Memories of Home: Scofield & Holland’s First Duo Album

Guitarist John Scofield and bassist Dave Holland — two of modern jazz’s most expressive and distinctive voices — have crossed paths for decades, sharing bandstands with legends like Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and Miles Davis. They even co-led the spirited ScoLoHoFo quartet with Joe Lovano and Al Foster. But Memories of Home marks a first: their debut album as a duo.

Scofield recalls that the idea had been simmering for years. A planned tour was canceled in 2020, but when they finally hit the road in late 2021, the chemistry was undeniable. A second tour in 2024 sealed the deal. The album, like the shows, blends new and older compositions from both musicians — a reflection of the decades of shared musical references that make their interplay so rich. “The similarities and differences in our approaches make for a more interesting collaboration,” Scofield says.

It’s hard to talk about either artist without invoking Miles Davis, and fittingly, Miles’ influence threads through Memories of Home. The album opens with Scofield’s “Icons at the Fair,” inspired partly by Herbie Hancock’s arrangement of “Scarborough Fair” (on The New Standard, where both Scofield and Holland played) and partly by a subtle nod to a Miles-style trumpet line. Holland’s “Mr B,” a blues-infused tribute to his bass hero Ray Brown, swings with joy and ease, while “Not for Nothin’” and “You I Love” revisit gems from Holland’s early ECM days.

The title track, “Memories of Home,” resurrects a Holland tune from a 1980s session with progressive bluegrass greats Vassar Clements and John Hartford — a perfect canvas for Scofield to lean into the folky, country-inflected side of his playing. Elsewhere, Scofield classics like “Meant to Be” and the tender “Easy for You” showcase both musicians’ gift for nuance and emotional depth.

Scofield’s recent ECM work has ranged from the expansive, improvisation-rich Uncle John’s Band to his autobiographical 2021 solo album and the trio exploration Swallow Tales. Holland’s ECM legacy is even broader, spanning collaborations with Anouar Brahem, Chick Corea, Barry Altschul, Barre Phillips, and his own groundbreaking ensembles that introduced players like Steve Coleman and Chris Potter to wider audiences. His What Goes Around with the Dave Holland Big Band earned a Grammy in 2003.

Recorded at NRS Studios in Catskill, New York, in August 2024, Memories of Home distills two lifetimes of musical exploration into a warm, intimate, and deeply conversational set.

John Scofield / Dave Holland – Memories of Home
ECM · Release Date: November 21, 2025

Sam First Launches “Big Acts in a Small Space” to Bring Major Touring Artists Into an Intimate LA Setting

Sam First, Los Angeles’ nonprofit 501(c)(3) jazz club, announces its new Big Acts in a Small Space series—an ambitious initiative that brings six internationally acclaimed touring artists, along with their full touring bands, into the club’s 50-seat room. Across the series, 23 musicians will travel to LA to perform four sets over two nights each, offering audiences the rare chance to hear major artists up close in one of the city’s most intimate listening environments.

The series is funded by a “Music in Action” grant from the Live Music Society, an organization dedicated to preserving and empowering small venues across the United States so that live music remains accessible and sustainable.

Executive & Artistic Director David Robaire explains the program’s purpose: “Sam First is a small venue near the LAX airport. We’ve built a strong, passionate, and loyal following, and we’re excited to continue to grow our reach and visibility with audiences. This series is designed to help us do that while also supporting musicians through a unique opportunity to engage with LA audiences. The musicians want to play here, we’d love to have them, and local audiences deserve the opportunity to see them live in such an intimate setting.”

Robaire adds that many of these artists haven’t played Los Angeles in years due to the scarcity of venues with the right size, acoustics, and atmosphere. “Sam First remains one of the few remaining clubs in LA supporting the local and international jazz scene on a nightly basis. As a small venue, we simply cannot afford to book these wonderful traveling musicians without additional funding. This is why we’re deeply grateful to the Live Music Society for their generous support.”

As a nonprofit, Sam First is committed to expanding jazz as both a tradition and an evolving art form. Designed without an elevated stage, the room dissolves the typical boundary between performers and audiences, encouraging collaboration, connection, and new musical creation rooted in risk and exploration.

Big Acts in a Small Space – Series Schedule
November 21–22, 2025 — Marcus Gilmore Sextet with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Emmanuel Michael, Tim Watson & Rashaan Carter
January 20–21, 2026 — Melissa Aldana Quartet with Glenn Zaleski, Pablo Menares & Kush Abadey
January 30–31, 2026 — Aaron Parks Trio with Ben Street & Billy Hart
February 6–7, 2026 — Trio Grande with Gilad Hekselman, Will Vinson & Nate Wood
April 24–25, 2026 — Becca Stevens Trio with Chris Tordini & Jordan Perlson
May 29–30, 2026 — TBA

Convergence sets the room on fire with Reckless Meter

Acclaimed modern jazz ensemble Convergence returns with Reckless Meter, a powerful new live album out December 5, 2025 on Capri Records. The release captures the group’s trademark blend of artistry, virtuosity, and fearless spontaneity—a vivid snapshot of one of Colorado’s most enduring and inventive jazz bands.

Contagious energy and deep musical chemistry have defined Convergence for more than three decades, and Reckless Meter bottles that spirit with striking clarity. Recorded live with an audience fully in the mix, the album delivers the heat, nuance, and quicksilver interplay that make the ensemble a cornerstone of the region’s jazz scene. “We wanted to make a record that felt alive, and what better way than with an audience right there in the room with us?” says drummer Paul Romaine. “You can feel that energy in every track.”

Featuring Eric Gunnison (piano), Greg Gisbert (trumpet/flugelhorn), John Gunther (saxophones), Mark Patterson (trombone), Mark Simon (bass), and Paul Romaine (drums), the album highlights original compositions performed with the boldness and trust earned from years of shared exploration. Engineered and mixed by the celebrated team at Mighty Fine Productions, the recording balances pristine audio quality with the raw immediacy of a club set unfolding in real time.

The album’s title speaks to Convergence’s fearless relationship with time, form, and improvisation. The opening track “Big Boot” bursts with sassy horns, driving momentum, and showstopping solos. “Springaling” channels a contagious urgency, while “Margaret Clara” brings breezy warmth and lyrical horn writing. Across “One or Not One,” “Master Jake,” “Cauldron,” and “Coyote Moon,” the band’s command is unmistakable—soaring horns, scintillating piano, and a rhythm section as grounded as it is adventurous. The title track closes the album with a tour-de-force display of ensemble precision and sheer joy.

“This band has always been about connection—with each other, with the audience, and with the music itself,” says Gunnison. “Convergence is more than a name; it’s how we approach everything we do.” With tightly woven grooves, expansive harmonic exploration, and a sound both rooted and forward-leaning, Reckless Meter stands as a vibrant testament to the band’s ongoing evolution.

Convergence – Reckless Meter
Capri Records – Catalog Number 74174-2
Recorded April 7, 2019

A First Encounter That Rewires Jazz: Amir ElSaffar’s New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal

"First Encounter" captures the rare electricity of a brand-new ensemble discovering itself in real time. The album documents the meeting of trumpeter Amir ElSaffar’s longtime trio—Tomas Fujiwara on drums and Ole Mathisen on tenor saxophone—with Greek pianist Tania Giannouli, whose microtonal and prepared-piano brilliance has made her one of Europe’s most sought-after improvisers. Recorded live at Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal and shaped by the hall’s extraordinary acoustics, the music unfolds between near-silence and ecstatic release, driven by ElSaffar’s Chicago-rooted tone, his mastery of Arab Maqam microtonality, and the quartet’s shared intuition.

Across rehearsals, a live concert, and an all-day session, the ensemble explored material ElSaffar wrote only days before—twelve pages of music born from a night of jet-lagged inspiration after hours of improvising and listening with Giannouli at the piano. That immediacy is felt throughout the record. The live concert, performed for a sold-out room, carries the unmistakable magnetism of music being discovered as it’s played; gestures appear almost of their own volition, as if emerging from a shared subconscious. The studio day that followed offered cleaner alternate takes, but the essence—the risk, vulnerability, and shimmering connection—lives in the live performance.

The quartet’s configuration may look traditional at first glance, but its bass-less design opens a wide sonic field. Giannouli’s microtonal resonances, combined with ElSaffar and Mathisen’s blended front line, free the ensemble from fixed harmonic centers, allowing Fujiwara and Giannouli to cultivate intricate rhythmic cycles and polyrhythms. The result is a kind of jazz that feels spacious and ancient, rooted deeply in Maqam while carrying the exploratory charge of the contemporary avant-garde.

The album’s story is also one of persistence. It took three attempts—derailed first by Covid in 2022, then by a sudden pneumonia—for the project to reach the stage. Each postponement stretched the creative tension further until, in 2023, the music landed with a sense of inevitability. What began as a commission from the Pierre Boulez Saal also traces back to ElSaffar’s own history: his time as principal trumpeter under Pierre Boulez with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, his work with Daniel Barenboim, and his connection to the Barenboim-Said initiatives that ultimately led him toward his Iraqi heritage and the world of Maqam.

“First Encounter” becomes more than a performance—it’s the sound of confluence, of musicians meeting at the crossroads of lived histories, shared listening, and the exquisite acoustics of a hall built for precision and possibility. It is a testament to ElSaffar’s ongoing work bridging jazz, classical rigor, and the ancient modal worlds of the Middle East, and to the deeply individual voices of Fujiwara, Mathisen, and Giannouli. What they discover together feels both newly born and centuries old.

Verve Remixed Holiday Returns: Iconic Jazz Voices Get a Dazzling Electronic Glow-Up for the Season

The stockings are hung, the fire’s crackling, and Verve Records just dropped the ultimate holiday playlist upgrade. Verve Remixed Holiday revives the spirit of its beloved 2008 predecessor with ten brand-new remixes that sling timeless jazz and soul classics into the future. A dream team of cutting-edge producers—Ginton, Bolden., Tourist, Two Another, and DARGZ—lace Nina Simone’s grit, Ella Fitzgerald’s velvet, Louis Armstrong’s gravel, and Billie Holiday’s smoke with pulsing electronic textures, genre-blurring grooves, and dance-floor heat. This isn’t your grandma’s Christmas record (unless grandma’s into late-night raves).

From fireside chill to rooftop-party energy, these tracks bridge eras with effortless swagger. Nina’s “Chilly Winds” gets a Bolden. bass thump that turns winter blues into a late-night strut. Ella’s New Year’s Eve flirtation floats on Two Another’s dreamy synths, transforming a 1947 standard into a midnight confetti shower. Satchmo’s Santa showdown swings with The Heavy’s funk swagger, making “’Zat You, Santa Claus?” the most mischievous holiday anthem in decades. Count Basie’s “Good Morning Blues” wakes up in Clerkenwell courtesy of The Real Tuesday Weld, blending swing horns with glitchy nostalgia. Mel Tormé’s chestnuts roast over DARGZ’s crackling breakbeats, while Billie’s “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” simmers in Yesking’s dubwise glow. Tourist reimagines Ella’s “We Three Kings” as a cosmic caravan under neon stars, and Ginton lifts Nina’s “I Am Blessed” into Afro-house euphoria. Shirley Horn’s “Winter Wonderland” glides through Christian Prommer’s deep-house snowdrifts, and Dinah Washington’s “Silent Night” closes the set with Brazilian Girls’ psychedelic lullaby—holy night, indeed.

This collection isn’t just a remix project; it’s a time machine. Verve’s golden-era catalog—recorded in pristine analog warmth—collides with 2025’s digital edge, proving that jazz’s emotional core thrives in any era. Whether you’re trimming the tree, hosting a holiday brunch, or sneaking one last dance before the ball drops, Verve Remixed Holiday is the all-year essential you didn’t know you needed. Stream it, spin it, gift it—let the season swing.

Full Tracklist:

1. Nina Simone – Chilly Winds Don’t Blow (Bolden. Remix)
2. Ella Fitzgerald – What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (Two Another Remix)
3. Louis Armstrong, The Commanders – ’Zat You, Santa Claus? (The Heavy Remix)
4. Count Basie – Good Morning Blues (The Real Tuesday Weld Clerkenwell Remix)
5. Mel Tormé – The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (DARGZ Remix)
6. Billie Holiday – I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Yesking Remix)
7. Ella Fitzgerald – We Three Kings (Tourist Remix)
8. Nina Simone – I Am Blessed (Ginton Remix)
9. Shirley Horn – Winter Wonderland (Christian Prommer Remix)
10. Dinah Washington – Silent Night (Brazilian Girls Remix)

Don Cherry & Latif Khan’s Lost Masterpiece Resurfaces: The Rarest Trumpet-Percussion Summit Ever Pressed to Vinyl

Deep in the crates of the “happy few” lies one of jazz’s most elusive treasures: Don Cherry’s untitled 1982 encounter with Indian tabla virtuoso Latif Khan, produced by Martin Meissonnier and Pierre Lattès. Never reissued, scarcely documented, this one-off session fuses Cherry’s global hunger with Khan’s syncopated lightning in a blaze of cross-cultural fire that still crackles forty-three years later.

Cherry—already a free-jazz prophet beside Ornette Coleman—had long abandoned borders. By the early ’80s, his trumpet and pocket cornet conversed fluently with gamelans, berimbaus, and doussn’gouni. Here, he meets Delhi gharana rebel Latif Khan, a percussionist who turned accompaniment into architecture, stacking polyrhythms like mosaics. They had never shared a stage, yet the tape rolls and kinship ignites: laughter, tuning forks, a Hammond B3 retuned to just intonation, orchestral timpani coaxed into raga-like drones. Khan’s fingers blur across tablas; Cherry answers with melodies that arc from Mississippi to Mumbai.

No rehearsals. No safety net. Just two open spirits sculpting air into eternity. The result isn’t “world music” novelty—it’s prophecy: melody over harmony, humanity over genre, improvisation as diplomacy. Every original copy is a relic; every listen, a revelation. Hunt the vinyl, guard it fiercely, and let the summer of ’82 live again.

Don Cherry (1936–1995) was born in Oklahoma City to a Choctaw-African American family steeped in music—his father owned the legendary Cherry Blossom Club, where young Don absorbed swing, blues, and bebop. By 1956 he was in Los Angeles, forging free jazz with Ornette Coleman on seminal albums like Something Else!!!! (1958) and The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959). His pocket trumpet became a voice of melodic liberation, unmoored from chord changes. After settling in New York, Cherry co-founded the avant-garde vanguard, collaborating with Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Albert Ayler. But borders bored him. By the late ’60s he was studying in Morocco, jamming in Sweden with Turkish musicians, and releasing Organic Music Society (1972)—a blueprint for world fusion. Instruments multiplied: doussn’gouni, berimbau, gamelan, Tibetan bells. His 1970s loft scene birthed the “world music” wave, though Cherry’s version was never trendy—it was spiritual, political, rooted in community and curiosity. Father to Neneh and Eagle-Eye, he raised artists as open as he was. At his death in 1995, he left a discography of over 100 albums and a legacy as jazz’s first true citizen of the world.

Ustad Ahmed Latif Khan (1950–1990) hailed from the Delhi gharana, a centuries-old lineage of classical percussionists. Trained from age five by his uncle Ustad Ahmedjan Thirakwa—legendary tabla maestro to Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan—Latif modernized tradition without betraying it. Where accompanists once stayed in shadows, he stepped into light, wielding irregular talas, lightning-fast kaidas, and syncopations that danced on the edge of chaos. By the 1970s he was touring Europe, recording with jazz and fusion artists, and teaching at the Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata. His ear was photographic; his hands, a storm. Colleagues recall him tuning entire ensembles by ear—pianos, organs, even timpani—to microtonal precision. In Paris for the 1982 session, he arrived jet-lagged, warmed his fingers in minutes, and matched Cherry’s every leap with tabla thunder that felt both ancient and futuristic. Tragically, Khan died young in 1990, leaving a slim but incandescent recorded legacy.

Martin Meissonnier, the session’s co-producer, was a French visionary bridging punk, funk, and global grooves. He engineered Fela Kuti’s Army Arrangement, produced King Sunny Adé’s international breakthrough, and later helmed soundtracks for Wim Wenders. Pierre Lattès, his partner, ran the influential Celluloid Records, home to avant-garde icons like Bill Laswell and Material. Together they gave Cherry and Khan a blank canvas—and a studio full of toys.

Trumpeter Peter Evans' Being & Becoming Evolves into Sonic Explorers on Expansive New Album 'Ars Ludicra'

What happens when a band tours relentlessly across continents, honing their craft in sold-out spots like Zebulon in LA, Jazz em Agosto in Lisbon, and NYC's Winter Jazz Fest? For Peter Evans' Being & Becoming, the result is 'Ars Ludicra'—their third studio outing, captured raw and radiant at New Jersey's iconic Van Gelder Studios in 2024. Out now on Evans' More is More Records, this 2025 release pulses with the quartet's hard-won synergy: Evans unleashing trumpet wizardry, piano flourishes, and electronics; Joel Ross shimmering on vibraphone and synth; Nick Jozwiak anchoring with bass and synth depth; and Michael Shekwoaga Ode driving the drums with unyielding fire. Guest flutist Alice Teyssier weaves ethereal lines into the orchestral swirl of "Images."

From the stadium-shaking blasts of "Malibu" to the eerie musique concrète drifts of "Pulsar" and Brazilian-tinged symphonics in "Images," the album explodes stylistic boundaries far beyond the symphonic introspection of their 2022 predecessor 'Ars Memoria.' Meticulous post-production by engineer Mike Pride polishes these labyrinthine charts into a tapestry of explosive dynamics and intimate revelations. A standout surprise: a symphonic reimagining of Russian folk-punk icon Yanka Dyagileva's "My Sorrow is Luminous," ballooned from raw lament to transcendent roar.

Each player shines with fierce individuality—Evans' pinpoint precision trading blows with Ross' vibraphone glow, Jozwiak's elastic grooves locking in with Ode's propulsive swing—yet they navigate the twists with elegant unity. It's a radical leap that honors the group's DNA: a 2017 Evans brainchild blending vast influences, from jazz fusion to experimental frontiers, across their self-titled 2020 debut and beyond.

Fresh off 2023-2024 jaunts through Europe and the West Coast, Being & Becoming charged forward into 2025 by welcoming Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey on drums. This augmented lineup has already stormed major U.S. and European festivals, with ambitious tours locked for 2026 and further. 'Ars Ludicra' isn't just documentation—it's a manifesto for perpetual becoming. Dive in and let the evolution wash over you.

Flute Firebrand Alexander Zonjic Blazes Back with High-Octane “Playing It Forward” After a Decade Away

The pandemic silenced concert stages, but it couldn’t mute Detroit’s flute phenom Alexander Zonjic. With festivals on ice, the Windsor-born virtuoso finally carved out space to finish his 13th album—his first in over ten years. Dropping October 9 on Hi-Falutin Music, Playing It Forward surges with jazz-funk-soul fusion, propelled by GRAMMY-winning keyboard titan Jeff Lorber on production for all but the lead single, the retro-R&B earworm “Motor City Sway.” Penned and produced by Pieces of a Dream’s James Lloyd, the track has topped Billboard’s Most Added chart two weeks running.

The title nods to Zonjic’s lifelong ethos of giving back—fueling fundraisers for a dozen Detroit nonprofits alongside his son, hosting WVMV’s morning drive since ’98, and helming his TV showcase Alexander Zonjic: From A to Z. “This record is forward momentum,” he says. “Pure energy.” That promise detonates across six originals (five co-penned by Lorber) and five reimagined covers, featuring guitar aces Chuck Loeb, Paul Jackson Jr., and Michael Thompson; drummer Gary Novak; horn arranger David Mann; and 14-year-old South African keyboard comet Justin-Lee Schultz.

Loeb’s final co-write, the lush downtempo “Musaic,” lets Zonjic’s flute converse tenderly with the late master’s guitar—a poignant farewell. Elsewhere, Zonjic salutes his roots: a slinky “Night Crawler” tribute to mentor Bob James (who discovered him at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in ’81); a haunting “Nature Boy” that treats the flute like the human voice it mimics; and a long-overdue Jethro Tull nod with a 5/4-time “Living In The Past” laced with grunts, groans, and classical flair. The roof-raiser? A gospel-charged “Rolling In The Deep” ignited by the Selected of God Choir—sparked not by Adele but by Aretha Franklin’s blistering Letterman performance.

A teenage rock guitarist turned flute messenger, Zonjic has collected three Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, 15 Detroit Music Awards, and a reputation for trading solos with giants. He’s ready to do it again—faster, louder, and with zero plans to wait another decade. Stream Playing It Forward and feel the Motor City sway.

Bebop Virtuoso Pascal Bokar Ushers in a New Dawn with Uplifting Contemporary Jazz Single “Sunrise”

No matter the chaos swirling around us, the quiet miracle of sunrise resets the world with hope. That universal promise inspired award-winning jazz guitarist Pascal Bokar to step beyond his bebop roots and co-write his first contemporary jazz single, “Sunrise,” with Billboard chart-topper Greg Manning. Released on Bokar’s AfroBlueGrazz Records, the buoyant R&B instrumental is already lighting up airwaves and playlists with its infectious optimism.

Bokar’s electric guitar dances with the same joyful dexterity that once earned praise from Dizzy Gillespie, who awarded him an Outstanding Jazz Soloist honor. Here, every note brims with anticipation, echoing George Benson’s fluid phrasing while channeling the smile-inducing glow of Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day.” Manning, a GRAMMY-recognized producer behind more than a dozen No. 1 hits for artists like Herb Alpert and Keb’ Mo’, layers distinctive African percussion that roots the track in authenticity and lifts it skyward.

“‘Sunrise’ is a metaphorical bridge to our collective resilience,” Bokar explains. “I heard the morning sun rising over the African savanna and wanted the music to call us toward new beginnings and the spirituality of our shared humanity.” Born in Paris and raised in Mali and Senegal, Bokar first learned the ngoni and balafon before mastering the guitar at Berklee College of Music, where he received the Jim Hall Jazz Master Award.

A respected scholar alongside his stage life, Bokar teaches at the University of San Francisco and recently published his fourth book, Jazz: Culture and Social Justice Soundtrack of America’s Art Form. His seven albums include the DownBeat-acclaimed Guitar Balafonics, and he’s listed in Scott Yanow’s The Great Jazz Guitarists: The Ultimate Guide. This month he’s in Las Vegas recording his next contemporary single, with a full album slated for 2026.

Stream “Sunrise” now and let Pascal Bokar’s radiant groove remind you that every dawn is a fresh start.

Demolition Brass Band Reimagines Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Getaway” with Explosive Energy

Mullsoul Music Records is set to turn up the heat this fall with the release of the Demolition Brass Band’s electrifying new single, a reimagined version of Earth, Wind & Fire’s iconic hit “Getaway.” The track, produced and arranged by Dave Mullen, infuses the legendary song with a bold brass-driven energy that blends the best of New York grit and New Orleans groove.

Drawing on a deep musical background that spans funk, jazz, and R&B, Mullen has assembled an all-star lineup of players whose collective experience and artistry make this version of “Getaway” both a heartfelt tribute and a thrilling reinvention. The result is a fresh, high-octane arrangement bursting with brass power, soulful vocals, and irresistible rhythm.

The single was engineered by Jeff Jones, aka “The Jedi Master,” a Grammy-winning and two-time Grammy-nominated producer/engineer best known for his work with Dr. John on the Grammy Award–winning album City That Care Forgot.

“Earth, Wind & Fire’s music is legendary and timeless,” says Mullen. “Getaway embodies that spirit perfectly. I wanted to create a version that honors their legacy while infusing the Demolition Brass Band’s sound — the meeting point of New York and New Orleans music.”

Featuring an impressive cast including Roger Lewis (baritone sax), Kirk Joseph (sousaphone), Tommy Bowes and Keith Anthony Fluitt (vocals), Lee Finkelstein (drums), John “Papa” Gros (B3 organ), and a powerhouse horn section, the single captures the infectious joy and explosive spirit of live brass music at its best.

“Getaway” was released November 5, 2025, with record release performances planned in both New York City and New Orleans. Expect big horns, tight grooves, and the kind of soulful energy that keeps Earth, Wind & Fire’s legacy alive — now powered by the unstoppable force of the Demolition Brass Band.

Sdban Records Reissues “Open Sky Unit” (1974): A Belgian Jazz-Funk Gem Reborn

The 1974 album Open Sky Unit, a cornerstone of Belgian jazz fusion, returns to turntables today via Sdban Records, offering a fresh listen to one of the country’s most soulful and forward-looking jazz projects. Featuring Micheline and Jacques Pelzer, Steve Houben, Ron Wilson, Janot Buchem, and Michel Graillier, the record captures a vibrant moment when soul, funk, and free improvisation converged within a close-knit musical family.

Formed in Liège in the early 1970s as a tribute to Dave Liebman’s group Open Sky, Open Sky Unit grew organically out of informal jam sessions. At the heart of the collective was saxophonist Jacques Pelzer, joined by his daughter, drummer/vocalist Micheline Pelzer, his cousin Steve Houben on sax and flute, Janot Buchem on bass, Michel Graillier on percussion, and American pianist/vocalist Ron Wilson, who had settled in Belgium after his military service.

Wilson composed the group’s entire repertoire, and in 1974, the ensemble recorded their self-titled album live at the legendary Jazzland Club in Liège. Originally released on the Duchesne label (run by Pelzer’s brother-in-law), Open Sky Unit balanced heartfelt improvisation with tight grooves, blending the freedom of jazz with the emotional immediacy of soul. Though the live recording was technically imperfect, the spirit and spontaneity were undeniable. Tracks like “Open Sky,” “Sunshine Star,” and “Passion and Compassion” pulse with raw energy and communal warmth.

Decades later, Sunshine Star resurfaced on the cult compilation Funky Chicken (2014), a release that not only reintroduced the song to new audiences but also marked the birth of the Sdban label itself.

To celebrate the reissue, Sdban has also pressed a limited edition of 200 copies featuring a bonus 7” single of Ron Wilson’s Sunshine Star. Originally issued in 1973, the single includes the acoustic piano-and-vocal version of Sunshine Star on the B-side and Peace Is The Answer on the A-side—a track being reissued for the very first time. The single offers an intimate glimpse into the soulful core of the project, making it a prized companion to the full LP.

Though Open Sky Unit never reached major international fame, their music left an indelible mark on progressive European jazz. Their story and sound have since been chronicled in anthologies like Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968–1979, reaffirming their status as key innovators in the Belgian jazz scene.

The Open Sky Unit reissue is out now via Sdban Records, available in standard and limited vinyl editions — a long-overdue revival of one of Belgian jazz’s most soulful and adventurous ensembles.

Jonathan Karrant & Joe Alterman Capture the Joy of Live Jazz on Their New Album “Live in Concert”

For years, vocalist Jonathan Karrant and pianist Joe Alterman have shared an unmistakable chemistry—onstage and in the studio. Now, with their new release Live in Concert, the longtime collaborators finally capture that magic in its purest form: an intimate, high-spirited performance that feels like you’re right there in the room with them.

Recorded at The Smith Center, one of America’s top performing arts venues, the album finds Karrant and Alterman joined by two world-class musicians, bassist Mike Gurrola and drummer Kevin Kanner, whose dynamic interplay elevates every tune with effortless flair and finesse.

Across 14 tracks, the quartet moves fluidly from swinging jazz standards to soulful, reimagined pop favorites. The song choices reflect Karrant and Alterman’s shared influences—mentors such as Diane Schuur, Les McCann, Nancy Wilson, and Ramsey Lewis—artists who taught them that jazz can be both timeless and refreshingly new.

Highlights include a buoyant take on “I Just Found Out About Love,” an exuberant version of “The Great City,” and heartfelt, genre-blending arrangements of “Your Song” and “How Glad I Am.” The result is an album that radiates warmth, spontaneity, and a deep connection between the musicians and their audience.

At its core, Live in Concert celebrates the essence of jazz: conversation, connection, and joy. Whether trading playful lines on a swing tune or digging into a tender ballad, these four artists remind us of why live music still matters—it’s about shared emotion, in real time.

The first single, a fresh interpretation of Elton John’s classic “Your Song,” arrived July 11, 2025. Here, the Alterman Trio lays down a contemporary funk groove while Karrant delivers a soulful, heartfelt vocal—a vibrant new take on an American favorite.

Karrant’s previous releases have topped the charts, with On and On reaching #4 on Billboard Jazz and Live peaking at #2 on iTunes Jazz. Named one of DownBeat’s Top 10 Rising Jazz Vocalists, he’s performed duets with luminaries like Diane Schuur and Jane Monheit. Alterman, praised by mentors and legends alike, earned both his BA and Master’s in Jazz Piano from NYU and has shared the stage with Houston Person, Les McCann, and Ramsey Lewis, who once said, “Although much younger than I, Joe Alterman is an inspiration to me! His ability to swing is a joy to behold.”

With Live in Concert, Karrant and Alterman deliver what every jazz fan craves: pure musical joy, captured live and unfiltered.

Spinifex Marks 20 Years with “Maxximus” — An Acoustic Reinvention of Fire and Freedom

After two decades of defying genre boundaries, Amsterdam-based sextet Spinifex celebrates its 20th anniversary with an audacious twist. Their upcoming album, Maxximus, out November 14, 2025 via Trytone Records, expands the group to a nine-piece ensemble while stripping away some of the electric ferocity that has defined its sound. The result: a daring acoustic reinvention that both honors and upends the band’s fiery legacy.

Spinifex — saxophonist and artistic director Tobias Klein, trumpeter Bart Maris, saxophonist John Dikeman, guitarist Jasper Stadhouders, bassist Gonçalo Almeida, and drummer Philipp Moser — has long been a force in European improvised music. Over the years, critics have praised the band’s ability to fuse “mathematical structures, punk aggression, [and] free jazz fire” (All About Jazz) and to “push boundaries, crafting a compelling combination of meticulous complexity and primal energy” (Jazz Views).

But with Maxximus, Spinifex opens new sonic territory. To mark the milestone, they invited three guests — vibraphonist Evi Filippou, cellist Elisabeth Coudoux, and violist Jessica Pavone — each adding depth and texture to the band’s already volatile chemistry. At the same time, the core players swapped their amplified weapons for acoustic ones: Maris adds piccolo trumpet, Klein takes up bass clarinet, Dikeman delves into bass saxophone, Stadhouders trades electric for acoustic guitar, Almeida switches to double bass, and Moser extends his kit with a spectrum of percussion.

“We wanted to approach this project with a different concept of our sound,” Klein explains. “Opening more space to acoustic rather than amplified sound would allow us to use colors we’ve explored individually, but not within Spinifex.”

The shift is felt immediately. The album opens with “Smitten,” an unexpected Spinifex ballad that unfolds with tense beauty before erupting into rhythmic chaos — a kind of musical palindrome. Klein’s compositions “Sack & Ash” and “Phoenix” harness the group’s trademark propulsion but temper it with intricate layers and open improvisational space. Coudoux contributes “Springend,” a piece that challenges the ensemble to rethink its habits and roles, while Maris’ “Annie Golden” pays homage to the punk singer-turned-actress with a build from hushed textures to raucous climax. The closing track, Almeida’s “The Privilege of Playing the Wrong Notes,” serves as a playful manifesto for both the band and avant-garde jazz itself.

As Klein puts it, “I normally see Spinifex as a compact ball that rolls with definite momentum. With Maxximus we fan out a bit. I really enjoyed going back and forth between the rolling and the fanning out.”

After 20 years of relentless experimentation, Maxximus shows Spinifex not settling down but expanding — finding intensity in restraint, power in quiet, and endless invention in sound itself.

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