Big bands have long been vehicles for singular artistic voices, from Duke Ellington and Count Basie to Maria Schneider and Darcy James Argue. The New England Jazz Collaborative (NEJC) proposes a different model—one that embraces multiple composers, diverse musical traditions, and a shared commitment to expanding the future of jazz.
That vision comes to life on Tributaries, the ensemble's vibrant debut album, due July 17, 2026, via ACP Records. Featuring six original works by four of the collaborative's founding composers—Jeremy Cohen, Darryl Harper, Matan Rubinstein, and Sam Spear—the recording moves effortlessly across musical landscapes, from New Orleans swing and elegant ballads to Third Stream experimentation, modern jazz, funk, and the infectious rhythms of West African highlife.
The result is an album that celebrates both individuality and collaboration, earning praise from some of jazz's most respected voices.
Violinist Regina Carter calls the recording "a diverse range of styles, textures, and moods," adding that "each performer contributes a dynamic presence and expression to the music, creating a vibrant soundscape that defines the ensemble's creativity, individuality, and collaborative spirit."
Bassist and composer Ben Allison echoes that sentiment, saying, "The music on this new album by the New England Jazz Collaborative is fantastic… I hear the individual voices of Jeremy, Matan, Darryl, and Sam… It's refreshing and uplifting to hear this music."
Veteran jazz critic Bob Blumenthal perhaps summarizes the achievement most succinctly: "The uniform excellence and diversity of the present music has created a powerful debut."
The story behind the New England Jazz Collaborative is every bit as compelling as the music itself.
The project began when percussionist and composer Jeremy Cohen found himself confronting a challenge familiar to many composers: he had written ambitious works for jazz orchestra but lacked consistent access to the kind of professional ensemble capable of bringing those scores to life. Rather than accept those limitations, Cohen reached out to fellow composers throughout the Boston jazz community with a simple but transformative idea.
Instead of building a big band around one leader, why not create an organization devoted to many composers?
The concept quickly evolved into an artist-run nonprofit dedicated to commissioning, performing, recording, and promoting new music for large jazz ensemble. In doing so, the NEJC created something remarkably rare—a repertory orchestra devoted almost exclusively to living composers.
Unlike traditional repertory ensembles that revisit established classics, the New England Jazz Collaborative focuses on expanding the canon itself. Every performance introduces audiences to new music while giving composers access to one of jazz's most powerful creative instruments: the 17-piece big band.
In fewer than five years, the organization has commissioned more than 30 new works for jazz orchestra while paying more than $100,000 to musicians, composers, and creative artists. Its success has already inspired additional composer-led ensembles to emerge throughout the region.
"The variety is what makes NEJC's approach to programming both contemporary and accessible," Cohen says. "I've witnessed it first-hand in our concerts. Between the different colors, the dynamic range of the orchestra, and how that was put to use by all the different composers, even audiences who are unfamiliar with jazz find something on the program that captivates them."
That philosophy shapes every moment of Tributaries.
The album opens with Cohen's "Another Brighter Day," beginning quietly with birdsong and shimmering harmonies before unfolding into an optimistic, melody-driven work that hints at influences ranging from Steely Dan to Weather Report. Guitarist Mitch Selib contributes an elegant solo before Nigerian-born saxophonist Temidayo Balogun delivers a lyrical soprano statement that immediately establishes the collaborative spirit defining the ensemble.
Cohen returns later with "Green Turtle Strut," inspired by time spent living in Ghana. Rather than simply borrowing from African traditions, the composition thoughtfully blends Ghanaian highlife with the rhythmic propulsion of Congolese sebene, resulting in music that feels both rooted and contemporary. Balogun adds talking drum and percussion alongside his saxophone work, while guitarist Eric Hofbauer delivers a solo that captures the character of West African guitar music without sacrificing his own jazz identity.
Composer Matan Rubinstein brings an entirely different perspective with "Ol' Liminal." Born in Jerusalem, Rubinstein draws from an astonishing range of influences, combining the collective improvisation of early New Orleans jazz with elements of rock, hip-hop, and electronic music. He has cited artists as varied as The Velvet Underground, Aphex Twin, and Squarepusher among the work's inspirations, and the composition reflects that eclecticism without ever feeling forced. Anchored by drummer Lumanyano Mzi and bassist Bob Nieske, the piece drives forward with restless energy while allowing the horns to shift effortlessly between tightly orchestrated passages and exhilarating bursts of collective improvisation.
Darryl Harper contributes two contrasting compositions that demonstrate his versatility as both composer and clarinetist. A Philadelphia native and longtime collaborator of Regina Carter and Jason Moran, Harper first became involved with the NEJC when Cohen approached him with the fledgling concept for the organization.
"Kiss Me Again" unfolds as an exquisitely understated ballad, highlighted by a luminous piano solo from Emily Pruneau. By contrast, "The Secret" embraces an infectious odd-meter funk groove, creating a lively musical conversation as soloists exchange concise statements over the shifting rhythmic landscape.
Sam Spear closes the circle with "Gee, Em...," perhaps the album's most overt nod to New England's rich compositional heritage. A student of the late Gunther Schuller, Spear based the dreamlike work on Schuller's famous twelve-tone "Magic Row," creating an elegant fusion of classical structure and jazz improvisation. Alto saxophonist Allan Chase responds with a witty and expressive solo that perfectly complements the composition's sophisticated architecture.
Throughout the recording, the ensemble itself proves every bit as impressive as the writing.
The orchestra combines many of the Boston area's most respected performers—including trumpeters Jason Palmer and Bijon Watson, saxophonists Felipe Salles and Brian Landrus, guitarist Eric Hofbauer, and a host of emerging voices—with conductor Ken Schaphorst guiding the performances. Their collective precision never diminishes the music's warmth or spontaneity, instead reinforcing the collaborative spirit at the heart of the project.
That spirit has prompted comparisons to the influential Jazz Composers Collective, the groundbreaking cooperative founded in New York during the early 1990s.
Ben Allison, himself a founding member of that celebrated organization, immediately recognized the parallels.
"We collaborated and supported each other through experimentation," Allison says. "The worry for us at the time was that by working so closely together our music might homogenize into one kind of sound. However, what we found was working in this way actually brought out our individualism and helped us each to find our voices as composers and artists."
The comparison feels especially appropriate.
Like the Jazz Composers Collective before it, the New England Jazz Collaborative demonstrates that artistic communities often strengthen individual voices rather than diminish them. The diversity heard throughout Tributaries never feels fragmented because each composition is unified by the exceptional musicians interpreting it and by the ensemble's shared commitment to adventurous new music.
The album's title reflects that philosophy. Tributaries speaks not only to the many influences flowing into each composer's work but also to the rich musical traditions that have shaped New England's jazz community. The legacy of Gunther Schuller's Third Stream movement, George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept, and Bob Brookmeyer's groundbreaking orchestral writing all flow into the project, yet the NEJC is focused firmly on creating its own future rather than preserving the past.
"The composers' breadth gives the album an element of surprise and a genuine something-for-everyone quality," Cohen says. "It reflects a contemporary musical reality in which artists and listeners move fluidly across styles and traditions. Tributaries feels like a carefully curated playlist, but with a strong sense of authorship, continuity, and ensemble sound."
What began as one composer's practical solution has evolved into something considerably larger: a new model for how contemporary big band music can be created, performed, and sustained.
"This project started out as a way for each of us to get our music heard," Cohen reflects. "But it became something much more compelling. We have a mission."
With Tributaries, that mission receives a remarkable introduction—one that honors the rich traditions of jazz orchestra while demonstrating that its future may be even more adventurous than its past.
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