Lily Finnegan Turns Chicago’s Creative Tradition Into a Language of Her Own on 150 Swirl

If Lily Finnegan’s acclaimed 2025 debut Heat On! was a love letter to Chicago’s tightly knit jazz community, 150 Swirl is a manifesto from an artist who understands that consistency can be its own form of rebellion.

Like its predecessor, the new album arrives via Cuneiform Records and reunites Finnegan with the same formidable cast: legendary Chicago tenor saxophonist Edward Wilkerson Jr., alto saxophonist Fred Jackson Jr. and bassist Nick Macri on upright and electric bass. Together, they create music that swings hard, leaves room for disruption and draws equally from Chicago’s deep jazz history and Finnegan’s wide-ranging experiences in punk, improvisation and experimental music.

At 28, Finnegan has already established herself as an essential player across several overlapping scenes. One of the defining characteristics of her musical life has been a willingness to seek out veteran musicians and learn from them.

She doesn’t take those relationships for granted. A recent conversation with a friend visiting from New York put the uniqueness of Finnegan’s Chicago experience into perspective.

“She said, ‘It’s so cool you have so many elders in your life. That intergenerational aspect is really lacking in New York,’” Finnegan recalls. “That’s part of what makes me so excited about this band.”

That intergenerational connection is embedded in 150 Swirl from its opening moments. Finnegan begins with “Same Old Velvet,” a tribute to the late saxophonist Von Freeman’s legendary Velvet Lounge, the long-running Chicago institution that became a vital home for experimental music. Finnegan was too young to have experienced the club firsthand, but its influence permeates the piece.

Swinging with rough-edged abandon, “Same Old Velvet” combines two fragments into a kinetic, rambunctious composition inspired by Roscoe Mitchell and Henry Threadgill.

“It’s very inspired by Roscoe Mitchell and Henry Threadgill, where elements of their work could paint a vibrant picture with sparse melodic information,” Finnegan says.

Edward Wilkerson Jr.’s liquid alto clarinet winds around Fred Jackson Jr.’s more combative alto saxophone, creating a sound that captures Finnegan’s idea of the Chicago aesthetic: loose without abandoning swing.

“Sometimes people think outside music equals not playing in grid-like time,” she says. “I like to keep swing in there that rubs against the grid, particularly when the music gets more chaotic.”

That balance between structure and surprise runs throughout the album. On “Eighty Too,” Macri’s muscular electric bass drives an extended form that feels like a turbulent trip across Chicago, while Wilkerson and Jackson dart around one another in a spirited saxophone conversation. Finnegan’s drumming provides the engine, simultaneously holding the music together and pushing it toward instability.

“For H-Park” takes a similarly kinetic approach, beginning with a drum solo before accelerating into a groove touched by Afro-Cuban rhythms. The pulse becomes a vehicle for the horns to move into increasingly freer territory.

“I enjoy that it’s rough around the edges,” Finnegan says. “With this group, I like to write intricate, interlocking parts but also leave room for surprise when we variate from what’s written on the page.”

The album’s quieter passages reveal another side of her compositional voice. “Lipstick Criminal Moonlight” moves from a brooding, obsessive theme into teasing, deliberate passages built around open space and minimal drum accents. Its initially tense atmosphere gradually becomes meditative before disappearing into silence.

“Lovebird Nextdoor” extends that calm with a lush, Mingus-inspired ballad. Wilkerson delivers the melody on tenor saxophone with understated grace, while Finnegan shapes the rhythm with finely calibrated dynamics and an implied 12/8 pulse.

On the largely through-composed “Drift, Flip, Spiral-Like,” Finnegan uses a rhythmic cue to organize the band’s movement. The gesture draws on samba, functioning as a drum call that brings the musicians back to the melody.

“I created a rhythmic cue that calls the band back in to the melody,” she explains.

The album closes with “Rubber Rose,” perhaps its most striking example of Finnegan’s ability to create simultaneous conversations. Macri opens on electric bass while Jackson and Wilkerson play clarinets, establishing contrasting musical paths. The drums and bass engage in one dialogue while the horns pursue another. Rather than collapsing into chaos, the competing lines create tension and intrigue, leaving the listener inside the music rather than simply observing it.

Finnegan’s approach to music is rooted in a curiosity that has been evident since childhood. Born in Chicago and raised in nearby Evanston, she started playing drums as a tween. Punk and alternative rock initially captured her attention, but jazz entered the picture in high school, when she began recognizing a connection between improvised music and punk.

“I was drawn to music about liberation and bigger topics, and less concerned about fitting in to a genre box,” she says.

At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Finnegan initially studied sociology rather than music. Before long, however, she was spending as much time behind the drum kit as she was in the classroom and ultimately graduated with a double major.

A summer in Boston brought her into contact with Terri Lyne Carrington, who recruited her to Berklee’s master’s program. Finnegan completed the degree during the pandemic through a full scholarship to Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute, a 20-person program led by Danilo Pérez. She also participated in the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, where she worked with mentors including Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh and Carrington.

“Allison Miller is another major one for me,” Finnegan says, adding to a list of mentors who have encouraged her to remain curious across styles and musical histories.

After returning to Chicago in 2021, Finnegan connected with Ken Vandermark through Davis. Vandermark invited her to join his band Edition Redux, giving her an opportunity to observe his compositional process from close range.

“There are so many different ways to write and organize music,” she says.

That lesson has become central to Finnegan’s own practice. Her Berklee thesis, “Music and Abolition: Creating a World Without Policing - Music’s Role in Imagination, Experimentation, and Collectivity,” extended into a broader interest in the ways power, history and social movements have shaped Chicago’s creative community.

She is now one of the curators of the Option Series, a showcase for contemporary improvisation and composition at Experimental Sound Studio. She is also a festival organizer and member of the artist cooperative Catalytic Sound.

Her own projects range widely. With violinist and vocalist gabby fluke-mogul, her partner in the queer-punk-meets-avant-jazz duo, she released Throw It In The Sink in 2024. Her Lily Finnegan Double Drum Quintet, featuring veteran AACM drummer Vincent Davis, recently released Live at Elastic Arts. She also performs with the GAF Trio alongside saxophonist and guitarist Will Greene and cellist Ishmael Ali.

Her collaborators include James Brandon Lewis, Bill Orcutt, Fay Victor, Patrick Shiroishi, Brandon Seabrook and storyteller and multi-instrumentalist Shanta Nurullah, among many others.

That breadth is not accidental. Finnegan sees each project as an opportunity to access a different part of herself.

“The variety of projects help me connect with the different sides of myself,” she says.

That philosophy may be the key to understanding 150 Swirl. The album is rooted in Chicago, but it refuses to be confined by any single definition of Chicago jazz. It can be angular and swinging, composed and spontaneous, muscular and tender. It draws on the city’s elders while giving Finnegan room to establish her own vocabulary.

The result is a quartet that sounds deeply connected to its surroundings while remaining unmistakably individual. With 150 Swirl, Finnegan isn’t simply carrying forward a tradition. She is testing its boundaries, learning from its history and adding her own voice to the ongoing conversation.

150 Swirl features Edward Wilkerson Jr. on tenor saxophone, alto clarinet and B♭ clarinet; Fred Jackson Jr. on alto saxophone and percussion; Nick Macri on upright and electric bass; and Lily Finnegan on drums. The album is forthcoming from Cuneiform Records.

Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo Continue Their Journey Through the Bolero

 

For Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo, the bolero is more than a musical tradition. It is part of the soundtrack of home, family and memory. On El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3, the celebrated saxophonist and pianist return to the repertoire they have explored together for years, bringing fresh spontaneity and deeply personal feeling to songs that have traveled across generations and borders.

Due August 28, 2026, on Zenón’s Miel Music label, the album is the third installment in a series that began during the isolation of the pandemic and has since become one of the duo’s most distinctive projects. The album will be released on vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms, with an album release concert scheduled for October 17 at The Jazz Gallery in New York City.

“There is a concept behind it,” Zenón says, “but the performances are very off-the-cuff and involve very few takes. We just go in and play!”

That combination of preparation and spontaneity defines the music. Zenón and Perdomo have performed together in the internationally acclaimed Miguel Zenón Quartet for 27 years, developing an intuitive musical language that allows them to follow a melody wherever it leads. Zenón’s unmistakable alto sound and Perdomo’s richly expressive piano touch give these familiar songs new dimensions without losing their emotional core.

The bolero itself is a genre built around intimacy. Emerging in eastern Cuba in the 1880s, the bittersweet love song soon spread throughout Latin America and became a defining part of 20th-century popular culture. Radio and cinema helped carry its melodies across borders, creating a shared repertoire that remains deeply embedded in the musical memory of the Spanish-speaking world.

For Zenón, who grew up in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and Perdomo, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, that repertoire is personal.

“We're exploring music that's very familiar to us,” Zenón says. “For both Luis and myself, it has a personal connection. It's not like I was around when these songs were first written or recorded. It's more like I remember hearing them at home through my parents or grandparents.”

That sense of inherited memory is central to El Arte del Bolero. Rather than approaching the songs as museum pieces, the duo treats them much as jazz musicians have long treated the Great American Songbook: as material to reinterpret, reshape and make their own.

“We explore it the same way that jazz folks would explore music out of the Great American Songbook,” Zenón says.

The connection between bolero and jazz is particularly natural in their hands. The genre’s sophisticated harmonies and song structures provide an expansive canvas for improvisation, while Zenón and Perdomo bring decades of experience to the process. Their versions retain the songs’ essential character while allowing the musicians to respond instinctively in the moment.

Choosing the repertoire is similarly intuitive. The duo does not need to look far for inspiration. Songs emerge from personal memories and conversations, often sparked by something one musician remembers hearing at home or a favorite recording discovered along the way.

That approach helped shape the original El Arte del Bolero, which was created quickly in response to the need for a livestream concert during the pandemic. Released January 8, 2021, while much of the world remained in isolation, the album introduced listeners to the intimate chemistry of Zenón and Perdomo in a stripped-down setting.

El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 2 followed in 2023 and earned the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. With the arrival of Vol. 3, the project has evolved from a one-time response to an established musical series, giving the two artists another opportunity to explore the repertoire that connects their Caribbean and Latin American backgrounds.

Zenón brings an extraordinary depth of experience to the project. A Puerto Rican alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, producer and educator, he has released 19 albums as a leader over 25 years and has collaborated with artists and ensembles including Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Pérez, Bobby Hutcherson, the Mingus Big Band and the SFJAZZ Collective. His honors include a GRAMMY Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, MacArthur Fellowship and Doris Duke Artist Award.

Perdomo brings an equally broad musical background. The Grammy-winning Venezuelan pianist has released nine recordings as a leader and appeared on more than 250 albums as a sideman. His collaborators include Ravi Coltrane, Jerry Bergonzi, Tom Harrell, Brian Lynch, Ray Barretto, Henry Threadgill, David Sánchez, The Cookers and the Vanguard Orchestra. A founding member of the Miguel Zenón Quartet, he has also collaborated with Zenón on all three volumes of El Arte del Bolero.

Yet the appeal of the series ultimately rests less on credentials than chemistry. With no rhythm section to mediate their interaction, Zenón and Perdomo operate in an unusually exposed space, responding to each other in real time. The result is music that can feel conversational, intimate and spontaneous while remaining grounded in a shared understanding of melody and harmony.

For El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3, that chemistry continues to illuminate songs that have already lived many musical lives. Zenón and Perdomo are not simply preserving a tradition. They are listening for what these melodies still have to say—and finding new ways to say it together.

El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3 was released August 28, 2026, via Miel Music. The album release concert takes place October 17 at The Jazz Gallery in New York City.

Brandon Sanders Is Changing the Game, One Groove at a Time

Long before Brandon Sanders took command of a drum kit, he was directing traffic on the basketball court.

A former college player at the University of Kansas, Sanders spent his early years pursuing the game before discovering the drums at 25. Decades later, after establishing himself as a first-call New York drummer, he made his recording debut in his 50s with 2023’s critically acclaimed Compton’s Finest. Since then, Sanders has released an album every year, following his debut with 2024’s The Tables Will Turn and 2025’s Lasting Impression.

Now, with The Game Changer, due October 30, 2026, via Savant Records, Sanders draws on the instincts that shaped him as both an athlete and a bandleader: awareness, timing, movement, generosity and an instinct for making everyone around him better.

“Instead of playing jazz in his youth, Sanders played basketball, and one can picture him dribbling the ball with the same springy energy,” wrote Chris Pearson in The Times of London. That energy pulses through The Game Changer, an album that moves with the confidence of a seasoned floor general while embracing the full breadth of Sanders’ musical upbringing.

The title is both a personal statement and an apt description of Sanders’ role in the studio. He sees himself as a musical point guard, someone who controls tempo and pace, creates opportunities and changes the dynamic whenever he enters the game.

“If you look at it from a basketball perspective, who's that guy that you put in the game that makes the difference,” Sanders says. “They change the dynamic musically, get people snapping their fingers, tapping their feet and feeling positive energy. Just put me in play and I'm going to do something to take the music to another level. That’s the game changer.”

To carry out that vision, Sanders assembles a lineup that blends longtime collaborators with fresh voices. Vibraphonist Warren Wolf, a recurring presence throughout Sanders’ discography, returns with the chemistry of a trusted teammate. Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt makes his first appearance on a Sanders album, bringing commanding brass color to the proceedings. Bassist Eric Wheeler, a frequent partner in the rhythm section, locks into the leader’s movement, while saxophonist Stacy Dillard brings his unmistakable energy and a connection that extends beyond music and into Sanders’ basketball world.

Pianist William Hill III represents a younger generation making an immediate impact on jazz, while vocalist Briana Swann appears on two tracks, lending the album a warm, soulful dimension.

Divided evenly between originals and carefully chosen covers, The Game Changer is accessible without sacrificing depth. The opening title track establishes Sanders’ hard-bop credentials while paying tribute to one of his most important influences, Art Blakey.

“If you listen to the instrumentation and the harmony, it'll remind you of The Jazz Messengers,” Sanders explains. “Art Blakey is one of my favorite drummers and I tried to write the melody in tribute to him. You think about tunes like ‘Moanin’,’ and that’s what we’re talking about.”

The Blakey influence returns on “Shrimp and Grits,” a spirited burner named for a menu favorite at Harlem’s Row House. Elsewhere, “Sunsets in Santa Monica” offers a gently swinging, pseudo-samba portrait of the California pier, with a rare Sanders drum solo providing an inviting point of entry.

The album’s originals also reveal Sanders’ deeply personal side. “James Arthur,” a stylish, cobalt-hued swinger spotlighting Wolf, Hill and Wheeler, honors his stepfather. “Pamela the Queen,” a beautifully shaped ballad, pays tribute to his mother. Together, the two pieces give the album an emotional center and mark the first Sanders release to devote such substantial space to his own compositions.

The covers showcase his versatility and his instinctive sense of support. Sanders keeps the fire burning beneath Stacy Dillard’s quartet on Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love?” and provides understated propulsion on Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” On Pelt’s “SMB,” he settles into a lighter, guiding groove beneath the interplay of vibes, saxophone and muted trumpet.

His approach becomes even more tender on the vocal tracks. A beautiful bossa nova treatment of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars” gives Briana Swann room to glow, while the Isley Brothers classic “Footsteps in the Dark” unfolds with a relaxed slow-jam feel.

That catholic musical sensibility is central to Sanders’ identity. Raised in Los Angeles in a home filled with jazz records and born in Kansas City, where his grandmother ran the jazz club Casablanca, he grew up absorbing music without rigid boundaries. His record collection, like his new album, could move freely from Lee Morgan to James Brown to the Isley Brothers.

“I grew up in the ‘70s when they used to stack records up on top of the pin, one falling and playing after another,” Sanders says. “There would be Lee Morgan, then James Brown, then the Isley Brothers, and on and on. So, this isn’t about what’s jazz or not jazz. It's all just music to me. It's all coming from the African-American tradition. That's just how I see it, how I grew up. I can't help it. That’s me.”

Sanders’ route to the bandstand was unconventional. A walk-on at the University of Kansas, he balanced basketball with his undergraduate studies in communications. When he began drumming at 25, he had no previous experience, but dedication and sincerity quickly made up for lost time. He later attended Berklee College of Music, where he strengthened his musicianship and formed lasting friendships with Wolf and drummer Kendrick Scott.

After moving to New York in 2004, Sanders established himself as a sought-after drummer, performing with artists including Mike LeDonne, Peter Bernstein, Joe Lovano, Jeremy Pelt, Esperanza Spalding, Walter Smith III and Billy Pierce. His recording career arrived later, but it has moved with remarkable momentum.

Lasting Impression earned four-star reviews from Jazzwise, AllMusic and The Times of London, appeared on year-end lists from critics including Bill Milkowski and Phil Freeman, and drew a memorable assessment from DownBeat’s Herb Boyd, who called it “a slam dunk for the former hoopster.” WBGO’s Gary Walker likewise observed that Sanders had made “a Lasting Impression that he’s here to stay!”

With The Game Changer, Sanders continues to turn an unconventional path into a defining musical perspective. His late arrival as a leader has given him the vantage point of a veteran: patient enough to listen, competitive enough to push forward and generous enough to understand that the strongest performance is often the one that lifts the entire team.

Recorded March 9 and April 14, 2026, The Game Changer arrives October 30 on Savant Records. Sanders will celebrate the album with release concerts on November 20 at Jazz Fellowship in Seattle, November 27 at World Stage in Los Angeles and January 16, 2027, at Sista’s Place in Brooklyn, New York.

Bill Frisell’s “In My Dreams” Turns Decades of Musical Friendship Into a Singular Sound

When Bill Frisell released In My Dreams on Blue Note Records on February 27, 2026, the album arrived as more than another chapter in the celebrated guitarist’s long recording career. It was a musical reunion built around friendship, trust and decades of shared history, bringing together five musicians who have repeatedly crossed paths with Frisell but had never before appeared together in this particular sextet.

Joining Frisell are violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, cellist Hank Roberts, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. Together, they create a richly textured ensemble capable of moving freely between jazz, Americana, improvisation and Frisell's own compositions.

The album also marked an important moment in Frisell's career. He turned 75 on March 18, 2026, celebrating the milestone with a series of concerts across the United States, including performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, Tulsa, New York and Sellersville, Pennsylvania.

But the heart of In My Dreams lies less in the milestone itself than in the unusual musical chemistry of the musicians assembled for it.

Frisell has spent more than four decades developing a sound that resists easy categorization. His guitar playing can move from spacious and atmospheric to rhythmically intricate, often connecting jazz with American roots music, folk, country and experimental traditions. With In My Dreams, that expansive musical vocabulary is placed in the hands of musicians who understand Frisell's language from years of working alongside him.

The sextet effectively brings together two of Frisell's most important musical circles.

Morgan and Royston formed the rhythm section of Frisell's acclaimed trio, most recently heard on the 2020 album Valentine. Scheinman, Kang and Roberts represent a string ensemble that dates back two decades to Richter 858, first released in 2002. Each musician has developed an individual musical relationship with Frisell through years of concerts and recordings.

The resulting chemistry is the product of familiarity rather than formal orchestration. These are musicians who know how to listen to one another, leave space and respond in the moment.

That quality is especially important to the album's unusual production history. Produced by Lee Townsend and engineered by Adam Muñoz, the core performances were recorded live during concerts in Brooklyn, Denver and New Haven in 2025. Additional material was recorded at Opus Studios in Berkeley, California.

Rather than simply correcting isolated notes or cleaning up individual performances, the studio work involved adding entire sections and soundscapes. The finished album therefore occupies a space between concert document and studio creation, retaining the unpredictability of live performance while using the studio as another instrument in the creative process.

The album's title is rooted in a dream Frisell has carried with him for more than three decades.

In the dream, he finds himself in a magnificent library surrounded by leather-bound books and antiquities. Seated around a table are hooded, monk-like figures who initially appear intimidating but soon reveal themselves as welcoming guides. They tell Frisell they want to show him what things really are.

First, they show him what colors truly look like. Then they offer him the chance to hear what real music sounds like.

The sound that follows brings together many of the artists and musical traditions Frisell loves: Nino Rota, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Charles Ives, Jimi Hendrix, Hank Williams, Andrés Segovia and Robert Johnson. In the dream, their music exists simultaneously, yet every element remains perfectly clear.

That vision has stayed with Frisell, becoming a kind of artistic reference point. In My Dreams represents another attempt to approach that ideal—different musical worlds coexisting without losing their individual character.

It is a fitting concept for a musician whose career has consistently blurred boundaries. Frisell has never treated jazz, Americana, blues, folk or experimental music as isolated territories. Instead, he has spent decades exploring what happens when those traditions are allowed to interact.

The musicians on In My Dreams make that approach particularly vivid. Scheinman's violin, Kang's viola and Roberts' cello create a flexible string texture around Frisell's guitar, while Morgan and Royston provide a rhythm section capable of shifting between delicate restraint and more expansive improvisation.

The result is an ensemble sound built as much on conversation as composition.

By the time In My Dreams arrived in early 2026, Frisell had already established himself as one of the defining guitarists of his generation. Yet the album demonstrates that longevity has not narrowed his musical curiosity. If anything, the record suggests that the accumulated relationships of a long career can become a source of new possibilities.

That makes the album's title especially appropriate. The dream Frisell remembers is about hearing familiar musical voices with unusual clarity and discovering how seemingly distant traditions can exist together. In My Dreams turns that idea into a living ensemble.

The album is ultimately a portrait of an artist surrounded by trusted collaborators and still searching for new ways to hear. At 75, Frisell's music remains less concerned with arriving at a fixed destination than with following the sound wherever it leads.

And on In My Dreams, that journey is shared with some of the musicians who have helped shape the path along the way.

Vel Lewis Brings Six Decades of Groove to “Smoovee”

More than six decades after first stepping in front of a microphone as a teenage vocalist in Philadelphia, Hammond organ master Vel Lewis is entering a new chapter with “Smoovee,” a lush, groove-driven single featuring acclaimed soprano and tenor saxophonist Marion Meadows. The recording has already made an immediate impact, debuting as the #1 Most Added recording at smooth jazz radio and continuing to build momentum across multiple formats.

“Smoovee” is now appearing on the Smooth Jazz Network Top 100, Mediabase Smooth Jazz, RadioWave Monitor Groove Jazz 100 and the Top 30 Weekend Radio chart in Madrid, Spain, while reaching audiences across every major streaming platform. At its core, the recording captures the sound Lewis has spent a lifetime refining: groove jazz, smooth jazz, soul, funk and rhythm and blues woven into one melodic, infectious performance.

The story behind “Smoovee” reaches back to the late 1990s, when Lewis wrote the composition in his living room on a home workstation. He envisioned a smooth, uncomplicated groove built specifically around the soprano saxophone. Lewis had admired Meadows' distinctive tone and phrasing since the saxophonist's RCA Records years, and the two eventually became friends after meeting at a Houston jazz club.

When Lewis finally presented the song to Meadows, the saxophonist agreed immediately. What followed was a remarkably international recording project. During an extended stay in Brazil, Lewis recorded the rhythm section in a Rio de Janeiro studio with musicians Adalberto Miranda and Dede Silva, laying down keys, bass and drums. Percussionist Cassio Duarte later overdubbed Brazilian pandeiro from Texas, adding another layer of rhythmic color to the production.

The recording also brought together several important relationships from Lewis' musical journey. Guitarist and mixer Paul Brown, whom Lewis met the same night Meadows performed at Houston's House of Blues, helped shape the final mix. Mastering was handled by Steve Hall of Future Disc Systems.

For Lewis, the international production of “Smoovee” reflects a career that has rarely respected musical boundaries.

Born Velbert Lewis Jr. on November 30, 1954, in Philadelphia, Lewis began his musical journey in 1965 as a first soprano vocalist with the Philadelphia All Boys Choir. He eventually toured internationally as a featured soloist with the choir's Small Ensemble, including a performance at Expo '67 in Montreal.

His early training included voice and piano studies at Philadelphia's Settlement Music School. He later turned his attention to the organ, the instrument that would ultimately become his defining musical voice, studying under Milton Myers and Dr. E. Woodley Kalehoff, a former White House pianist during the Truman administration.

Even as a teenager, Lewis was moving comfortably between musical worlds. He appeared on television performing jazz with drummer Gerry Brown and bassist John Lee while simultaneously working as a Hammond organist on gospel sessions for ABC/Peacock Records produced by Ira Tucker Sr. Those sessions placed him alongside legendary gospel groups including The Sensational Nightingales, The Gospelaires and The Dixie Hummingbirds.

By 1972, Lewis had become part of Philadelphia's vibrant soul music scene. He signed with Philadelphia International Records as a member of The Futures and later performed with The Delfonics during the Major Harris era. Along the way, he shared stages with Earth, Wind and Fire, Parliament Funkadelic, Al Green, The Stylistics and Frankie Beverly and Maze.

His work as a songwriter also produced a lasting piece of soul music history. Lewis co-wrote and sang lead on “Tell Me Why” with The Life Group, released by Warner Bros. and Reprise in 1974. The recording has since gained recognition within the international Northern Soul community as a Top 100 classic, a distinction that continues to attract the attention of soul historians and collectors.

Lewis' career eventually expanded beyond live performance and recording. Beginning in 1995, he composed for Los Angeles Post Music, creating music for a series of national Chrysler Plymouth television commercials featuring Tina Turner. His compositions also appeared in television programs including “Sex and the City,” “Friends,” “Mad About You” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”

In 2003, Lewis joined Dionne Warwick's touring ensemble, spending three years performing internationally and drawing upon the combination of pop, soul, gospel and orchestral musicianship demanded by Warwick's repertoire.

Two years later, he released his debut solo album, “All Wound Up,” under the name Shady Grady. Lewis wrote or co-wrote every track on the project, establishing another chapter in a career defined by versatility and musical independence.

The years that followed brought continued recording activity and international recognition, including the charting singles “PlayTyme” and “Bossaflowz,” recorded with guitarist Michael Garvin, as well as “Forever More,” a 2021 collaboration featuring vocalist Larry Braggs. In June 2024, Lewis received the Houston Black Music Award for Best Jazz Male Performer from the Black Music Association and Academy of America.

Now, “Smoovee” brings many of those musical experiences together.

The Hammond organ remains at the center, surrounded by the grooves of funk, the emotional language of soul and blues, the rhythmic pulse of R&B, the improvisational freedom of jazz and the spiritual foundation of gospel. Rather than placing those influences into separate categories, Lewis folds them into a single musical identity.

That philosophy is also informing the next phase of his live performances. Lewis is bringing groove jazz, smooth jazz, soul, funk, blues, gospel and rhythm and blues together onstage, with the Hammond organ serving as the common thread.

The significance of “Smoovee” ultimately extends beyond a new single. It is the latest expression of a musician whose career has moved through Philadelphia gospel, soul revues, major touring productions, television composition, international performance and studio collaborations without losing sight of the instrument that has defined his voice for roughly 60 years.

From a teenage soprano in Philadelphia to a Hammond organist recording in Rio de Janeiro, Vel Lewis continues to write, produce, record and perform with the same curiosity that has driven his musical journey from the beginning.

Lewis is scheduled to appear at the Sugar Land Arts Fest in Sugar Land, Texas, on November 8, 2026, followed by an appearance at SoHo Restaurant & Music Club in Santa Barbara, California, on November 28, 2026. With “Smoovee” continuing its climb at radio and across streaming platforms, the latest chapter of Lewis' six-decade musical story is already in motion.

Rahsaan Barber Finds New Creative Energy on Eternal

Saxophonist and composer Rahsaan Barber enters a deeply personal new chapter with Eternal, an album that combines his sophisticated approach to modern jazz with an unusually powerful sense of emotion and reflection. Due October 9 on his own Jazz Music City Records, the album features eight Barber originals alongside an inventive interpretation of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

Barber is joined by his longtime working rhythm section—pianist Matt Endahl, bassist Kevin Beardsley and drummer Joshua Hunt—along with New Orleans guitarist Ted Ludwig, whose addition brings another distinctive voice to the quartet.

The personal circumstances surrounding Eternal had a profound effect on the recording. Shortly before the sessions, Barber and his wife, classical saxophonist Heidi Radtke, learned that her pregnancy was no longer viable. The loss became part of the album’s emotional foundation, particularly the title track.

Originally called “Awaiting Zora,” after the daughter the couple had been expecting, the composition became “Eternal,” taking on a different meaning as Barber transformed his grief into music.

“I feel like they put a force field around me that allowed me to be in a place that became therapeutic for me, life-affirming,” Barber said of the musicians who surrounded him during the sessions.

That sense of empathy carries throughout the album. Barber’s playing is expressive and commanding, but Eternal is equally notable for the interaction among the musicians. The album often feels less like a showcase for individual players than a conversation among a group that knows how to listen to one another.

Ludwig makes an immediate impression. Barber first encountered the New Orleans guitarist when the two performed together in Memphis, and was intrigued by how Ludwig's more traditional musical language could interact with his own modern compositions. His playing brings what Barber describes as a “sweet kind of fire” to the sessions.

That quality can be heard on “The Skipper,” “Mandela” and particularly “Cabbage,” where Ludwig delivers an energetic guitar contribution to the funky piece. Endahl gets the spotlight on the swinging opener “Day Dreamer” as well as the more reflective “Gratitude (For Claire),” while Beardsley takes a featured role on “Cabbage (Reprise).”

Drummer Joshua Hunt is featured on “Day Dreamer” and “The Skipper,” while making an especially notable contribution to the latter portion of Barber’s transformation of “What’s Going On.” The Marvin Gaye classic becomes something more than a familiar cover, fitting naturally into the album’s broader themes of reflection, loss and perseverance.

At the center of it all is Barber, whose tenor saxophone provides the album with both strength and vulnerability. Eternal represents the latest step in a career that has moved comfortably between performance, composition and education.

Born in Nashville in 1980, Barber grew up in a musical family and chose the tenor saxophone, following the example of his older brother Robert. He and his twin brother Roland, a trombonist, studied under renowned jazz educator David Baker at Indiana University before earning master’s degrees at the Manhattan School of Music. Barber later earned a doctorate in classical saxophone from the University of Memphis.

His academic career has included positions at Belmont University and Tennessee State University before he joined the University of North Carolina, where he is a tenured assistant professor of music. He has also taught master classes at universities around the country.

Alongside his academic work, Barber has maintained an active performing career. He and Roland released the co-led Twinnovation in 2000, while Barber's first album as a leader, Trio Soul, followed in 2005. Years of work on the Nashville scene led to touring opportunities with artists including Kelly Clarkson, Chris Stapleton, the Wooten Brothers and Delfeayo Marsalis.

His subsequent albums have increasingly emphasized his work as a composer. Everyday Magic arrived in 2010, followed by the standards-oriented Music in the Night in 2016, the all-original Mosaic in 2021 and Six Words in 2024, which featured an eight-part original suite.

With Eternal, Barber continues that progression while bringing an especially personal perspective to his music. The album's combination of original compositions, a reimagined soul classic and the chemistry of his working band gives the saxophonist another opportunity to explore the space where modern jazz, groove and deeply personal expression meet.

Barber will celebrate the album with three October CD release performances. The first takes place October 2 at Sharp 9 Jazz Gallery in Durham, North Carolina, with a quintet featuring Jeff “Tain” Watts, Keith Ganz, Kevin Beardsley and Joe Davidian. He follows with a performance at the University of Memphis School of Music on October 16, featuring Watts, Nat Reeves, Kevin Ganz and Matt Endahl. The October 17 Nashville Jazz Workshop performance will feature Matt Endahl, Brian Allen, Keith Ganz and Joshua Hunt.

Eternal arrives October 9, marking another significant chapter in Rahsaan Barber’s development as a saxophonist, composer and bandleader—and one shaped by experiences that have given the music an unmistakably personal voice.

Chris Standring Embraces a New Chapter on Nostalgic Album Time of Change

Contemporary jazz guitarist Chris Standring looks back while moving forward on Time of Change, an album shaped by nostalgia, personal loss and the major life changes that have marked the latest chapter of his life.

Released March 20 on Ultimate Vibe Recordings, Standring’s eighteenth album finds him drawing heavily from the sounds and textures of the 1970s, blending cool jazz, retro R&B grooves, sophisticated horn arrangements and his distinctive electric guitar work. The album’s first single, “Hollywood Hustle,” introduced that approach with an upbeat, horn-driven funk groove.

For Standring, however, Time of Change is about more than revisiting a musical era. Getting married for the first time, losing his father Alistair, and preparing to leave Los Angeles after 35 years have given the album a deeply personal dimension.

“As I get a little older, it's easy to reflect and reminisce about the past, the innocence of youth, the naïveté of decisions, good or bad, and perhaps idolize some of the glory days,” Standring said. “Much of the writing harks back to a familiar time, a nostalgic time. And things in life are different now.”

Standring wrote and produced all eleven tracks, surrounding himself with a core group that includes bassist Andre Berry, drummer Chad Wright and percussionist Lenny Castro. Several songs are expanded by a horn section featuring Brandon Fields on tenor sax, Tom Saviano on alto sax, Michael Stever on trumpet and Erik Hughes on trombone.

The album also brings in several longtime and notable collaborators, including GRAMMY-winning bassist Brian Bromberg, pianist George Whitty, drummer Dave Karasony and keyboardist Rodney Lee. Lee has a particularly personal connection to Standring, having worked with him in the innovative band Solar System roughly three decades ago, near the beginning of Standring’s recording career.

Time of Change opens with “Photographs,” a reflective piece that immediately establishes the album’s nostalgic character. Standring brings an atmospheric quality to his guitar playing while Whitty contributes an expressive piano solo.

Standring described the song in cinematic terms, imagining himself sitting beside a bay window and watching the rain while contemplating life. That imagery becomes something of a recurring theme throughout the album, where memories of the past continually intersect with thoughts about the future.

The upbeat “Magnetic” is built around just two chords and a tight rhythm section from Berry and Wright, with Standring citing the early Yellowjackets as an influence. “Slippin’ In These Streets” moves into a slower, funkier groove that Standring imagined fitting naturally into the soundtrack of a 1970s cop show.

The retro atmosphere continues on “All The Good Times,” while “Where Were You When” slows the pace and introduces strings, including violas and cellos. Standring has described the latter as one of his favorites on the album, particularly for its warmth and spaciousness.

“Hollywood Hustle” brings the funk back into focus before “A Good Game,” where Standring’s production reflects his admiration for the work of legendary producer Quincy Jones. Finger snaps replace a conventional snare pattern, creating a more intimate groove, while layered voices add warmth to the choruses.

The instrumental “One Of These Days” finds Standring looking toward another familiar source of inspiration, drawing on Tom Scott’s horn and string arrangements from Steely Dan recordings. “Remember The Day” returns to the album’s more contemplative side, with Brandon Fields contributing a poignant saxophone solo.

“All That To Say” was originally intended to close the album and carries a sense of resolution, although Standring acknowledged the sadness underneath the music. The album ultimately ends with its most personal statement, “A Song For Alistair,” written in tribute to his father.

Brian Bromberg’s upright bass gives the closing track an especially intimate character. Bromberg told Standring that he believed it was the guitarist’s most beautiful composition, a sentiment Standring considered carefully.

“I loved this melody so much I didn't want to improvise a guitar solo on it,” Standring said. “I just wanted to state the melody and end the song. That statement was enough in my mind.”

That restraint is fitting for an album centered on memory. Rather than simply recreating the sounds of the 1970s, Time of Change uses those influences as a backdrop for Standring’s reflections on youth, family, loss and the future.

Standring began his solo recording career with Velvet in 1998, which produced the breakthrough hit “Cool Shades.” Since then, he has accumulated more than fifteen Billboard top ten singles, including eight No. 1s. His previous album, As We Think, produced another Billboard No. 1 with “Top Hat & Tails.”

Now, with Time of Change, Standring finds himself looking toward what he calls his “third act.” After decades in Los Angeles and the loss of his father, he is preparing for a quieter chapter with his wife, Erica.

The album ultimately captures that transition in music: nostalgic without simply looking backward, reflective without losing its groove, and personal without abandoning the polished contemporary jazz sound that has defined Standring’s career.

Les Sabler Celebrates His Tenth Album with an All-Star Contemporary Jazz Lineup

For Les Sabler, reaching a tenth album is more than a milestone—it is an opportunity to look back at the musicians and musical relationships that have helped shape his career while continuing to push his guitar playing forward.

The Montreal-born, Nashville-based contemporary jazz guitarist will release Ten on October 9, bringing together 10 tracks created over the past two years with an impressive collection of GRAMMY-winning and Billboard-charting musicians and producers.

The album began taking shape in 2024 when Sabler teamed with hitmaker Greg Manning. Their collaboration produced three of the album's defining tracks: the funky, horn-driven “Hot Chicken,” “Patches’ Groove,” featuring trumpeter Michael “Patches” Stewart, and the upbeat “Drive.”

“Patches’ Groove” became a particularly significant recording for Sabler. It gave him his first Billboard No. 1 hit and was named Billboard's No. 2 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year in 2025.

Sabler and Manning later revisited another composition from their sessions, transforming “Boomerang” into a track with a completely different feel from its original conception. Eric Valentine on drums, Mel Brown on bass and Luis Conte on percussion helped bring the reworked arrangement to life.

Another important creative partnership on Ten comes from two-time GRAMMY winner Paul Brown, who previously produced Sabler's Tranquility and Flying High albums. Together with GRAMMY nominee Brian Bromberg and Jeffrey Smith, Sabler created “Café On The Square,” along with “Once In A Lifetime” and the soulful R&B-pop track “Fly Away.”

Sabler also expanded the album's musical palette by working with Nelson Braxton of the Billboard No. 1-charting Braxton Brothers. The two co-wrote “Corner Pocket” and “Sunset Comfort,” with Braxton producing both tracks. “Corner Pocket” also reunites Sabler with pianist Allon Sams, who previously appeared on his Bridge the Gap album.

The album's closing track, “Serengeti,” is perhaps its most personal. Sabler reimagined the song as a tribute to legendary Canadian guitarist Sonny Greenwich, whom he first saw perform in the late 1970s.

“Completing this project with a tribute to Sonny Greenwich brings my journey full circle,” Sabler said, noting Greenwich's influence and friendship throughout his career.

The recording features an impressive supporting cast, including GRAMMY-winning drummer Gregg Bissonette, upright bassist Brian Allen, pianist David Garfield and percussionist Luis Conte, with Braxton contributing keyboards.

Throughout Ten, Sabler puts his versatility as a guitarist on display. His electric guitar work ranges from fast, fluid runs to tightly constructed grooves, while “Sunset Comfort” and “Serengeti” give him an opportunity to explore the expressive qualities of nylon-string guitar. He also adds 12-string acoustic guitar textures to “Serengeti.”

The album reflects a career that has continually moved beyond the expected boundaries of contemporary jazz.

Sabler studied jazz at Concordia University in Montreal before pursuing graduate studies at the University of Miami. He released his debut album, Hidden Treasure, in 1990, followed by Bridge the Gap, whose title track became his first No. 1 single in Canada and earned nominations for Album of the Year and Guitarist of the Year at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards.

Over the years, Sabler has worked with artists including Jeff Lorber, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Hey, Eric Marienthal and Alex Acuña. He has also taken his music in different directions, recording exclusively on nylon-string guitars for Crescent Shores and incorporating Portuguese vocals into his elaborately arranged Jobim Tribute project.

His music continues to find a substantial audience. Sabler's recordings generated 6.6 million Spotify plays last year, contributing to more than 21.6 million streams to date.

With Ten, Sabler is also entering another new chapter: the album will be his first release available on vinyl.

“I am thrilled to share this album which features an immersive variety of songs that flow together seamlessly,” Sabler said. “It is deeply meaningful to me that I am continuing to create and release new music so vibrantly infused with inspiration.”

The 10-track Ten arrives October 9, bringing together two years of collaborations, familiar musical partners, new creative connections and a guitarist still finding new ways to make the contemporary jazz format his own.

Gabriel Mark Hasselbach Bridges Straight-Ahead and Contemporary Jazz

Gabriel Mark Hasselbach has spent his career refusing to put his music into a single category. The Juno Award-winning Vancouver-based trumpeter, flugelhornist and flutist moves comfortably between straight-ahead jazz and contemporary jazz, and his recent work has highlighted both sides of his musical personality.

Earlier this year, Hasselbach released MidCentury Modern Vol. 4, the latest installment in his long-running series devoted to the classic jazz tradition. Released by Windtunnel Records in April, the 20-track collection features standards associated with jazz giants including Freddie Hubbard, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, along with two Hasselbach originals.

The album also showcases Hasselbach's versatility as a multi-instrumentalist. He plays trumpet, flugelhorn, flute and valve trombone and also contributes vocals, while serving as the album's producer.

Seven-time GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker praised the project, calling it “a first rate cast of characters” and highlighting its execution from beginning to end.

For Hasselbach, MidCentury Modern Vol. 4 represents something particularly personal. He has described the album as his “legacy project,” an opportunity to explore the straight-ahead jazz that remains at the foundation of his musical identity.

One of the album's original compositions, “Coming Home for Mardi Gras,” draws from Hasselbach's formative years living and playing in New Orleans, adding a personal touch to an album otherwise rooted heavily in the jazz canon.

At the same time, Hasselbach has continued developing his contemporary jazz career. His collaboration with Billboard chart-topping guitarist Chris Standring, “Swizzle Stick,” combines the musicians' polished contemporary styles with a strong groove and accessible melodic approach.

Released through Standring's Ultimate Vibe Recordings, the track was co-written and co-produced by the two musicians and received airplay as it made its way onto the contemporary jazz charts.

Hasselbach has appeared on the Billboard contemporary jazz chart 11 times, and his partnership with Standring demonstrates how naturally he moves between traditional jazz vocabulary and the smoother, groove-oriented sound of contemporary jazz.

His recent activity has extended beyond recording. Inkwell Publishing released his instructional guide Top Tip Masterclass Jazz Trumpet, a compact handbook designed to help both beginning and experienced trumpet players improve their technique and approach to the instrument.

Rather than concentrating simply on what to play, Hasselbach focuses on how to play, drawing on decades of experience as a performer and educator.

“I had a strong calling to help up-and-comers bypass the trials and challenges of the trumpet,” Hasselbach said. “I wanted to help fast track the rewards and increase the fun quotient while keeping attrition low.”

With those three projects—MidCentury Modern Vol. 4, “Swizzle Stick” and Top Tip Masterclass Jazz Trumpet—Hasselbach has recently offered three different perspectives on his career: the traditionalist, the contemporary jazz artist and the educator.

And there is more music ahead. Hasselbach is working on Le Trompette Bleu, a bluesy contemporary jazz album that will combine his original compositions with reimagined versions of songs including John Lee Hooker and Miles Davis' “End Credits,” Marvin Gaye's “Inner City Blues,” Norman Brown's “Pop's Cool Groove” and War's “Slippin' Into Darkness.”

Born in Denver and now based in Vancouver, Hasselbach has earned multiple Juno Awards and has performed or recorded with artists including Michael Bublé, Bob James, Jeff Lorber, Paul Brown, Greg Manning and Darren Rahn. His international festival appearances have taken him to Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, South Africa and Japan.

What ties the different sides of Hasselbach's work together is his refusal to treat straight-ahead and contemporary jazz as opposing worlds. For him, they are simply different expressions of the same musical foundation.

Whether he's interpreting a Monk standard, laying down a contemporary groove with Chris Standring or helping the next generation of trumpet players find their voice, Hasselbach continues to move comfortably between tradition and modern jazz without abandoning either.

Sacramento Gets Its Own Singing, Dancing Vegan Zombie Musical

 

Sacramento is getting an unusual addition to its film history: a full-length musical featuring singing, dancing—and vegan zombies.

Multimedia artist Belton Mouras Jr. is bringing his imaginative creation Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical to the big screen, expanding his 2024 short film Fingers: The World’s First Vegan Zombie into what is being billed as Sacramento’s first original musical feature.

Shot throughout the Sacramento region, the film combines comedy, music, dance and an eclectic cast of performers. Mouras Jr. wrote the screenplay, composed 12 original songs, is directing the film and stars as the title character, Fingers.

The feature grew out of the success of the original short and two choreographed song-and-dance videos, which have accumulated more than three million views. The new film takes that concept considerably further, creating a musical world where zombies are learning to live—and contribute—to society without eating meat.

The cast reflects the film's anything-goes musical approach. Broadway performer Grace Field joins Sacramento opera vocalists Omari Tau and Vanessa Martucci in an “Opera Rock Hop” number combining opera, rock and hip-hop. Two-time Emmy Award-winning jazz musician Tony Saunders and Billboard-charting flutist Althea René also make cameo appearances.

Another ambitious sequence was filmed in a downtown Sacramento warehouse, bringing together K-pop performer Sean Choi, I-pop artist Lav Raman and their dance teams for a combination dance-off and rap battle. The sequence also incorporates a six-member mariachi folklórico ensemble and a featured vocal performance by co-lead Rachel Williams.

With 12 original songs spanning hip-hop, pop, jazz, rock and country, Mouras Jr. is using the film as a showcase for multiple musical styles while expanding the Fingers story into a larger cinematic world.

For Mouras Jr., the project is also a distinctly Sacramento production. Locations including Auburn, Gibson Ranch and the Apple Hill region provided settings for the film, continuing the local connection established by the original short.

“I’ve been grateful for the incredible opportunity to also play the lead role of Fingers and bring the character to life,” Mouras Jr. said, describing the project as a way of bringing multiple creative platforms together into one cinematic experience.

The film is another chapter in an unusually busy year for the classically trained musician. Mouras Jr. recently released the contemporary jazz instrumental “Dynamo,” featuring nine-time GRAMMY nominee Gerald Albright on saxophone and Saunders on bass. He also released his first country single, “Hold My Hand With Your Heart.”

Meanwhile, the Fingers musical has already begun making its way into the music world. Last year, Mouras Jr. released “What A World (We Live In),” the opening song-and-dance number from the film, accompanied by a video featuring 25 dancers performing in Sacramento.

With its mix of zombies, original music, elaborate choreography and Sacramento locations, Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical is shaping up as a decidedly unconventional musical—and a project with a distinctly local identity.

Carmen Jackson Brings Milt Jackson’s “Bags’ Groove” Into a New Generation

Detroit vocalist Carmen Jackson is reaching back into her family history while putting her own stamp on a jazz classic with her new release, “Bags’ Groove,” a fresh interpretation of the composition written by her legendary uncle, vibraphonist Milt Jackson.

Known to the jazz world as “Bags,” Milt Jackson wrote “Bags’ Groove” in 1952, creating a composition that would become closely associated with his distinctive, swinging approach to jazz. More than seven decades later, his niece is giving the piece a new perspective through her smooth, soulful vocal style.

Produced and performed by Randy Scott, Jackson’s version retains the finger-popping feel of straight-ahead jazz while adding contemporary soul and R&B touches. Her silky delivery brings an easy elegance to the song, connecting the timeless character of the original composition with a modern vocal sensibility.

For Jackson, however, the recording is about more than revisiting a famous jazz title. It is a personal connection to her family and to the musical legacy of an uncle whose career helped shape American jazz.

“‘Bags’ Groove’ is my personal tribute to my uncle, Milt Jackson—honoring the iconic piece he wrote in 1952 while bringing its spirit forward with my own voice,” Jackson said. “It’s a celebration of his legacy and the timeless groove he gave to the world.”

The release also brought Jackson back to the Cotton Club in Cannes, France, where she performed June 2–5. Following her appearance at the venue the previous year, Jackson returned for another engagement celebrating jazz history and the international release of “Bags’ Groove.” A new video for the single was also filmed in conjunction with the release.

“I’m honored to return to the Cotton Club in Cannes—a place that celebrates the history of jazz while welcoming artists who are shaping its future,” Jackson said.

Jackson has also shared the stage with four-time GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist Boney James, adding another connection to the contemporary smooth-jazz world.

Born and based in Detroit, Jackson grew up surrounded by music. Her father was a percussionist, and that musical foundation continues to inform an approach that respects jazz tradition while embracing soulful rhythms, contemporary R&B influences and a modern vocal aesthetic.

Jackson released her debut single, “Where Do We Go From Here,” in 2018. She is now developing a new project with R&B-jazz vocalist Robert Imtume Owens, which is scheduled to be recorded in Kansas City. She is also considering a live album that would further capture her work as a performing artist.

The family legacy behind “Bags’ Groove” is substantial. Milt Jackson was named an NEA Jazz Master in 1997 and first gained widespread attention as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s pioneering bebop band in the 1940s. He later formed the Milt Jackson Quartet, which evolved into the Modern Jazz Quartet, one of jazz’s most enduring ensembles. The group performed together for nearly four decades.

Beyond his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Jackson recorded with artists including Cannonball Adderley and Ray Charles. His contributions were later recognized with inductions into the Percussion Hall of Fame and the DownBeat Hall of Fame.

Now, Carmen Jackson is adding her own chapter to that musical story.

“Bags’ Groove” doesn't attempt to simply recreate the past. Instead, Jackson approaches her uncle’s composition as a living piece of music—one that can be carried forward through a new voice, a contemporary production and a deeply personal connection to the artist who originally wrote it.

For Carmen Jackson, the groove is familiar. The voice is entirely her own.