Marciano is a significant voice in jazz. Being one of the specialists on the sopranino saxophone, an alto player compared with some of the instrument’s greats, and an artist whose career has taken her to audiences on several continents, Marciano has seemingly endless gifts. Saxophonist Carla Marciano explores a deeply emotional landscape on Daydreaming, My … Continue reading
The power of the jazz trio is on full display in Arrival. The territory covered is fresh and exciting, and gives each musician ample opportunities to shine. Pianist Nicki Adams and saxophonist Michael Eaton, along with drummer Francisco Mela, combine their talent and impulses to create an album as expressive as the jazz genre itself. … Continue reading
More than fifty years after jazz trumpeter Don Ellis introduced JIMBO ROSS as “the only jazz violist in captivity,” the adventurous string player continues expanding his instrument’s possibilities. On BEYOND THE GROOVE, his third jazz recording since 2024, Ross blends his love of the jazz canon, a remarkable five-string electric viola and a deeply attuned … Continue reading
MUSICIANS: Jason Kao Hwang – composer / violin, Andrew Drury – drum set, gongs, aluminum pots, stainless steel bowls, Tibetan prayer bowl, bells, seed pods, oyster & mussel shells, wood block, cowbell, bronze gear, sink faucet escutcheon, Ken Filiano – string bass On their second CD, violinist Jason Kao Hwang, bassist Ken Filiano, and drummer-percussionist Andrew Drury perform four extended … Continue reading
Zeit Zirkel—German for “Time Circle”—is drummer and composer Christian Finger’s reflection on the profound, almost uncapturable, experience of grief. It conveys the ways loss can seem to be on repeat rather than move forward. Finger carries it off with grace, bringing together trumpeter Ralph Alessi, guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, and bassist Adam Armstrong, … Continue reading
There’s a special bond between fellow musicians. It is a dialogue on an elevated, intuitive plane. Add a friendship to that relationship and what results is a work of profound art. Jazz pianist Jeff Colella and bassist Putter Smith have released Between Friends, a collaborative album that follows their album Lotus Blossom. Rooted in intuitive … Continue reading
Saxophonist Rob Dixon has released his new album NAPTOWN SOUL on Strikezone Records. Rob Dixon honors Indianapolis’ Black musical legacy, fusing jazz, funk, soul, and history in an inspiring tribute to the city’s legendary artists. The album includes two songs by Indianapolis’s own Wes Montgomery, a remake of the Blackbyrds’ “Walking in Rhythm,” Marvin Gaye’s … Continue reading
Liz Cracchiolo’s I’m A Woman is one of 2026’s standout debut albums and marks her as a notable new voice in jazz. Across the nine tracks, Cracchiolo refreshes familiar material with lively reinterpretations, uncovering nuances and subtleties that include her fellow musicians.Her vivid voice and style—precise yet spontaneous—make a lasting impression. On I’m A Woman, … Continue reading
Pianist, composer, and arranger Steve Rawlins’s latest release is Word on the Street, a new album featuring ten original or co-written compositions alongside one standard. The project marks a rare turn in the spotlight for Rawlins, whose decades-long career behind the scenes as a gifted composer and spectacular arranger for film, television, and major entertainment … Continue reading
Best Laid Plans is the third release from Jon Schapiro’s “Schapiro 17 Big Band.” With the album, Schapiro successfully transcends the usual contemporary jazz experience. The album delivers rewarding big-band jazz with original charts and imaginative reinterpretations. Schapiro’s strongest track is a profound take on Scott Joplin’s “Solace.” The arrangement squeezes out every note of … Continue reading
