the album pairs the ensemble with guest vocalist Clint Holmes alongside vocalist Eva Yazdanpanah. The band’s … Continue reading
Mercy We Need is the second full-length album from Chicago pianist and composer Julian Davis Reid and his spiritual jazz quintet, Circle of Trust. Reid leads from the piano, joined by Tramaine Parker on vocals, Lenard Simpson on alto saxophone, Ethan Philion on bass, and James Russell Sims on drums, with Eva Supreme, Demond Read, … Continue reading
Road Dog is the newest album from blues harmonica master Mark Hummel and his All Stars, released on Rockinitus Records. It’s a career-spanning collection, combining tracks recorded recently with others over a decade old that had never before been released, all cut at Kid Andersen’s famed Greaseland Studio. Hummel handles harmonica and lead vocals throughout, … Continue reading
Wanderer marks a vibrant new chapter for vocalist Sarah Pillow, who brings her signature warmth and interpretive depth to a program of beloved jazz standards. Released on Buckyball Records, the album is shaped by vibraphonist and arranger Marc Wagnon, whose inventive charts give the collection its distinctive color, alongside an all-star septet featuring saxophonists Donny … Continue reading
First Flight (released on JSL Records) is the exciting debut album from Garden Winds, the new trio led by veteran jazz vocalist Judi Silvano alongside flutist Haruna Fukazawa and bassoonist Claire de Brunner. Spanning ten original compositions and just over 33 minutes, the record strips away chords and rhythm section entirely, favoring spontaneousu counterpoint, microtonal … Continue reading
