Aruán Ortiz’s Créole Renaissance: A Sonic Manifesto Rooted in Diasporic Memory and Radical Imagination

Cuban-born, Brooklyn-based pianist and composer Aruán Ortiz returns with Créole Renaissance—his first solo piano album in eight years—due August 29, 2025 via Intakt Records. Drawing deeply from the intellectual and cultural ferment of the Négritude movement, the album is a singular reflection on the evolution of the African diaspora as told through sound.

Renowned for his fearless musical experimentation, Ortiz here constructs a deeply personal and intellectually rigorous world—a musical tapestry interweaving Afro-Cuban tradition, avant-garde classical techniques, and the radical poetic vision of 20th-century Black thinkers like Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor.

“Ortiz’s compositional style bears the imprint of Cuba’s musical heritage: the pulse of African-derived beats, the modern vocabulary of classical pianism, and the abandon of free improvisation.” — DownBeat

The Créole Renaissance is not just a return to solo performance; it’s an auditory reckoning with Black modernity, imagined as a series of intricate piano reflections. The opening track, “L’Étudiant noir,” sets the tone: Ortiz traverses the full expanse of the keyboard, signaling a musical geography that stretches from Paris to Fort-de-France to Santiago de Cuba and Brooklyn.

Inspired by the poetic surrealism of Suzanne and Aimé Césaire and the incendiary ideas in journals like L’Étudiant noir, Légitime Défense, and Tropiques, Ortiz lets memory and politics bleed into technique. He channels the “determining gaps” between continents and centuries not as a void but as a generative force, evoking what scholar Édouard Glissant called “relation.”

In “Seven Aprils in Paris (and a Sophisticated Lady),” Ortiz spins out disjointed fragments of Ellington into impressionist dreamscapes. “Lo Que Yo Quiero Es Chan Chan” reimagines the classic Buena Vista anthem with jagged harmonies and ghostly counterpoint, while “We Belong to Those Who Say No to Darkness” pushes the piano into new territory. Here, Ortiz dampens strings, plucks them like a zither, scrapes them like percussion, and invokes a sonic palette as broad as the diasporic experience itself—from Afro-Cuban batá to Balinese gamelan.

This is music that speaks to the past while propelling forward. As Ortiz says, a true Créole Renaissance must be diasporic, “a matter of correspondence, interrogation, and boundary-crossing.” Whether drawing from Schoenberg and Messiaen, Don Pullen and Cecil Taylor, or the ethnomusicological lens of Fernando Ortiz, his approach is one of radical multiplicity.

Already the recipient of a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship and Hermitage Fellowship, Ortiz is being increasingly recognized for his dual role as a visionary composer and cultural thinker. Créole Renaissance is a clear demonstration of both, anchoring his avant-garde explorations within a deep understanding of Afro-diasporic history and sonic imagination.

For listeners willing to engage with music that challenges, transforms, and transcends, Créole Renaissance is an album of consequence, one that rewrites the rules of solo jazz piano in real-time.

From Trauma to Transcendence: Cody Steinmann Channels Chaos into a Bold New Album

On October 7, 2023, a moment of unimaginable fear became the catalyst for profound musical creation. A stray bullet pierced the window of Minneapolis-based guitarist and composer Cody Steinmann’s home—an act of violence that, while leaving no visible scars, ignited an emotional upheaval. From this raw, vulnerable space emerged a powerful new album that confronts fragility, fear, and resilience with unflinching honesty.

“This album is a musical expression of a harrowing personal experience,” Steinmann writes. “It’s not simply a recounting of trauma—it’s about reclaiming it.” Blending jazz, blues, rock, metal, and improvisational fire, the record speaks in many tongues, each one conveying the weight of survival and the triumph of creativity. Each track bears witness to a moment that could have ended differently, yet now lives as sonic testimony—proof that out of rupture, art can rise.

Far from just a cathartic outpouring, this album showcases Steinmann's continued evolution as one of today’s most daring jazz voices. His work has always defied genre boundaries, but this project takes that fluidity further, stitching together fury and fragility with a guitarist’s precision and a survivor’s soul.

Cody Steinmann is a genre-bending jazz guitarist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally from Wisconsin, he studied music at Milwaukee Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, where he was a recipient of the Rita Tallent Picken scholarship. His artistic development has been shaped by a rich lineage of mentors including JD Allen, Ari Hoenig, Steve Peplin, Russ Johnson, and many others.

A mainstay in the Twin Cities’ jazz scene, Steinmann leads the Cody Steinmann Trio and Sightless Quartet, pushing boundaries with music that fuses jazz, hip-hop, and metal. His work explores the outer edges of improvisation and genre, challenging audiences to engage deeply with the present moment.

His growing discography includes 7 (2019, as C0D3 7), Sightless Quartet Live (2021), and Confined Spaces (2024), featuring Chris Bates and Abinnet Berhanu. He’s collaborated with a broad range of artists including Javier Santiago, Solomon Parham, Kevin Washington, Ben Williams, JT Bates, and Fode Bangoura.

At the core of Steinmann’s music lies a commitment to truth—emotional, sonic, and social. With this latest album, born from a night of chaos and fear, he transforms vulnerability into vitality, inviting listeners to join him in a shared act of creative survival.

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Soul! Live in New York City: Bill Withers and McCoy Tyner’s Rare Convergence of Jazz, Poetry, and Soul

Imagine tuning into WNDT/WNET’s Soul! on December 29, 1971, to witness an unforgettable convergence of artistry. Bill Withers—straight from his debut Just As I Am—takes the stage with voice, guitar, and piano, while poet Mae Jackson offers her verses. Then enters the McCoy Tyner Quartet: Tyner on piano, Joe Lovano on tenor sax, Christine McBride on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. This rare broadcast, produced by cultural visionary Ellis Haizlip, is now preserved on CD via Offbeat as Soul! Live in New York City.

At stake was more than music—it was cultural synergy. Withers, rooted in soul storytelling, and Tyner, a jazz force born from the McCoy Tyner–John Coltrane legacy, formed a duo that spoke both spiritual depth and everyday emotion. The result: a meditative yet vibrant performance that stands out—as one descriptive review put it—as “rich, contemplative, and unforgettable”.

Performance

• Bill Withers — Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards

• McCoy Tyner Quartet

  • McCoy Tyner — Piano

  • Joe Lovano — Tenor Sax

  • Christine McBride — Double Bass

  • Jeff "Tain" Watts — Drums

• Special guest: Poet Mae Jackson, contributing spoken-word interludes.

Track Listing (Disc 1 / Single CD):

1. “Ain’t No Sunshine”

2. “If I Could (I’d Build a Castle)” (poem)

3. “Castles in the Sand”

4. “What Better Way to Say Goodbye?”

5. “Ain’t No Sunshine” (reprise)

6. “When We Were Young” (poem)

7. Interview leading into...

8. McCoy Tyner Quartet jam

9. “Please Don’t Fall” (poem)

10. Bill Withers intro to...

11. “Grandma’s Hand”

12. “Full Grown Man”

13. “Harlem'

Bill Withers (1938–2020), born in West Virginia, rose from humble roots working in aerospace before launching his music career in his early 30s. With hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” and “Use Me,” he became a defining voice of 1970s soul: honest, sparing, and deeply felt. Withers's songwriting and emotional presence made him a rare crossover star in both pop and soul realms.

While not in the McCoy Tyner biography database directly, he joined the jazz world many times through mutual respect. His performance here echoes his aptitude for storytelling woven into performance context beyond studio albums and pop charts.

Soul! Live in New York City is not just a concert. It’s an artifact of cultural convergence—visualize live broadcast, jazz improvisation, soul narrative, and spoken word all coalescing into one hour. Limited CD pressing via Offbeat (OFBCD5014), released July 18, 2025, makes it essential for both Withers fans and jazz lovers alike. Though currently out of stock, it's worth waiting for or requesting—a hidden gem of early ’70s Black artistic expression.

Rediscovering a Pioneer: Candido’s Conga Soul Reissue

In mid-2025, Descarga! unveiled a limited-edition pressing of Conga Soul—the complete 1962 masterpiece by Candido Camero, plus one rare bonus track—culled from an original stereo tape source and pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl in a run of just 500 copies.This is more than a reissue; it’s a time capsule from the early ’60s, spotlighting the trailblazing conguero whose innovations reshaped jazz percussion as we know it.

Recorded in 1962 during one of Candido’s prime years as a bandleader, Conga Soul captures his seamless fusion of Afro‑Cuban rhythms and jazz sensibility. The set features Lalo Schifrin at the piano—credited with all arrangements—and Jimmy Cleveland on trombone.

It’s a superb meeting of minds: Candido—the first to play multiple tuneable congas and develop melodic conga techniques—locks in with Schifrin’s elegant charts and Cleveland’s trombone voice against a backdrop of resonant ensemble interplay.

Track Listing (Complete LP + Bonus)

Side A

1. Conga Soul

2. The Lady Is A Tramp

3. Toccata

4. The Champ

5. Love For Sale

Side B

1. Big Noise From Winnetka

2. New Secrets

3. Lady Eve

4. Dark Eyes

5. Long, Long Summer

6. Candido Cocktail (Bonus Track)

Why This Reissue Matters

• It preserves an early example of Afro‑Cuban jazz led by the man behind melodic conga playing, showcasing his role in pioneering modern Latin jazz techniques.

• The album’s groove bridges classic Cuban roots and jazz swing, making it one of Candido’s most accessible yet innovative early leader dates.

• The inclusion of a bonus track makes this release a must-have for collectors and the only official pressing in this format available on vinyl today.

Born Cándido Camero Guerra on April 22, 1921 in Havana, Candido moved to New York in 1946 and quickly became a first-call conga innovator, performing with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Taylor, Stan Kenton, and Charlie Parker.

His revolutionary approach—playing multiple tuneable congas, bongos, a cowbell, guiro—all as a one-person setup—set new standards for percussionists worldwide.

Candido recorded more than 17 albums as a leader—including Beautiful (1971, Blue Note) and Inolvidable with Graciela (Chesky Records)—and received honors like the NEA Jazz Masters Award (2008) and a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).

He passed away in New York on November 7, 2020, at the age of 99, leaving behind a legacy as jazz’s “master of a thousand fingers”.

Conga Soul is not simply an artifact—it’s proof of a moment where jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions converged in virtuosic harmony. The new limited pressing gives listeners rare access to Candido’s melodic artistry and rhythmic invention in pristine vinyl sound. Whether you're a longtime fan or newly discovering Afro‑Cuban jazz, this reissue offers a vivid and essential listening experience.

An Evening of Elegance: Christian McBride’s Big Band Returns in Without Further Ado, Vol. 1

In 2025, Christian McBride—the bassist whose sound has bridged jazz, funk, soul, hip‑hop, and classical realms—reassembles his Grammy®-winning 17‑piece big band for a dazzling follow-up to 2020’s For Jimmy, Wes & Oliver. The result: Without Further Ado, Vol. 1, a masterclass in reinterpretation, groove, and vocal jazz brilliance, out on Mack Avenue Records on August 29, 2025.

Each track is a showcase of connection and craftsmanship: Sting and Andy Summers reunite for a breathtaking take on “Murder by Numbers”—their first collaboration since The Police’s reunion tour—McBride’s arrangement breathing new life into the classic. Samara Joy’s rendition of “Old Folks” radiates tender clarity, while Jeffrey Osborne turns “Back in Love Again” into a soul-drenched big-band reinterpretation. José James, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Dianne Reeves and Antoinette Henry round out the guest roster, each bringing their own personality to standards arranged with McBride’s signature elegance and swing.

Track Listing (Disc 1 / LP Side A–B)

1. Murder by Numbers (feat. Sting & Andy Summers)

2. Back in Love Again (feat. Jeffrey Osborne)

3. Old Folks (feat. Samara Joy)

4. Moanin’ (feat. José James)

5. All Through the Night (feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant)

6. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (feat. Dianne Reeves)

7. Come Rain or Come Shine (feat. Antoinette Henry)

8. Op. 49 Cold Chicken Suite, 3rd Movement 

This album evolved from McBride’s role as musical director of NJPAC’s annual Gala, where he wrote big‑band charts each year for featured artists. These arrangements—some heard only live once—find their studio home on Without Further Ado.

Critics and fans alike hailed it as a vocal jazz renaissance—a multigenerational lineup, each performance departs with fire, elegance, and deep groove, grounded in the McBride Big Band’s drive and cohesion.

Christian Lee McBride (born May 31, 1972 in Philadelphia) is regarded as one of the most versatile and respected figures in contemporary jazz. A nine‑time Grammy® winner, he has appeared on hundreds of recordings as sideman or leader, working with legends from Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner to Sting and Celine Dion.

As composer, arranger, producer, and bandleader, McBride fronted notable ensembles: Inside Straight, New Jawn, The Christian McBride Trio, Ursa Major, and his celebrated big band, which has won multiple Grammys including for For Jimmy, Wes & Oliver (2022) and The Good Feeling (2012).

Beyond performance, McBride is a cultural curator: Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, NJPAC’s TD James Moody Festival, and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He hosts NPR’s Jazz Night in America and SiriusXM’s The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian.

This album isn’t just a collection of standards—it’s a celebration of relationship. McBride channels decades of collaborations into one vibrant big-band recording that bridges eras and genres. Guest vocalists from jazz, R&B, and pop reconvene under his arrangements, which sparkle with depth, swing, and sophistication. It reaffirms McBride’s place as a creative force and connector: always swinging, always inclusive, always elegant.

A Night in Paris: Rediscovering Pharoah Sanders’s Spiritual Peak

Imagine arriving at Studio 104’s Grand Auditorium in the Maison de la Radio on November 17, 1975. The air hums with expectancy as pharaoh-like presence Pharoah Sanders steps onto the stage—not in riotous frenzy, but guided by purpose and calm. Behind him, a compact quartet: Danny Mixon on piano and organ, Calvin Hill on double bass, and Greg Bandy on drums. For an invited Parisian audience of roughly 800, this was no jam session—it was a spiritual journey awaiting ignition.

The concert opens with a chant-like “Love Is Here,” unfolding in two hypnotic parts. Mixon’s vamp pulses steadily, Hill’s bass high on the neck creating pliant propulsion, and Sanders floats above, weaving melody with vocalized yelps that blur the border between instrument and soul. Then, he lets loose briefly in joyous overblowing—not rage, but exhilaration—before easing back into floating calm.

The set continues with the short-lived "Farrell Tune," and a vibrant take on “The Creator Has a Master Plan.” Here, the quartet reimagined the 1969 epic from Karma—compressed yet radiant—grounded by piano figures that shimmer like harp strings, and solos filled with purpose, not excess.

Then comes “I Want to Talk About You,” the Billy Eckstine ballad beloved by John Coltrane. Sanders’s interpretation resonates with reverence—each note a nod to his former sax mentor, yet infused with his own warmth and nuance.

But it’s the grand finale, “Love Is Everywhere,” that transforms the auditorium into a revival meeting. Chant phrases echo like gospel refrains, festival energy charges the air, Sanders’s shrieks summon communal fervor. It’s a celebration—music as communion, love as manifesto. The audience bursts in applause; the revival is complete.

This concert—long relegated to dusty ORTF tape reels—was unearthed decades later by Transversales Disques, cooperatively distilled from the original stereo tapes housed at France’s INA. In 2020, they released it as Live in Paris (1975): Lost ORTF Recordings, mastering with care and housing it in a deluxe gatefold package brimming with photos and liner notes.

Now, on September 5, 2025, Love Is Here – The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings debuts on 2×180g vinyl (gatefold) and limited‑edition 2CD digipak, including rare photos by Christian Rose and an insightful essay by Kevin Whitehead—making this performance officially accessible in full for the first time.

In 1975, Sanders stood at a creative crossroads. Fresh off his final Impulse! recordings and before his later work under Arista, this quartet captured him in full bloom—less raw than during his days with Coltrane, yet utterly luminous in spiritual intent. Critics hailed the release as a breathtaking reissue: Pitchfork awarded it Best New Reissue, celebrating its radiant joy and cosmic energy. All About Jazz called it a must-have for dedicated collectors, citing the quartet’s short-lived brilliance. Soundohm exalted it as one of Transversales’s most astonishing releases, a polished yet wild document of 1970s jazz at its peak.

This isn’t simply a rerun of familiar tracks—it’s a resurrection. Here, Sanders’s spiritual jazz sparkles with meditative texture one moment and roars with devotional strength the next. From the opening lift of “Love Is Here” through the ecstatic conclusion of “Love Is Everywhere,” what emerges is not just a performance, but a testament: love, music, and transcendence interwoven on a Parisian night—and now given new life on vinyl, CD, and digital.

Antonio Adolfo Revives the Heart of Brazilian Carnaval with Jazz Mastery on New Album CARNAVAL

Renowned Brazilian pianist, composer, and arranger Antonio Adolfo returns with CARNAVAL, a vibrant new album that pays tribute to Brazil's rich Carnaval music tradition—infused with his signature jazz sensibility. Internationally acclaimed for his lush reharmonizations of both Brazilian classics and American jazz standards, Adolfo once again blurs genre lines, breathing new life into historic compositions with authenticity and style.

Adolfo, a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee, has redefined what Brazilian jazz can sound like. Over the years, he has offered stunning reinterpretations of works by Milton Nascimento, Tom Jobim, and Wayne Shorter, and tackled American songbook gems by Cole Porter. On CARNAVAL, he dives deep into a lesser-explored realm—music specifically composed for Brazil’s famous pre-Lenten celebration, Carnaval.

Carnaval is more than a party—it’s a cultural explosion of dance, music, costumes, and emotion that precedes Lent. Rooted in African rhythms and European harmonic influences, the music includes styles like samba, frevo, marchinha, marcha-rancho, and Ijexá. Adolfo, who participated in Carnaval as a child with his family, captures both the ebullience and the bittersweet nostalgia of the festival’s most beloved tunes.

While the music is often festive, Adolfo notes that many Carnaval songs also carry an undertone of melancholy. Characters like Pierrot, a heartbroken servant in love with Colombina, symbolize the poignancy hidden beneath the celebration’s colorful exterior. Adolfo explains, “Some of the songs have a sort of tristesse, which makes them even more beautiful.”

Opening with “É Com Esse Que Eu Vou” (I Am Going With This One), originally a 1948 samba classic by Pedro Caetano, Adolfo launches the album with an infectious partido alto rhythm. It’s a compelling introduction to his reimagining of Carnaval.

The lively “Vassourinhas”, a frevo anthem from Recife, showcases energetic solos by Marcelo Martins on tenor sax and Lula Galvão on guitar, while “Oba (O Bafo da Onça)” adopts the Afro-Brazilian Ijexá style, imbuing the track with a spiritual pulse.

“Mal-Me-Quer” is delivered as a delicate marcha-rancho ballad, evoking the dreamy, romantic side of Carnaval. In contrast, “Vai Passar”, originally by Chico Buarque and Francis Hime, nods to Brazil’s fight for democracy with its anthemic samba parade sound.

Other gems include the sweetly nostalgic “As Pastorinhas”, the proud and grand “Exaltação à Mangueira”, and “A Lua É Dos Namorados”, where Adolfo quietly blends samba with the gentle sway of a marchinha.

The album closes with “Agora É Cinza” (Now It Is Ashes), a haunting 1933 samba by Bide and Marçal, serving as a poignant finale that reflects on the end of Carnaval and the start of Lent.

Recorded with top-tier Brazilian jazz musicians—including Lula Galvão (guitar), Jorge Helder (bass), Rafael Barata (drums), Jesse Sadoc (trumpet), and Marcelo Martins (tenor sax)—CARNAVAL is a collective achievement in musical finesse and cultural preservation.

Beyond recording, Adolfo has been a cornerstone of Brazilian music education. For over 40 years, he has mentored young talent through his Centro Musical Antonio Adolfo in Rio de Janeiro and published over a dozen instructional music books.

While artists like Jobim and genres like bossa nova are internationally recognized, CARNAVAL explores a more historic and festive tradition. It’s a joyful yet thoughtful celebration, reminding the world that Brazil’s musical legacy goes far deeper than the usual exports.

With CARNAVAL, Antonio Adolfo proves once again that he is not only a brilliant jazz pianist but also a guardian of Brazil’s cultural soul—reviving timeless songs and reimagining them for a global audience with elegance, care, and heart.

Chuck Mangione (1940–2025): A Life That Truly Felt So Good

Chuck Mangione, the celebrated American jazz musician whose warm, melodic flugelhorn sound bridged the gap between jazz and pop and touched millions around the world, passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 22, 2025, at the age of 84. His death, confirmed by his family and longtime attorney, closes a monumental chapter in American music—but his legacy continues to resonate through airwaves, orchestras, and hearts worldwide.

Born Charles Frank Mangione on November 29, 1940, in Rochester, New York, Chuck was surrounded by music from the very beginning. His Italian-American household fostered a love for melody and tradition, and by the time he was in high school, he and his brother, pianist Gap Mangione, were already playing gigs around town. The two would eventually form The Jazz Brothers, a hard bop outfit that earned national attention in the 1960s, releasing a string of records on Riverside Records—no small feat for two musicians barely in their twenties.

After earning his degree from the prestigious Eastman School of Music in 1963, Mangione joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the legendary ensemble known for launching the careers of some of jazz’s greatest trumpeters. There, Mangione held the trumpet chair once occupied by icons like Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, and Freddie Hubbard. Though his time with Blakey was brief, it was pivotal—it sharpened his chops and affirmed his place in the jazz elite.

Mangione’s real breakthrough, however, came in 1970 with the genre-bending "Friends & Love", a live album recorded with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Seamlessly blending jazz, classical, folk, and pop, the project was a bold experiment that not only earned a Grammy nomination but also signaled the arrival of a fresh, emotionally resonant sound. This wasn’t just jazz for jazz lovers—this was music for everyone.

The next decade saw Mangione at the height of his powers, crafting a string of albums that brought flugelhorn into the mainstream. In 1975, he composed "Chase the Clouds Away", a beautifully atmospheric piece selected by ABC Sports as the official theme for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. This cemented Mangione’s music as a soundtrack to hope and inspiration.

That sense of uplifting energy reached its zenith in 1977 with the release of "Feels So Good", an instrumental pop-jazz crossover that soared to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. With its soaring melody and instantly recognizable hook, the track became one of the most beloved instrumentals in music history—an unlikely radio staple that stayed on the charts for over a year and helped sell millions of records worldwide. Even the album cover, featuring Mangione beaming in a red windbreaker and trademark hat, became iconic.

While “Feels So Good” may have been his biggest hit, it was hardly his only triumph. That same period saw the release of the ambitious soundtrack "Children of Sanchez" (1978), written for the Anthony Quinn film of the same name. The expansive, emotional score earned Mangione a second Grammy and showcased his versatility as a composer. He followed this up with "Give It All You Got", used by ABC as the theme for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. The tune, spirited and triumphant, was performed by Mangione live at the closing ceremonies before a global audience of millions.

During this prolific era, Mangione assembled a core band of virtuosic musicians—most notably saxophonist Chris Vadala, guitarist Grant Geissman, bassist Charles Meeks, and drummer James Bradley Jr. Together, they toured relentlessly, performing at festivals, concert halls, and on national television. One of their high points was a sold-out performance at the Hollywood Bowl in 1978, captured in the live album "An Evening of Magic", where Mangione and his ensemble played alongside a full orchestra.

Though his popularity waned somewhat in the 1990s and early 2000s—as tastes shifted and smooth jazz became a more crowded field—Mangione never stopped recording or performing. His final studio album, "Everything for Love", was released in 2000. That same year, he took on a delightfully self-aware voice acting role on the hit animated series "King of the Hill", where he appeared as a fictionalized version of himself, flugelhorn in hand, as the spokesperson for Mega Lo Mart. The recurring gag introduced him to a new generation, rebranding him as a pop-culture cult hero.

Throughout his life, Mangione remained committed to education and mentorship. He returned often to the Eastman School of Music, where he served as an adjunct faculty member and later as director of the jazz ensemble. He was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2012, a full-circle moment for a musician whose roots were always central to his story.

Despite personal hardships—including the loss of close bandmates and a brief hiatus following the 2009 crash of Flight 3407, which killed two of his musicians—Mangione remained grateful and humble. He continued to tour well into his 70s, always closing his shows with the same words: “Love is the key.”

At the time of his passing, tributes poured in from across the music world. Jazz legends, pop stars, Olympic athletes, and fans alike expressed their gratitude for a man whose music brought comfort, joy, and inspiration. Chuck Mangione didn’t just play jazz—he played emotion. Whether through the triumphant brass of “Give It All You Got” or the wistful lyricism of “Feels So Good,” he reminded us that instrumental music could sing.

He is survived by his brother Gap, several nieces and nephews, and an enduring catalog of over 30 albums. His music continues to be used in films, commercials, sports events, and high school jazz programs across the world.

As we remember Chuck Mangione, we honor not just a musician, but a melodist, an innovator, and a cultural bridge. His flugelhorn may be silent now, but the warmth of his sound still lingers in the air—timeless, familiar, and, yes, still feeling so good.

Airelle Besson’s Surprise!: A Bold, Bass-Free Exploration of Modern Jazz

French trumpeter Airelle Besson continues to expand the boundaries of European jazz with Surprise!, a bold and luminous album featuring pianist Sebastian Sternal and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel. This unique trio formation—conspicuously lacking a bassist—breathes new life into the jazz ensemble tradition, embracing harmonic openness and rhythmic elasticity in a way that is both daring and deeply musical.

Long celebrated for her radiant tone and lyrical phrasing, Besson has become a fixture on the international jazz stage, earning acclaim not only for her solo work but also for her collaborations with giants like Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, and Michel Portal. On Surprise!, she co-leads with Sternal, a pianist known for his touch, textural depth, and use of Fender Rhodes and FX pedals, while Burgwinkel supplies vibrant, shape-shifting rhythms that elevate each composition with kinetic precision.

What makes this project especially compelling is the absence of a traditional bass instrument. By forgoing this sonic anchor, Besson and her bandmates open up space for experimentation and interplay that feels both spontaneous and intricately designed. The music floats, surges, and converses in a way that defies expectation, revealing fresh colors in every measure.

Recorded at Loft Studios in Cologne, Germany, Surprise! is a testament to creative trust and compositional strength. The album features ten original pieces—five each from Besson and Sternal—that range from introspective ballads to energetic, rhythm-driven works, all unified by the trio’s unmistakable synergy.

Track Listing (Disc 1, Side 1):

1. Time to Say Goodbye

2. J.T.

3. Surprise!

4. Ma-Ion

5. The Painter and the Boxer

6. Lulea's Sunset

7. Prayer

8. Go

9. Calgary

From the elegant simplicity of Prayer to the cinematic sweep of Lulea’s Sunset and the sparkling title track Surprise!, each piece reveals a different facet of Besson’s artistry and the trio’s unique chemistry.

In addition to her role as bandleader, Besson remains an in-demand collaborator, composer, and arranger. Her credits include work with artists as diverse as Metronomy, Manu Katché, and Rhoda Scott, as well as orchestral arrangements for the Orchestre National de Lyon. With Surprise!, she confirms her status as one of Europe’s most imaginative and expressive jazz voices.

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