“Think you're escaping and run into yourself,” James Joyce once wrote. For pianist, accordionist, and composer Ben Rosenblum, that idea has become both a guiding philosophy and the title of The Longest Way Round, the most adventurous release yet from his globally inspired ensemble, the Nebula Project. Set for release on February 27, 2026 via One Trick Dog Records, the album is a kaleidoscopic exploration of identity, travel, and musical convergence.
Rosenblum is a restless traveler in every sense. He spends more days on the road than at home, touring with artists as varied as Grammy winners Rickie Lee Jones and Catherine Russell and contemporary Indian vocalist Kiran Ahluwalia. That constant movement—across continents, cultures, and musical traditions—has shaped his compositional voice. Drawing from Dominican merengue, West African and Caribbean rhythms, Irish folk music, neo-soul, J-pop, and hard bop, The Longest Way Round reflects the idea that the further you roam, the more clearly you understand who you are.
At the heart of the album is a deeply personal perspective filtered through spiritual globalism. Rosenblum’s compositions reveal introspection not by turning inward alone, but by embracing the world outside. “As you travel, you inevitably bump into all of the parts of your character that are fundamentally tied to where you grew up,” he explains. No matter how far he journeys musically, Rosenblum always finds himself returning to the foundations that are inescapably his own.
To realize this vision, Rosenblum surrounds himself with kindred spirits. The Nebula Project features returning members trumpeter Wayne Tucker, saxophonist Jasper Dutz, guitarist Rafael Rosa, bassist Marty Jaffe, and drummer Ben Zweig, joined on this outing by percussionists Gustavo Di Dalva and Brad Dutz. Together, they form a collective rooted in straightahead jazz improvisation, with global influences spiraling outward—much like the nebula that inspired the band’s name.
While Rosenblum’s eloquent piano anchors much of the record, The Longest Way Round also provides a compelling showcase for his singular approach to the accordion. Often misunderstood in American music, the instrument becomes a versatile voice here—capable of raw folkloric textures, classical elegance, and seamless integration into a hard bop context. Rosenblum treats it not as a novelty, but as a central part of his musical language.
The album’s compositions trace a wide yet cohesive arc. Opener “Merengue x Fantasy” blends Dominican merengue with a J-pop–inspired harmonic sensibility, its title borrowing the “x” convention from Japanese anime. “Sheridan’s Reel” channels Irish folk traditions with a subtle blues-funk undercurrent, dedicated to the late classical guitarist Michael Sheridan. The three-part suite “Scenes Frozen in Time” reflects different stages of Rosenblum’s life, from an isolated stay in Berlin in 2021 to pieces written during his high school and college years.
Elsewhere, “Círculo” draws on West African rhythms shared after a trip to Cameroon, while “Blue Water” explores Caribbean reggae and ska feels. “Albatross” and “Fool’s Gold” pay direct homage to hard bop giants Mulgrew Miller and Horace Silver, and “Last Call,” written with Wayne Tucker in mind, leans into neo-soul and R&B influences. Despite the head-spinning range of styles, the album feels unified by Rosenblum’s melodic sensibility and emotional clarity.
That cohesion speaks not only to Rosenblum’s compositional voice, but also to the nature of jazz itself. As a music born from convergence—West African rhythmic traditions fused with European harmony and shaped through constant migration—jazz naturally invites dialogue with other forms. The Longest Way Round embraces that lineage fully, using jazz as both a home base and a launchpad.
The result is an album that sounds expansive yet intimate, adventurous yet grounded. The Longest Way Round confirms Ben Rosenblum’s place as one of the most electrifyingly eclectic voices in contemporary jazz, proving that sometimes the longest journey is the one that leads most directly to the truth.
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