Paul Marinaro Unveils MOOD ELLINGTON: A Sweeping 25-Track Tribute Reimagining the Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn

Since releasing his 2013 debut Without a Song, Paul Marinaro has risen to become one of the most acclaimed male vocalists in jazz, earning national recognition and praise such as Scott Yanow’s declaration that he now stands “among the top five male jazz singers active today.” With a warm, expressive baritone and an instinct for intelligent storytelling, Marinaro has built an impressive discography—including One Night in Chicago (2015), Not Quite Yet (2022), and The Bowie Project (2023). Now he returns with his most ambitious project yet: MOOD ELLINGTON, a 25-track double album devoted to the timeless music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

Rather than offering a single arranger’s perspective, Marinaro approached this tribute with a bold conceptual twist: he invited 13 arrangers—each with a distinct musical voice—to reinterpret Ellington and Strayhorn’s works through their own stylistic lenses. “Given the sophistication of Ellington’s melodies and his unique harmonic language,” Marinaro explains, “I wanted various arrangers to bring their own voices to this material. Their different styles needed to be noticed and integral to the album’s overall shape.”

The result is a richly textured portrait of Ellingtonia, unified by Marinaro’s nuanced phrasing and warm timbre yet varied in color, mood, and feel. The album is organized into three thematic sets: the first celebrating love and beauty; the second exploring darker, introspective terrain; and the third offering more mature, sardonic, and exotic perspectives. Together they form a panoramic survey of Ellington and Strayhorn’s emotional universe.

The roster of arrangers reads like a cross-section of jazz’s most respected creative minds. John Kornegay delivers both playful uplift on “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and an elegant hush on “In a Sentimental Mood.” Two-time Grammy-winner Alan Broadbent shapes Strayhorn gems “(I Want) Something to Live For” and “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing.” John Clayton contributes a distinctive shuffle to “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” and a striking reimagining of “Azure.” Carey Deadman offers suave, polished takes on “It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dream” and “Love You Madly,” while Chuck Israels, Mike Downes, Ryan Cohan, Jim Gailloreto, Bill Cunliffe, Chuck Owen, Tom Garling, Tom Matta, and longtime collaborator Mike Allemana each leave their imprint across the album’s sweeping program.

The musicians, many of Chicago’s finest, animate the arrangements with personality and mastery: Tom Vaitsas (piano), Mike Allemana (guitar), John Tate (bass), Neil Hemphill (drums), Rich Moore (alto sax, clarinet, flute), John Wojciechowski (tenor & soprano sax, flute), Ted Hogarth (baritone sax, bass clarinet), Eric Jacobson (trumpet, flugelhorn), and Raphael Crawford (trombone). A 12-piece violin section adds lushness and depth. Marinaro encouraged every player to honor the essence of Ellington while contributing their individual voices, resulting in performances that feel both reverent and alive.

Marinaro’s artistry—marked by lyrical intelligence, emotional insight, and a deep relationship to text—has made him a sought-after vocalist, selling out Chicago’s iconic venues and earning praise from critics such as Howard Reich, who called his voice “one of the most beautiful vocal instruments in the business today.” MOOD ELLINGTON stands as a rewarding new entry into the long lineage of Ellington and Strayhorn interpretations, distinguished by its breadth, its craftsmanship, and Marinaro’s unmistakable presence at its core.

Thomas Strønen’s Off Stillness: Time Is A Blind Guide Returns with a Transcendent Exploration of Space, Dynamics, and Acoustic Intuition

There’s an uncommon acoustic chemistry at the heart of Time Is A Blind Guide, the long-evolving ensemble led by Norwegian drummer and composer Thomas Strønen. On Off Stillness—the group’s third album and its first since 2018’s acclaimed Lucus—a subtle shift in personnel shapes a renewed sonic identity. Cellist Leo Svensson Sander steps into the role previously held by Lucy Railton, weaving effortlessly into the ensemble’s breathlike blend of strings, piano, and percussion. His interaction with violinist Håkon Aase and bassist Ole Morten Vågan creates a resilient trio within the quintet, one that moves fluidly in dialogue with Ayumi Tanaka’s spacious, intuitive piano work and Strønen’s textural percussion.

Strønen describes the music as being “about taking away rather than adding,” emphasizing space as a guiding instrument. The album’s dynamic breadth ranges from near-silence to sudden swells of collective intensity—gestures that feel unpredictable yet deeply connected to natural rhythms and everyday pulses. Those extremes find a striking example in “Dismissed,” driven by abrupt rhythmic stumbles, articulated ensemble bursts, and tightly knit improvisations. In contrast, “Season” brings lyrical warmth, the cello and violin merging in serene folk-hued harmony—a reflection of Leo’s improvisational style and his deep background in folk music, which naturally connects with Aase’s approach.

The core qualities that defined TIABG on Lucus—its philosophical openness, its dialogue between baroque structures and folk sensibilities, its devotion to fragile beauty—resurface throughout Off Stillness. Pieces such as “Fall” draw listeners into a chilled quiet, where every bow stroke and cymbal whisper feels weighty and deliberate. “Tuesday” pares things back even further, while “Cubism” introduces a rare moment of explicit rhythmic grounding.

Homage threads through the album’s conceptual frame. “Memories of Paul,” the opener, honors both Paul Motian and Paul Bley—two figures who left their imprint on ECM’s lineage and on Strønen’s musical imagination. The piece, nearly devoid of harmonic center, spotlights Strønen’s and Tanaka’s intuitive rapport: “We don’t need to talk beforehand,” Strønen notes. “I have complete trust in her.” Producer Manfred Eicher shaped the recording with a perceptive ear, selecting an unexpected take that reframed the piece’s emotional arc in the context of the entire album.

The closing “In Awe of Stillness” acts as a microcosm of the album—beginning with exploratory textures before giving way to agitated interplay. And the album’s title, Off Stillness, carries personal resonance. Strønen recalls sneaking into a café at age 15 to hear Jon Balke’s Oslo 13, an encounter that transformed his understanding of music. With Balke turning 70 this year, the title serves as a quiet tribute to that formative spark.

Recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo in 2021 and mixed in Munich in 2024, Off Stillness continues Strønen’s rich history with ECM, a relationship that began with the 2005 album Parish and has since unfolded through projects such as Food, collaborations with Mats Eilertsen, Sinikka Langeland, John Surman, and many more. Time Is A Blind Guide, founded in 2013, remains one of his most expansive and conceptually unified ensembles—a place where genre boundaries dissolve into texture, breath, and movement.

Ayumi Tanaka’s own ECM catalog continues to grow, including her 2021 leader debut Subaqueous Silence. More work from her, and from TIABG’s evolving soundworld, is on the horizon.

Jordan Williams Announces Playing by Ear: A Powerful Debut with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Nat Reeves, and Wallace Roney Jr.

Pianist Jordan Williams makes a compelling entrance as a bandleader with Playing by Ear, his debut for the legendary Milan-based Red Records. Arriving January 16, 2026, the album blends intuition, memory and formal precision, brought to life by an exceptional quartet featuring Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, Nat Reeves on bass, and Wallace Roney Jr. on trumpet. The lead single, “Tayamisha,” is available now.

A product of Philadelphia’s deep jazz lineage, Williams began playing standards by ear at six years old—long before he could explain the harmonies he instinctively understood. That early ear remains the grounding force in a sound shaped by the lyricism of Herbie Hancock and the grounded swing of Mulgrew Miller, all filtered through Williams’ distinctly modern phrasing. He favors space, story, and intention over flash, creating a voice rooted in tradition yet unmistakably his own.

Across eight tracks, Playing by Ear prioritizes patience and clarity. The opener, Horace Silver’s “Peace,” sets the tone with a reverent, slow bloom in which every note feels earned. Williams’ comping beneath Roney Jr.’s trumpet is intimate and conversational. On Kenny Garrett’s “Ms. Baja,” the band leans into a more propulsive energy, with Tain’s rhythmic sparks pressing against Williams’ left-hand shapes to create tension that feels alive but never forced.

“Tayamisha,” a Buster Williams composition, lets Jordan Williams channel stride lineage through right-hand flares anchored by deeply rooted swing. The tune is a personal tribute: “Tayamisha is dedicated to my late Pop Pop and Mom Mom, Ralph and Dorris Williams,” he says. “They loved records Buster Williams played on, and they owned a chicken store—Wings n Things—in the ’60s in Camden, Buster’s hometown.”

Reeves contributes two originals, “Waltz for Ellis” and “Blue Ridge,” each marked by quiet poise and melodic ease. His bass lines serve as both anchor and atmosphere, inviting the ensemble into deeper lyricism. The chemistry among these four musicians is quietly electric—Reeves steady and grounded, Tain disruptive in all the right ways with asymmetrical sparks, and Roney Jr. balancing legacy with curiosity through a tone that feels both searching and assured.

For Williams, Playing by Ear stands as both culmination and beginning. A recent graduate of The George Washington University, he has already performed with Branford Marsalis, Jazzmeia Horn, Camille Thurman, and Curtis Lundy. His playing reflects a lived apprenticeship—one that values nuance, patience, and emotional honesty.

“Playing by ear is how I learned to listen — not just to music, but to life,” Williams reflects. “Silence, memory, and mistake all shape what comes next.”

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Williams began classical and jazz studies at seven and was performing publicly by eleven. A Presidential Scholar for the Arts and Betty Carter Jazz Ahead alumnus, he has studied with Cyrus Chestnut, Jason Moran and Orrin Evans. Now based in New York, he has quickly become an in-demand pianist known for intuitive touch, compositional depth and a grounded connection to tradition.

Playing by Ear marks the arrival of a pianist who understands both structure and spirit—a musician whose story unfolds one intentional note at a time.

John Vanore Unveils Easter Island Suite: A Monumental Jazz Vision 40 Years in the Making

Philadelphia trumpeter, composer and bandleader John Vanore is finally releasing Easter Island Suite, a cinematic and long-awaited album nearly four decades in the making. Arriving February 6, 2026 via his Acoustical Concepts label, the project features Vanore’s distinctive ensemble Abstract Truth and brings to life the awe, mystery and cultural resonance of Easter Island and its iconic moai.

Long praised as “Philadelphia’s greatest big band leader and also its best-kept secret” (Jerry Gordon, WPRB-FM) and an artist who pushes “expressive possibilities in the realm of big band culture” (Josef Woodard, DownBeat), Vanore has spent more than 40 years nurturing the ideas that culminate in this sweeping four-movement suite.

The story began on Easter Sunday in 1984, when Vanore wondered about “the loneliest place on Earth” and immediately thought of Easter Island. That curiosity launched him into writing the opening theme for what would become “Discovery,” first recorded on Abstract Truth’s 1990 debut Blue Route. By the end of the ’80s he had completed all four movements—yet the project would go dormant as Abstract Truth entered a long hiatus. After reviving the ensemble in 2009 and recording additional movements in 2012, Vanore has finally completed the full suite with sessions extending into 2024.

Despite spanning 35 years of recording dates, Easter Island Suite feels remarkably unified. Long-standing band members deepen that continuity: Michael Mee’s alto sax and flute, Craig Thomas’ bass, Ron Thomas’ piano, Bob Howell’s saxophone and bass clarinet, and Greg Kettinger’s guitar all weave through the suite’s evolving landscapes.

Vanore’s intent is immersive: to take listeners directly to the island. “Discovery” evokes the shock of encountering the massive moai for the first time, its tenor sax capturing their immensity and mystery. “Gods & Devils” explores the island’s spiritual tensions, with trumpet and tenor sax embodying mythic forces. “Secret Caves” acts as a subterranean exploration, while “Rano Raraku” channels the serene volcanic quarry where the moai were born. Across the suite, tension and fascination remain central—mirroring the island’s still-unsolved mysteries that have captivated Vanore for decades.

A veteran performer, educator and producer, Vanore has shaped Philadelphia’s jazz landscape since his early days studying with Dennis Sandole and touring with Woody Herman. His ensemble Abstract Truth continues to evolve while honoring the lineage of bold, large-ensemble jazz. Easter Island Suite stands as his most ambitious statement yet: beautiful, haunting and deeply human.

John Vanore and Abstract Truth – Easter Island Suite
Acoustical Concepts – AC-160
Recorded Oct. 1989, June 27–28, 2012, and June 19, 2024
Release Date: February 6, 2026

¿QUÉ?—Ian Smit Ignites a New Era of Experimental Jazz

Ian Smit has unleashed his newest musical expedition, ¿QUÉ?, released December 5, 2025—a fully improvised album crafted with an all-star lineup: David Torn on electric and national steel guitar, Tom Rainey on drums, and Scott Petito on acoustic/electric bass, who also engineered and mastered the record. The project captures four master improvisers stepping into a room with virtually no instructions other than to listen, interact, and let the music reveal itself.

Smit entered the studio with a single guiding intention: to create a musical conversation filled with dynamic peaks, valleys, and unexpected turns—an instinctive approach for this crew. Except for “Bee Still” and “Raindrops and Waterspouts,” which began as loose harmonic sketches, everything on ¿QUÉ? emerged in real time, without prior discussion. Melody, groove, sonic disruption, and even silence became tools for spontaneous composition.

The collaboration carries decades of history. Smit first worked with Torn in 1987 on his cassette-only release Ping, recorded at Scott Petito’s original studio. Years later, after reconnecting with Petito during a separate session, Smit felt the spark that eventually led to the creation of ¿QUÉ?. Tom Rainey—whose expressive drumming Smit had long admired—was the obvious final piece. “Tom was definitely number one on the list,” Smit says. “This recording would not have come to fruition if Tom wasn't available.”

The recording setup was deliberately raw: Smit, Torn, and Rainey in the same room, separated only by gobo panels to allow for controlled bleed and even intentional feedback; Petito in another room to accommodate both acoustic and electric bass. The interplay among the musicians—some meeting musically for the very first time—proved electric. “Was all that risky? Evidently not,” Smit says. “I was riding on a rocket ship!”

The album’s 11 tracks travel through meditative spaces, sudden eruptions, textural experiments, and moments of unguarded beauty. It’s a document of four distinctive voices merging in the moment.

Personnel:
Scott Petito – Acoustic/Electric Bass, Composer, Production Assistant, Recording/Mastering Engineer
Tom Rainey – Drums, Composer
Ian Smit – Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Effects/Loops, Composer, Producer
David Torn – National Steel/Electric Guitar, Effects/Loops, Composer, Production Assistant
Assistant Engineer – David Payette
Recorded live April 28, 2025 at NRS Recording Studio, Catskill, NY
Cover Art: Stephen Byram

Track List:

1. Bee Still (8:24)

2. Next is a Good Place to Be (11:01)

3. That Not So Clear Day in September (5:27)

4. Oil Can Sweets (7:17)

5. Raindrops and Waterspouts (5:48)

6. A Quiet Cafe Until It's Not (8:47)

7. Oil Can Beets (2:48)

8. Barker de la Carnivale (6:47)

9. Oil Can Leeks (4:54)

10. Wizard of Wut (3:47)

11. Pitter Patter All That Matters (4:58)

Smit’s collaborators bring deep resumes: Petito’s decades of work across jazz, folk, rock, and film; Rainey’s extensive career performing with giants of modern improvisation; Torn’s globally influential sonic and textural innovations. Their combined histories make ¿QUÉ? feel both inevitable and completely unpredictable.

Smit closes the story simply:
“Play because you love it, and maybe good things might come your way if you're lucky enough to see and latch on to them—like playing with a bunch of truly exceptional ringer nice guys like David, Tom and Scott!”

Two Paths, One Sound: Luke Marantz & Simon Jermyn Rediscover Connection on Echoes

Musical partnerships often form in fleeting moments—chance encounters, overlapping gigs, a brief overlap in geography before the road bends again. For pianist Luke Marantz and guitarist Simon Jermyn, one such moment in 2015 sparked a creative rapport neither was willing to let time or distance undo.

Their story begins with Marantz making regular escapes from Boston, where he’d been studying at New England Conservatory and deepening his voice on the bandstand with trumpeter Jason Palmer at Wally’s Café. He frequently found himself drawn to New York, where his brother, saxophonist Matt Marantz, was actively gigging. One night, carrying a Fender Rhodes, he made the trip for a short set at the now-closed Rockwood Music Hall. It was the first time he played with Dublin-born guitarist and bassist Simon Jermyn.

The connection was immediate. Jermyn remembers being struck by Marantz’s intensity and commitment; Marantz recalls bonding unexpectedly over a shared love of William Byrd’s choral works. More importantly, making music together felt like conversation—easy, open, and deeply aligned. Their chemistry became one of the forces that eventually inspired Marantz to relocate to New York.

For the next five years, the two collaborated in various projects, letting their partnership evolve naturally. But in 2020, Jermyn moved to Berlin. It was the kind of life shift that often dissolves musical relationships, even fruitful ones. Yet both musicians felt unfinished business—unfinished possibility—and agreed that the work they’d built together mattered too much to abandon.

That commitment led to Echoes, their atmospheric and beautifully textural new duo album, arriving January 9, 2026 on Chill Tone. Recorded over two and a half years in the home studio shared by the Marantz brothers, the album finds the pair expanding their sonic language while maintaining the intimacy that first drew them together. Drummer Josh Dion adds subtle rhythmic color on two pieces, but the heart of Echoes remains the uncommon synergy between piano and guitar.

From the outset, there was no plan—no stylistic template, no overarching concept. Piano-guitar duos can easily crowd themselves, but in this case, openness became the guiding principle. Marantz describes their sessions as doorways into “an ocean of sonic possibilities,” a space in which each idea unlocked unexpected paths for the other. Jermyn, who resists categorizing music by genre, leans into that sense of freedom. What matters to both musicians is the shared sensibility—the trust that allows them to follow a sound wherever it leads.

The album’s title reflects how their process unfolded. Like echoes, their ideas move independently yet remain deeply connected, each gesture shaping what follows. The “Echoes” miniatures scattered throughout the tracklist capture this concept most directly: Jermyn recorded textures in Berlin, which Marantz later enveloped in layers of piano, synth, and atmosphere, turning them into shimmering exchanges across continents.

The broader compositions showcase the duo’s expressive range. Marantz’s “Country” gallops with pastoral energy, touching Appalachian folk and Copland-like Americana. Jermyn’s “Hovering” levitates gently, guided by his own bass work and grounded midway through by Dion’s entry. “Shori,” named for the central character of Octavia E. Butler’s Fledgling, brings incisive rhythmic motion, while “Light Scatters Green” washes in luminous colors inspired by Marantz’s memories of Texas skies. Dion appears again on “Passages,” where the music shifts gradually from searching abstraction into a quietly determined groove.

Through it all, Echoes feels less like a studio album and more like a document of two artists in constant dialogue—not bound by place, time, or genre, but linked by instinct and curiosity. Even with the ocean now between them, Marantz and Jermyn continue to find each other in sound.

Their paths may diverge geographically, but Echoes proves their musical conversation is only deepening, rippling outward with each shared moment.

Temple University Jazz Band Captures a Triumphant First Tour of Japan on Live From Japan

Under the direction of Grammy-winning trumpeter Terell Stafford, the Temple University Jazz Band has long been known for taking its music far beyond its Philadelphia home—appearing at major venues such as Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Kimmel Center, and touring internationally to Germany and the Netherlands. But in March 2025, the ensemble embarked on a milestone journey: its first-ever trip to Japan. Over five intense days of travel, performance, and cultural immersion, the students experienced the kind of growth that only comes from performing abroad—culminating in a two-set, sold-out concert at Tokyo’s renowned Akasaka B-flat. That electrifying night is now preserved on Live From Japan, set for release February 6, 2026 on BCM+D Records.

The album captures the band at full strength—energized by the whirlwind pace of touring, bonded by shared challenges, and inspired by the warm reception from Japanese audiences. For Stafford, who directs jazz studies and chairs instrumental studies at Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance, making this trip a reality was a long-held dream disrupted by the COVID pandemic in 2020. Having performed in Japan many times over his own distinguished career, he knew how life-changing the experience could be. What he didn’t expect was the joy of watching students encounter the country’s culture, people, and musical appreciation for the first time. Exhausted from jetlag yet rising to the expectations of professionalism, the ensemble navigated each day with dedication that Stafford found deeply inspiring.

Their emotional journey is etched into every track of Live From Japan. The recording opens with a spirited take on Johnny Hodges’ “Squatty Roo,” arranged by John Clayton, setting the tone for a program steeped in swing and expressive ensemble work. The band then dives into three Duke Ellington classics—“Jack the Bear,” highlighted by bassist Graham Kozak; “I Didn’t Know About You,” featuring Jacquee Paul’s tender vocals; and a powerful, deeply felt “Black and Tan Fantasy.” Don Menza’s “I Just Found Out About Love” brings punch and exuberance, while Bob Mintzer’s arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s “Eye of the Hurricane,” drawn from the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s repertoire, channels the band’s technical precision and collective fire.

At the heart of the album is “Fantasia,” an intricate and emotionally rich new work composed for the band by Tokyo native and Temple alum Yoichi Uzeki. Blending classical and jazz influences with remarkable finesse, the piece reflects Uzeki’s close collaboration with Stafford and his understanding of the specific musical strengths of this year’s ensemble. It also serves as a symbolic bridge between Temple’s program and the Japanese musical community that hosted the band so warmly.

A vital part of any live album is its audience, and Japan delivered one like no other. The students were met with enthusiasm, respect, and heartfelt appreciation—an atmosphere that elevated their performance and shaped the recording’s infectious energy. The success of the tour was so overwhelming that a return trip is already set for March 2026, this time featuring legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker as guest soloist. A second volume of Live From Japan is planned to accompany that visit.

For young musicians forging their path, international touring is not simply about performance—it is about perspective, growth, and community. Live From Japan captures that transformation in real time, offering listeners a ticket to an unforgettable night and a defining moment in the band’s story.

dee Brown Unveils “Deep Secrets,” a Spirit-Driven Groove Jazz Journey

Detroit groove jazz guitarist dee Brown released his fifth album, Deep Secrets, on September 3 via Innervision Records, just days before the single “Tie The Knot,” featuring soul trumpeter Lin Rountree, headed to playlists. Though the cover resembles a captivating mystery novel, the secrets Brown explores aren’t fictional—they’re spiritual. Inspired by scripture and rooted in faith, the project blends R&B, jazz, soul, and gospel into a reflective, uplifting collection.

Brown began crafting the music a few years ago, and after the loss of his mother, to whom the album is dedicated, he found himself turning to the Bible for guidance and creative direction. The Detroit native quotes Corinthians as the cornerstone of the album: “For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” When the pandemic struck, the recording process shifted to remote collaborations, with musicians sending their parts from home studios to Brown and GRAMMY-nominated producer Valdez Brantley, who handled piano, keyboards, strings, and programming. Billboard chart-topper Blake Aaron, multi-GRAMMY nominee Darren Rahn, and Nate Harasim also contributed production and mixing support.

The album’s first preview, “Smooth Talk,” climbed into the Billboard Top 30 last fall. Brown explains that the song’s inspiration came from Romans 16 and its warning about people who use “smooth talk and glowing words” to deceive. Michael Parlett’s fiery sax solo closes the track with soulful intensity. A second taste of the album arrived with “The Prize,” a warm, sunlit groove built on the idea of running life’s race with purpose—another nod to Corinthians.

“Love You Too,” released as a single last March, features bassist Darryl Williams and drummer Tony Moore laying down a deep, driving rhythm, earning the song more than 100,000 YouTube views. “Tie The Knot,” the next single, pairs Brown’s cool, melodic guitar lines with Rountree’s smooth and expressive trumpet, creating a charismatic musical conversation.

Throughout Deep Secrets, Brown explores everything from spiritual discipline and passion (“Controlled Passion”) to purpose and awakening (“Wake Up”) to the joy of family, as heard in “Pretty Girl (Skyler),” written for his first grandchild. The album also includes a powerful rendition of the gospel standard “Praise Is What I Do,” featuring vocalist Gerard Brooks, a full gospel choir, Merlon Devine on soprano sax, and an orchestral swell that sets the stage for Brown’s guitar to deliver a sermon of its own.

Since debuting with No Time To Waste in 2007 and later joining Innervision Records for Brown Sugar Honey-Coated Love, Brown has consistently delivered charting singles and memorable live performances. He has shared the stage with luminaries including Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osborne, Bob James, Spyro Gyra, Gerald Albright, Brian Culbertson, Najee, Paul Taylor, Paul Brown, Alexander Zonjic, and many others. With Deep Secrets, he brings together his musical influences, his spiritual grounding, and his signature groove into one deeply personal work.

Mariea Antoinette Finds New Power in “Afrika,” Her First Foray Into World Music

R&B/jazz harpist Mariea Antoinette returned from a recent trip to Africa feeling transformed. What she encountered there—the elevated energy, deep-rooted wisdom, lingering pain, and overwhelming beauty—reshaped her creatively. The continent’s vibrant cities, joyful markets, breathtaking landscapes, flavorful foods, and the grace of its Indigenous communities offered her an experience far richer than any images she had known from afar. When she came home to San Diego, she brought that emotional imprint straight to the studio, teaming with producer Allan Phillips to create “Afrika,” now a chart-topping single and a contender for a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Global Music Performance. The song serves as the first glimpse of her forthcoming fourth album, Fierce, arriving next year.

Known for her genre-blending approach—funk, soul, hip-hop, contemporary jazz, and reimagined R&B classics—Antoinette enters new territory with “Afrika.” The track incorporates African musical textures, percussive rhythms, and subtle sonic nuances while keeping her harp front and center. Her playing becomes the guiding voice through this musical journey: sometimes delicate, sometimes bold, always deeply expressive. The song feels like a celebration, a homecoming, and a spiritual reunion, punctuated by a vocal chorus chanting the single word “Afrika.”

Antoinette describes the piece as a world anthem—a tribute to humanity’s birthplace and a reminder of the global ties that bind communities of African descent. Reflecting on everything from the blood diamond conflicts in Sierra Leone to the struggles in Congo, from the resilience of African Americans and Afro-South Americans to the mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples, she sought to create a piece rooted in connection. “‘Afrika’ carries the heartbeat of humanity itself,” she said. “Its creativity, its intellectual power, its energy, and even the untamed beauty of its wildlife. By honoring and healing Africa, we also honor and heal ourselves.”

The recording brings together a talented ensemble: Allan Phillips on keyboards, percussion, and vocals; drummer Tiki Pasillas; bassist Nathan Brown; guitarist Evan Marks; trumpeter Derek Cannon; tenor saxophonist John Rekevics; trombonist Jordan Morita; the AP All Stars Strings; and vocalist Natalya Phillips. The accompanying music video amplifies the spiritual and cultural energy of the song.

For Antoinette, the potential of a GRAMMY® nomination carries a special significance. She sees it not only as recognition of her artistry but also as an opportunity to elevate the harp—a rarely spotlighted instrument—to the global contemporary stage. Through “Afrika,” she believes she has connected the harp to Africa’s expansive rhythms, spirit, and natural majesty.

A visionary artist grounded in classical training but fearless in pushing boundaries, Antoinette has long been a force in contemporary music. Her recordings frequently climb the Billboard charts, with her single “Overture” dominating the No. 1 spot for thirteen weeks. She has dazzled audiences at prestigious venues including Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, played major jazz festivals, performed with Ne-Yo at the BET Awards, and even entertained First Lady Michelle Obama. With “Afrika,” she opens a new chapter—one rooted in ancestry, artistic evolution, and global connection.

ChatGPT said: Phil Upchurch: The Shape-Shifting Guitar Master Who Bridged Soul, Jazz, and the Blues

Phil Upchurch (July 19, 1941 – November 23, 2025) was the rare kind of musician who seemed to belong everywhere at once. A guitarist and bassist who moved fluidly across soul, jazz, blues, and R&B, Upchurch wasn’t defined by a single genre—he defined the sound of all of them. From Chicago’s South Side clubs to sessions with Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway, George Benson, and The Staple Singers, his fingerprints are scattered across some of the most influential American recordings of the past six decades.

Quiet, versatile, and endlessly inventive, Upchurch was the kind of musician other musicians revered. His career reads like a living map of modern Black music.

A Chicago Upbringing and a Life in Motion

Born in Chicago in 1941, Phil Upchurch came of age in a city where blues and jazz collided nightly. He entered the scene early, playing with R&B vocal groups like the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels. The connections he made would echo throughout his life—most notably with Dee Clark, whose 1961 hit “Raindrops” featured Upchurch’s unmistakable guitar work.

His early years were defined by constant movement: from Chicago to touring circuits with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, and Jimmy Reed, then back home again to immerse himself in the city’s busy recording studios. There, he played with giants—Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Groove Holmes, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie—and honed the seamless adaptability that made him indispensable.

A Surprise Hit and a Steady Rise

In 1961, Upchurch stepped into the spotlight with “You Can’t Sit Down,” a raw, joyful instrumental recorded with the Philip Upchurch Combo. The track sold over a million copies, earning a gold disc and hitting No. 29 on the Billboard chart—an early glimpse of the broad appeal his music could carry.

But Upchurch wasn’t chasing stardom. He returned to what he loved most: playing, recording, and exploring. As a house guitarist for Chess Records in the mid-1960s, he became part of the label’s deep creative engine, working with The Dells, Gene Chandler, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters. He recorded with The Soulful Strings and the Rotary Connection, both of which pushed soul music into new orchestral and psychedelic directions.

Upchurch was everywhere—and everything.

A Partner to Greatness

One of the most profound collaborations of his career began in the 1970s, when he connected with Donny Hathaway. Upchurch’s guitar and bass work is woven throughout Hathaway’s catalog, including:

• “This Christmas”

• “The Ghetto”

• Hathaway’s landmark Live album (1972)

• Everything Is Everything and Extension of a Man

Their musical chemistry was deep, intuitive, and emotionally electric.

During the same years, Upchurch played with a dazzling array of artists: Quincy Jones, Harvey Mason, Ramsey Lewis, Cat Stevens, Carmen McRae, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole, and Mose Allison. He toured with George Benson, collaborated with jazz-fusion innovators, and pushed his own artistry in groups like the Upchurch/Tennyson quartet.

Few musicians could slide so naturally from soul to swing to pop—but Upchurch moved between them like they were different dialects of the same language.

The Later Years: A Lifelong Explorer

Even as trends changed, Upchurch remained a vibrant creative force. In the 1990s, he recorded with Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff, returned to blues and jazz roots, and released albums that highlighted his evolving voice as a leader.

His 2012 project Impressions of Curtis Mayfield—which he co-produced, arranged, and performed—was a deeply personal tribute. Upchurch often said it was the album he was proudest of.

Across more than 60 years, he built a body of work that was vast, surprising, and unwavering in its musicality. His career wasn’t defined by one big moment, but by thousands of small ones—each time his guitar elevated a song without ever overpowering it.

Final Years and Legacy

Phil Upchurch died in Los Angeles on November 23, 2025, at age 84. His passing marked the end of a career that stretched across generations and genres, touching the lives of anyone who listened closely to the music of the last half-century.

To many mainstream listeners, he was a name in liner notes; to artists, he was a hero. A musician’s musician. A man who never stopped exploring.

Phil Upchurch didn’t chase fame.
He chased sound—and helped shape the sound of modern America.

Steve Cropper: The Quiet Guitar Hero Who Shaped the Sound of American Soul

Steve Cropper never needed to stand in the spotlight to change the course of American music. With a sharply ringing Telecaster and an instinct for exactly when not to play, he became one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th century—without ever raising his voice. As the musical backbone of Stax Records and a co-writer of some of soul’s most enduring songs, Cropper helped define an era with understated brilliance. His story is one of quiet mastery, deep collaboration, and a lifelong devotion to groove.

The Making of a Musical Craftsman

Born in the tiny town of Dora, Missouri, in 1941, Steve Cropper grew up far from the musical centers he would later transform. When his family relocated to Memphis, he found himself surrounded by the city’s electrifying cultural energy. Gospel spilled from church windows. Blues drifted across street corners. Rhythm and soul pulsed through every neighborhood.

At 14, he bought his first guitar—and something clicked. Cropper wasn’t drawn to showmanship; he was drawn to feel. He devoured the styles of Chuck Berry, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Reed, and Lowman Pauling, listening closely for the little details that made records come alive. That instinct—to serve the song, not overshadow it—became the foundation of his career.

Stax Records, The Mar-Keys, and a Musical Revolution

By the late 1950s, Cropper had joined up with fellow Memphis teenagers to form the Royal Spades, who soon became the Mar-Keys. Their 1961 hit “Last Night” put them—and Cropper—on the national map.

But the real transformation came when he began working at Stax Records, the now-legendary Memphis label that blended Black and white musicians into one of the most fruitful integrated creative environments in American history. Recognizing his maturity and vision, Stax co-founder Jim Stewart quickly elevated the young guitarist to A&R duties.

Then came the band that would define him: Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

With Booker T. Jones on Hammond organ, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums, Cropper helped forge a sound both gritty and elegant—lean grooves that let the emotion breathe. Together, they became the heartbeat of Stax, backing a who’s-who of soul royalty: Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, and many more.

A Songwriter Behind the Classics

Though Cropper rarely claimed the spotlight, he left an enormous imprint on the American songbook. His co-writing credits include three of the most iconic soul songs ever recorded:

• “In the Midnight Hour” with Wilson Pickett

• “Knock on Wood” with Eddie Floyd

• “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” with Otis Redding

That last song holds a special place in music history. Cropper finished the lyrics and arranged the recording after Redding’s death—a bittersweet act of artistry that helped turn the track into a timeless masterpiece.

His playing style—clean, sharp, sparse—became a signature. Never flashy, always essential.

Hollywood, The Blues Brothers, and the Wider World

Cropper’s influence extended far beyond Stax. When the original era of the label ended, he built TMI Studios and recorded with Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, José Feliciano, and The Jeff Beck Group. His reputation soared.

In 1978, an unexpected twist cemented his fame with a new generation: The Blues Brothers. Alongside Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and his old Stax bandmates, Cropper became part of a pop-culture phenomenon. His stoic stage presence—shades on, Telecaster in hand—became iconic. He appeared in The Blues Brothers (1980), Blues Brothers 2000 (1999), and continued performing with versions of the band for decades.

A Lifetime of Honors and Music Without Boundaries

Cropper was never content to coast. He continued writing, producing, and recording well into his eighties. He played at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, toured with Neil Young, released new albums, and collaborated across genres—from soul to country to blues to rock.

Awards and honors accumulated:

• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Booker T. & the M.G.’s

• Two Grammy Awards, with multiple nominations

• Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

• Ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitarists by Rolling Stone

Even in his later years, he kept pushing forward. His 2024 album Friendlytown, backed by Billy Gibbons and featuring Brian May, proved he remained a creative force at age 82.

A Quiet Farewell

Steve Cropper died on December 3, 2025, in Nashville at the age of 84. He had recently been recovering from a fall, and no immediate cause of death was released. His passing closed the final chapter on a career that had touched nearly every corner of popular music.

What remains is a legacy woven through decades of recordings—riffs and lines that feel as elemental as the songs themselves. Cropper wasn’t loud. He didn’t need to be. His guitar spoke in precise, soulful phrases that helped define a genre and influence generations.

Steve Cropper leaves behind a body of work that proves something profound:
Sometimes the quietest musicians change everything.