Lettuce Funk Up Keni Burke’s “Rising to the Top” Ahead of New Album Cook

Legendary funk sextet Lettuce has dropped their electrifying cover of Keni Burke’s 1982 R&B classic “Rising to the Top”—and it’s available now on all platforms alongside an intimate, retro-styled music video. The release comes as a first taste of their highly anticipated new LP, Cook, arriving December 3, 2025 on the band’s own Lettuce Records.

Originally recorded by the one-time Five Stairsteps member Keni Burke, “Rising to the Top” has long been a cherished track in the R&B and hip-hop worlds. Lettuce breathes new life into the song, honoring its soulful roots while layering in their unmistakable modern funk. The video, shot and edited by keyboardist/vocalist Nigel Hall, captures the magic of the band in the studio, framed through warm, vintage filters that radiate pure 80s nostalgia.

Drummer Adam Deitch called the song an “R&B soul classic—tune paid serious tribute by the incredible Nigel Hall on vocals and keys.” For Hall, the song carries a personal connection:

“This was a song I heard as a kid. Through Hip-Hop, I learned the original, and per usual, was stuck on it like many tunes I checked out through Hip-Hop in my formative years. I always wanted to play it and am grateful to have turned that wish into reality.”

Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes summed up the track’s message:

“Believe in yourself profusely. Never listen to the doubts of others about your potential.”

Lettuce’s rendition feels like a late-summer anthem—warm, carefree, and rooted in positivity.

Cook isn’t just a title—it’s a celebration of the flavors that make Lettuce unique. Funk, soul, jazz, rock, and hip-hop all come together in a genre-defying mix, sharpened by the band’s years of musical chemistry. The record follows recent high-profile tours with Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA and reggae legend Ziggy Marley, as well as the release of Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony.

“This record is a little more three-dimensional than our past albums,” says Deitch. “It shows a lot more sides to the band, exploring further depths of production and arrangements.”

In a delicious twist, Cook also comes with Lettuce Red Crush and Orange Crush wines, produced in collaboration with Aquila Cellars. A recipe book pairing food with music will be included in vinyl editions and available digitally.

Cook – Track Listing

1. Grewt Up

2. Clav it Your Way

3. Sesshins 1

4. 7 Tribes

5. Rising to the Top

6. Sesshins 2

7. Gold Tooth

8. Breathe

9. The Matador

10. Sesshins 3

11. Cook

12. Storms Coming

13. Keep On

14. Sesshins 4

15. The Mac

16. Ghosts of Yest

Lettuce’s world tour in support of Cook begins August 13, 2025 and runs deep into 2026, covering North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Fans can also grab the “Cookin’ with the Band” VIP Experience for select January–February 2026 dates, including soundcheck access, setlist voting, exclusive merch, and a signed tour laminate.

2025

• 08/13 – Paw Paw, MI @ Warner Vineyards

• 08/14 – Columbus, OH @ The Summit Music Hall

• 08/15 – Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI Annex with BALTHVS

• 08/16 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew's Hall with BALTHVS

• 08/17 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom with BALTHVS

• 08/19 – Bayfield, WI @ Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua

• 08/20 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue with BALTHVS

• 08/21 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre with BALTHVS

• 08/22 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall with BALTHVS

• 08/23 – Iowa City, IA @ Wildwood

• 08/24 – St. Louis, MO @ Atomic Pavilion

• 08/27 – Toronto, ON @ Annabel's

• 08/28 – Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn's Peak

• 08/29 – Charlestown, RI @ Rhythm & Roots

• 08/30 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom

• 08/31 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Music Hall

• 09/01 – Stratton, VT @ Stratton Mountain Resort

• 09/17 – Paris, FR @ Alhambra

• 09/18 – Cologne, DE @ CBE

• 09/19 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg

• 09/21 – Antwerp, BE @ Troubleyn

• 09/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso

• 09/23 – Berlin, DE @ Lido

• 09/24 – Vienna, AT @ Simm City

• 09/26 – Zürich, CH @ Bogen F

• 09/27 – Milan, IT @ Santeria

• 09/30 – Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz 2

• 10/01 – Angoulins, FR @ Crossroad

• 10/02 – Rouen, FR @ Le 106

• 10/03 – London, UK @ Ronnie Scott's

• 10/04 – London, UK @ Ronnie Scott's

• 10/17 – Charleston, SC @ The Refinery

• 10/18 – Raleigh, NC @ Harvest Jam Music & Arts Festival

• 10/24 – Melbourne, AU @ Melbourne International Jazz Festival

• 10/25 – Sydney, AU @ The Metro Theatre

• 10/29 – Osaka, JP @ Umeda Club Quattro

• 10/30 – Tokyo, JP @ Duo Music Exchange

• 11/01 – Perth, AU @ Urban Orchard

2026

• 01/21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre

• 01/22 – Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theater

• 01/23–24 – Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall

• 01/25 – Syracuse, NY @ The Westcott Theater

• 01/28 – Albany, NY @ Empire Live

• 01/29 – Hartford, CT @ Infinity Music Hall

• 01/30 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre

• 01/31 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre

• 02/01 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

• 02/03 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Jefferson Theater

• 02/04 – Savannah, GA @ Victory North

• 02/05 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live

• 02/06 – Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live

• 02/07–12 – Miami, FL @ Jam Cruise 22

Lettuce is:
Adam Deitch – drums, percussion
Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff – guitar
Erick “Jesus” Coomes – bass
Ryan “Zoid” Zoidis – saxophones, synths
Eric “Benny” Bloom – trumpet, horns
Nigel Hall – vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, clavinet, keyboards

Nicole Zuraitis Unveils Her First Live Concert Album Live at Vic’s — A Masterclass in Jazz Artistry

GRAMMY-winning vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Nicole Zuraitis cements her place as one of today’s most versatile and compelling jazz artists with the release of Live at Vic’s, her debut concert album recorded at the iconic Las Vegas jazz club Vic’s. Captured over an electrifying two-hour show, the album offers an immersive experience that showcases Zuraitis’s extraordinary talents across multiple musical dimensions — from singer and pianist to improviser, songwriter, arranger, and storyteller.

A Triumph Following Historic Grammy Wins

Live at Vic’s arrives hot on the heels of two remarkable Grammy wins that have propelled Zuraitis into the spotlight. In 2024, she made history as the first independent artist to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album with How Love Begins, an album she both wrote and arranged entirely by herself. Then, in 2025, she shared the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble with her longtime collaborator Dan Pugach for Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence, a heartfelt project inspired by their mutual passion for rescuing and fostering dogs.

An Ensemble That Elevates Every Moment

The power of Live at Vic’s is amplified by an exceptional ensemble handpicked by Zuraitis. Her longtime collaborators — guitarist Idan Morim, drummer Dan Pugach, and bassist Samuel Weber — form the core, with special guests adding distinctive colors: Keyon Harold on trumpet, Rachel Eckroth on organ, and legendary saxophonist Tom Scott.

Zuraitis’s arrangements create an electrifying platform that brings out the best in every musician, making each track an intricate, dynamic conversation. “It’s jazz. The magic of it is the improv,” she explains. “So the songs are 11 minutes, and everybody’s shredding. I wanted to make an album for people of songs that I adore. This feels like the pinnacle of my career to get onstage and go: This is what I sound like. Every single thing on this album is arranged by me or written by me. It’s all live, unedited. No auto tune. Everything is here.”

The Heart and Soul of Live at Vic’s

At its core, Live at Vic’s is a deeply personal and soulful journey through a setlist that reflects Zuraitis’s musical evolution. Starting her artistic path in opera and later teaching herself piano, Zuraitis’s style blossomed in the jazz clubs of New York City, where she experimented with rearranging pop songs and crafting new sounds. This fearless genre-blending is fully on display here — a testament to her belief that “good music is good music,” regardless of style.

She calls her songwriting approach the “modern songbook,” a contemporary take on timeless themes and emotions, all delivered through her unique voice. The album features a rich mix of jazz standards, pop reimaginings, and original compositions, illustrating her ability to move seamlessly between genres while remaining authentically herself.

Track Highlights

The album spans two discs and features extended, improvisational performances that breathe new life into beloved classics and originals alike. Highlights include:

• The soulful groove of Got My Mojo Working

• The intimate and tender Nearness of You

• The soaring 11-minute exploration in All Stars Point to You

• A heartfelt rendition of Jolene

• The jazz standard Round Midnight, stretched to an expansive 11 minutes of improvisation

• And the dynamic closer Sea Line Woman, an 11-minute deep dive into rhythmic interplay

A Live Jazz Experience Like No Other

Live at Vic’s is more than an album — it’s an invitation into the magic of live jazz, raw and unfiltered. Zuraitis’s refusal to rely on editing or autotune offers listeners an authentic connection to the artist’s craft, making this release a milestone in her already stellar career.

Jazz fans, and music lovers across genres, will find much to admire in Zuraitis’s fearless artistry and the spirited performances captured on this landmark album.

Tracklisting

Disc 1
Got My Mojo Working – 8:05
Nearness of You – 7:12
All Stars Point to You – 11:22
Pure Imagination – 5:50
Jolene – 8:50
Middle C – 5:40
Everything Must Change – 7:50
Reverie – 7:17

Disc 2
Rhiannon – 5:41
Round Midnight – 11:02
Wichita Lineman – 7:25
The Coffee Song – 4:30
Right in Front of Me – 5:15
Georgia on My Mind – 4:24
Sea Line Woman – 11:11
Do I Move You – 5:51

Horace Silver’s Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse — A Lost Jazz Treasure Unveiled

Jazz fans are in for a treat this fall. On October 24, Blue Note Records will release Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse, a never-before-issued recording of the legendary Horace Silver Quintet, captured 60 years ago at Seattle’s iconic Penthouse jazz club on August 12 and 19, 1965.

This remarkable live session brings together one of Silver’s most powerful yet short-lived line-ups:

• Horace Silver – piano

• Woody Shaw – trumpet

• Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone

• Teddy Smith – bass

• Roger Humphries – drums

Listeners will hear energetic, unrestrained renditions of Silver’s classics, including Song For My Father, The Cape Verdean Blues, The Kicker, Sayonara Blues, and the newly released lead single, No Smokin’.

Transferred from the original broadcast tapes recorded by KING-FM radio host and engineer Jim Wilke, and expertly mastered by Matthew Lutthans at the Mastering Lab, this release offers stunning sound quality. It places you right in the middle of a packed club, with Silver’s hard bop magic in full swing.

Produced by Zev Feldman, the album will be available on both LP and CD, each accompanied by an elaborate booklet. The booklet features rare photography by Francis Wolff, Burt Goldblatt, and Jean-Pierre Leloir, along with liner notes by acclaimed jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal. You’ll also find interviews with drummer Roger Humphries, Silver alumni Randy Brecker and Alvin Queen, and rising star pianist Sullivan Fortner.

“In what might be called the 33 1/3 era, Horace Silver was Blue Note’s quintessential recording artist,” Blumenthal writes. “From his first session as a leader in 1952 until the label’s temporary shutdown in 1979, he embodied the originality, innovation, and consistency that defined Blue Note. These newly discovered performances—captured halfway through his Blue Note journey—show Silver at a pivotal creative moment.”

Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse is more than a long-lost recording—it’s a time capsule, a front-row ticket to a night when one of jazz’s greatest bands played with unmatched energy and soul.

Sara Serpa & Matt Mitchell Explore Intimacy, Trust, and Sonic Freedom in End of Something

When Portuguese composer-vocalist Sara Serpa and pianist-composer Matt Mitchell step into a room together, the air shifts. There’s no grand announcement, no need for posturing—just two artists who understand that music at its most profound is built on listening. Not just hearing, but listening. The kind that makes you feel as if time itself has decided to wait and see what will happen.

That quiet magic is the lifeblood of their new duo album, End of Something, arriving November 7, 2025 on Obliquity Records. Across 15 pieces—some meticulously composed, others daringly improvised—Serpa and Mitchell open a sonic space where vulnerability and virtuosity exist side by side, never in competition.

Their story began in 2018, when Serpa invited Mitchell to join her Intimate Strangers project. From the first notes, it was clear they spoke the same musical language.

“From the beginning, I felt I could count on Matt,” Serpa recalls. “There was no fear of getting lost. He listens so deeply—and understands the voice in a way that’s rare.”

Mitchell remembers it just as vividly.

“Every time we improvised together, it felt like something special,” he says. “It wasn’t just intellectually challenging—it was sonically beautiful.”

What began as occasional duo moments evolved slowly, patiently, into a full partnership—one defined by curiosity, trust, and a willingness to take creative risks without a safety net.

End of Something isn’t simply a tracklist; it’s an unfolding narrative, an unhurried conversation between two people who have learned each other’s rhythms and silences.

Mitchell contributes compositions that dance with rhythmic intricacy and harmonic surprise—like the winding “Diction” and the textural “Gluey Clamor.” His ballad “Trouvaille,” first written for a large ensemble, finds unexpected intimacy in Serpa’s crystalline voice, as if the song had been waiting for her all along.

Serpa’s work carries a poet’s ear for phrasing and emotional contour. “News Cycle” captures the dizzying churn of modern life, while “Carry You Like a River” (featuring the words of Sonia Sanchez) and “Dead Spirits” (from Luce Irigaray) open quiet spaces for grief, care, and transformation. Together, their pieces weave into a sound world that feels at once fragile and unshakable.

It’s not just the compositions that make End of Something compelling—it’s the way the two inhabit the music together. In sparse moments, they stretch time until the listener can feel every breath. In denser passages, they move in perfect tandem, as if navigating an unfamiliar path with complete confidence in the other’s next step.

“Sara inhabits a very specific world,” Mitchell says. “And I relish the kind of parameters she brings to improvisation—more aired out, more patient, with a lower volume ceiling but a huge range of nuance.”

“With Matt,” Serpa reflects, “my ideas feel understood before I’ve even finished singing them.”

The album was recorded over a year before its release. There was no rush, no need to chase a market moment. When Serpa returned to the recordings months later, she heard them with fresh ears.

“I was struck by how beautiful and surprising it all sounded,” she says.

That patience is audible in the finished record. End of Something doesn’t feel dated or fixed in time—it feels alive, as if it might change the next time you listen.

The duo will bring End of Something to life in a select run of performances:

• Oct. 2 – New England Conservatory, Boston, MA

• Dec. 3 – Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

• Dec. 4 – Solar Myth, Philadelphia, PA

• Dec. 5 – Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT

• Dec. 6 – Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares, Northampton, MA

• Dec. 8 – Close Up, NYC

Sara Serpa is known for her pure tone, fearless improvisation, and genre-defying work blending jazz, chamber music, and experimental sound. She has performed at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and internationally with some of today’s most visionary musicians.

Matt Mitchell’s intricate, inventive compositions and fearless improvisations have made him one of the most respected pianists in contemporary music. His projects bridge the acoustic and electric, the composed and improvised, always with a deep sense of purpose.

In a musical landscape where skill often overshadows sincerity, End of Something is a reminder that mastery and vulnerability can coexist—and that listening may be the most important instrument of all.

As Mitchell puts it, with a smile:
“The theme is just that we do a good job.”

Joe Taylor Finds His Musical “Home” in Instrumental Americana with New Album Last Boat Home

After years of navigating the bustling, ever-changing soundscape of New York City, acclaimed guitarist Joe Taylor has returned to his roots—and in doing so, settled into a new musical “home.” His latest album, Last Boat Home, released on August 22 via Moonwatcher Music, reflects this journey with a soulful fusion of instrumental Americana, blues, and jazz, all recorded in the comfort of his South Carolina studio.

A Journey From City Streets to Southern Shores

Taylor’s previous work, Westside Chill, captured the urban pulse of New York—the subways, buses, and the relentless pace of city life. The album's cover art visually echoed this hectic metropolitan energy, positioning the listener in the heart of the city. But Last Boat Home marks a transformative shift. The album’s evocative cover depicts Taylor waiting for the titular “last boat,” symbolizing his final step toward a deeply personal, more organic sound rooted in the natural beauty and traditions of his Southern home.

This album is more than a collection of songs—it’s a musical homecoming.

Friends, Fellowship, and Creativity on the Water

To bring this vision to life, Taylor invited three longtime friends and top-tier New York musicians—pianist Jeff Franzel, bassist Paul Adamy, and drummer-percussionist Ray Marchica—to join him in Bennetts Point, South Carolina. For two weeks, the quartet collaborated in Taylor’s Salt Creek Recording studio, nestled in a scenic enclave within the ACE Basin Wildlife Preserve.

Taylor built this studio as a sanctuary—a creative refuge away from the frenetic energy of NYC, designed for friends and collaborators to feel at home and free to explore. As Taylor shares, “I wanted to build a place where my musical friends could comfortably stay and create, away from the pressurized atmosphere of New York City.”

The evenings were filled with southern hospitality: boat rides on the water, shrimp dock visits, and relaxed gatherings at local spots like B&B Seafood’s general store. It was this warm, supportive atmosphere that nurtured the intimate and organic sound of Last Boat Home.

A Collaborative Spirit: Live, Raw, and Rootsy

Rather than coming into the studio with fully formed compositions, Taylor and his friends embraced a spontaneous approach. Each brought “snippets and threads” of melodies, grooves, and colors that they developed on the spot—feeding off each other’s energy in real time. The album captures that old-school feel of musicians let loose in the studio, where improvisation meets heartfelt collaboration.

The result is ten songs that weave Americana, jazz, blues, and subtle world influences into a sound both timeless and fresh.

Highlight Tracks and Stories Behind the Music

• “Last Boat Home” — The title track features Taylor’s soulful McGill Resonator guitar and stirring piano from Franzel, accented by steel guitar from Gary Morse. It perfectly sets the tone of a lyrical journey home.

• “Goodnight Gracie” — Written by Adamy for his beloved dog, this melodic ballad pairs Taylor’s electric guitar with emotional depth, evoking the tender spirit of saying goodbye.

• “Mason Jar” — A playful, Steely Dan-esque tune inspired by a humorous studio moment involving a pencil tapping on Taylor’s ever-present Mason jar of wine—a nod to his grandfather’s moonshining past.

• “I See A Spider” — Featuring a hypnotic call and response between guitar and piano, the track’s title references the only wildlife encounter during their stay in the wildlife preserve—a literal spider that wandered into the studio.

• “Bumba Meu Boi” — This track channels a lively Brazilian jazz vibe, showcasing Marchica’s percussion prowess and adding a global flair to the Americana roots.

• “Burnin’ Daylight” — A loving tribute to Luther Vandross, whose famous song “Never Too Much” inspired Taylor’s opening lick, the track recalls fond memories of time spent with the legendary singer.

• “Melba” — A tender homage to Franzel’s late mother, capturing the warmth of their shared musical history.

• “Royal Street” — Named after the vibrant French Quarter street in New Orleans, this piece dances to a rhythm reminiscent of the city’s rich musical heritage, reflecting memories of trips with Taylor’s bloodhound, Ida Mae.

• “Well, I Reckon” & “Kinda Greasy” — These closing tracks bring funky bass grooves and Memphis soul vibes that round out the album with spirited energy.

A Life in Music

Joe Taylor’s journey has been marked by versatility and dedication. From his 1988 solo debut Mystery Walk to his 1995 RCA/Victor album Spellbound, he has consistently charted on Billboard’s contemporary jazz albums. Alongside his solo career, Taylor has contributed as a sought-after session musician and producer for iconic artists like Dave Koz, Donna Summer, Nile Rodgers, and Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

His composing talents extend to television and film as well, with credits including Stephen King’s Golden Years, Discovery Channel’s SpyTek, and A&E’s Spies.

Upcoming Shows to Catch Joe Taylor & Friends

Taylor and his trio will be hitting the road this late summer and fall, with concerts scheduled in Michigan and South Carolina to celebrate Last Boat Home:

• August 20 & 21 – Elk Rapids and Glen Arbor, Michigan

• September 5 – Charleston, South Carolina

• September 6 – Camden, South Carolina

The Last Boat Home Tracklist

1. Last Boat Home

2. Goodnight Gracie

3. Mason Jar

4. I See A Spider

5. Bumba Meu Boi

6. Burnin’ Daylight

7. Melba

8. Royal Street

9. Well, I Reckon

10. Kinda Greasy

Joe Taylor’s Last Boat Home is more than an album—it’s a musical memoir of friendship, roots, and the enduring power of creative community. Whether you’re a fan of jazz, Americana, or instrumental storytelling, this record invites you on a heartfelt journey toward a new kind of home.

Bremen Meets New York: The Live Alchemy of Timo Vollbrecht

When saxophonist Timo Vollbrecht set out to record Bremen New York, he wasn’t just making an album—he was building a bridge between two worlds he calls home. The project brings together a dream lineup: Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Elias Stemeseder on piano, Chris Tordini on bass, and Thomas Strønen on drums. It’s a gathering of international voices, each with a distinct musical dialect, speaking in the common language of jazz.

For Vollbrecht, this record is as much about place as it is about music. Fifteen years ago, he left Berlin for New York, chasing both education and the pulse of the city’s jazz scene. Since then, he’s carved out a multifaceted career as a performer, composer, Ivy League professor, and scholar. Yet the connection to his European roots remains strong—especially to Bremen, a city that’s played host to his artistic milestones.

The album was recorded entirely live in Bremen’s legendary Sendesaal, a venue whose acoustic warmth shapes every note. Vollbrecht’s compositions were written with this space in mind, the room’s resonance guiding the band’s phrasing and pacing. “Jazz is an art form that really thrives when it’s played live,” he says. “It’s the synergy with the audience that can lift the music to completely new heights.”

The opener, Com Tempo, begins with a nod to the late ’60s—Alessi’s trumpet gliding over intricate bass-and-drum interplay—before Vollbrecht’s signature lyricism takes center stage. Stemeseder’s piano, when it enters, feels less like an addition and more like a new dimension unfolding. Throughout the record, Strønen’s gran cassa drum rumbles like a heartbeat, expanding the sonic palette.

While Vollbrecht has explored wildly different sound worlds—like the electro-acoustic landscapes of his Fly Magic project—Bremen New York is a return to a “classic” quintet form, albeit with his modern sensibilities. The album sits at the intersection of chamber-music elegance and deep jazz lineage, evoking the spirit of live recordings by Joe Henderson or Keith Jarrett, but never mimicking them.

The magic here lies not just in composition, but in trust. With little rehearsal and only one recording day, Vollbrecht gave his band space to shape the music in real time. The result is a collection of pieces—Brighton Blues, Spicy Moon, New York Love Affair—that feel both meticulously crafted and impossibly free.

Upcoming performances will see this quintet bringing their synergy to audiences from New York to Cairo, a fitting journey for music that was born at the crossroads of continents. For Timo Vollbrecht, Bremen New York isn’t just an album—it’s proof that when the right musicians meet in the right room at the right moment, the results can be timeless.

Erika Dohi Confronts Memory, Myth, and Resilience on Myth of Tomorrow

On October 24, 2025, Switch Hit/Figureight will release Myth of Tomorrow, the second album from Osaka-born, New York-based composer and pianist Erika Dohi. It’s a work born from solitude and shaped by transformation—melding personal myth, historical memory, and an expansive sonic vision into something both deeply intimate and breathtakingly cinematic.

For many, Dohi first emerged on the global stage with her acclaimed debut I, Castorpollux (37d03d), a recording that drew praise from the BBC, The New York Times, and other international outlets. In the years since, she has become a vital force in New York’s music scene, performing in ensembles that blur the lines between genres and lending her talents to artists as varied as Ichiko Aoba, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and Wadada Leo Smith.

But Myth of Tomorrow marks an artistic leap—a leap inspired by a haunting image. The title references a mural by Japanese artist Taro Okamoto, a vivid, unsettling depiction of the Hiroshima bombing. Dohi saw in Okamoto’s work a mirror of her own emotional and creative reckoning.

“I began writing this music in the earliest days of the pandemic,” Dohi says. “I had just moved back to New York, only to find the city—and my career—suddenly paused. In that stillness, I confronted what I’ve come to call my ‘inner jails’: the emotional and mental confines we carry with us, no matter where we are.”

From that stillness grew music that’s anything but static. Produced by Grammy-winning composer William Brittelle (known for his work with Room Full of Teeth and Julia Holter) and supported by Metropolis Ensemble, the album layers Dohi’s piano and voice with an eclectic cast of collaborators: poet Carol Féliz, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, violinist Lauren Cauley, and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. The arrangements move fluidly between electronic soundscapes, chamber textures, jazz phrasing, and moments of ambient stillness.

The Rain Woman’s Song

The lead single, Ame Onna, released today alongside a striking video by Michael VQ, offers an entry point into the album’s emotional world. In Japanese folklore, an ame onna—“rain woman”—is a spirit who brings rain wherever she goes. For Dohi, this wasn’t just a legend; it was her life.

“I was born in June, right in the middle of Japan’s monsoon season, and it felt like rain followed me everywhere—on school trips, birthdays, even my wedding day,” she says. “Over time, I learned to embrace that part of me, not as bad luck but as something quietly powerful and deeply tied to emotion. ‘Ame Onna’ is about that space between holding on and letting go. Rain teaches us that there’s strength in vulnerability—that release can be a form of resilience.”

The song begins with Dohi’s processed vocals, sounding as if sung underwater, suspended over delicate synths and the shimmer of a single cymbal. Halfway through, the atmosphere shifts: a deep bass pulse enters, doubling and folding back on itself, before dissolving into the surrounding soundscape.

Expanding the Palette

Myth of Tomorrow also sees Dohi embracing new sonic tools. As an artist-in-residence at Brooklyn’s Figure 8 studio, in partnership with Gotye’s Forgotten Futures project, she gained access to rare instruments—including the iconic Fairlight CMI synthesizer—as well as traditional Japanese instruments that ground her experimental approach in cultural roots. Hip-hop rhythms, chamber strings, and prepared piano textures all find a place here.

Still, at its core, the album is about connection: the way personal narratives can resonate with collective histories, and how music can bridge the two. Dohi describes Myth of Tomorrow as “an invitation to look inward, to sit with uncertainty, and to find hope and resilience in our shared human experience.”

Track titles like Izanagi no Mikoto, Saturn Square Venus, and 1111 / First Responders April 29, 2020 hint at the album’s scope—blending folklore, astrology, memory, and lived experience into a singular vision.

As the rain woman steps into her next chapter, Myth of Tomorrow feels less like a collection of songs and more like a constellation of emotional landscapes—a reminder that even in the heaviest storms, there is beauty to be found.

Erika Dohi – Myth of Tomorrow
October 24, 2025 – Switch Hit/Figureight

Tracklist

1. Izanagi no Mikoto

2. Ame Onna

3. Aratani (feat. Adam O’Farrill)

4. Saturn Square Venus (feat. Lauren Cauley)

5. In The Wild

6. Myth of Tomorrow

7. Transplante (feat. Carol Féliz)

8. Shahzad + Erika

9. 1111 / First Responders April 29, 2020

Sylvie Courvoisier & Wadada Leo Smith Unite for Angel Falls

On October 3, 2025, Intakt Records will release Angel Falls, a spellbinding duo album from pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. It’s the first time these two towering figures have recorded alone together, and yet, the music feels as if it’s the result of a lifetime of shared journeys.

Their connection didn’t happen overnight. It began in 2017 in a downtown Manhattan performance space, at a concert organized by John Zorn. Courvoisier, the Swiss-born pianist known for her fearless improvisations and meticulous ear for detail, took the stage alongside Smith, the Mississippi-born trumpet legend whose “Creative Music” ethos has shaped the course of modern jazz and avant-garde composition.

That night left a lasting impression. As Courvoisier recalls, “Right after the concert he asked for my number, and a couple of months later, we did a trio recording with Marcus Gilmore in New Haven.” That session never saw an official release, but it sparked a series of collaborations—varied, adventurous, and never predictable. Over the years, they found themselves together in trios, large ensembles, and even a two-piano project within one of Smith’s own groups. Each encounter deepened their musical rapport.

It was Smith’s fondness for the piano duo format that eventually brought the idea of Angel Falls to the table. He’s no stranger to the setting, having recorded memorable partnerships with Vijay Iyer, John Tilbury, Angelica Sanchez, and Amina Claudine Myers. But when Courvoisier suggested they work without written charts, the stage was set for something uniquely alive.

The recording itself was almost shockingly immediate. In just two hours, they played straight through the eight pieces in the order they appear on the album—no edits, no overdubs. By late afternoon, the entire record was recorded, mixed, and finished. This directness is audible in every note: the music breathes with a sense of risk, trust, and discovery.

Listening to Angel Falls is like eavesdropping on a conversation in a language only the two of them speak. Smith’s trumpet can be regal and declarative one moment, whisper-soft the next, its tones sometimes burnished by a mute, sometimes pure and open. Courvoisier answers with a piano vocabulary that stretches from crystalline classical clarity to inside-the-piano explorations, plucking and preparing strings on the fly.

There’s no traditional comping here, no soloist-accompanist dynamic. Instead, the music unfolds like an intricate dance—alternately melodic and abstract, open and tightly interwoven, playful and solemn.

The album’s title track references Angel Falls in Venezuela, the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world. For Courvoisier, the imagery resonates both with the power of nature and the poetic vision of “an angel falling down.” The other track titles, chosen together after playback, share a similar elemental quality, reflecting the organic, unforced nature of the session.

For Smith, this collaboration is another chapter in a career defined by integrity, spiritual resonance, and creative courage. Born in Leland, Mississippi, in 1941, his roots in Delta blues and African American musical traditions have always informed his work, even as he’s pushed the boundaries of form and genre. A Pulitzer Prize finalist, Guggenheim Fellow, Doris Duke Artist, and Vision Festival Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Smith’s body of work spans chamber music, large-scale orchestral pieces, and intimate improvisations like those on Angel Falls.

Courvoisier’s journey is equally compelling. A winner of the Swiss Grand Prix and the 2025 American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award, she’s spent over two decades in New York City forging a career that defies easy categorization. She moves fluidly between European chamber traditions and the improvisatory spirit of the avant-jazz scene, whether reimagining Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, leading her acclaimed trio, or partnering with innovators like guitarist Mary Halvorson.

When Courvoisier speaks about her approach, you can sense the childlike curiosity that still fuels her art. “If I hear a sound in my head, which needs to be not tempered or I want something more pecky, I will do an instant preparation,” she explains. This habit goes back to her youth in Switzerland, when she would experiment with the family piano while her parents were out, imitating radio sounds and trying any household object she could find to change the instrument’s tone.

That spirit of exploration is alive and well in Angel Falls. “With Wadada I feel like we are creating in the moment and I feel something very joyful,” she says. “We’re like kids discovering things.”

And that’s perhaps the essence of this record: two seasoned masters approaching the music with the openness and wonder of beginners, unburdened by expectations, free to follow the sound wherever it might lead. The result is a work that feels at once fleeting and timeless—an unrepeatable conversation caught on record, and a testament to the magic that can happen when two musical worlds meet.

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Terry Riley – The Columbia Recordings: A Landmark Four-Disc Set Celebrates a Minimalist Pioneer

One of the most influential composers of the 20th century, Terry Riley, is honored with a comprehensive new box set, Terry Riley – The Columbia Recordings, due August 22, 2025, from Sony Classical. Available for preorder now, this four-disc collection compiles Riley’s groundbreaking work for Columbia Masterworks between 1968 and 1980—a pivotal era that reshaped contemporary music.

The set includes Riley’s seminal albums In C (1968), A Rainbow in Curved Air (1969), Church of Anthrax (1971, with Velvet Underground’s John Cale), and Shri Camel (1980). These recordings mark a period when Columbia boldly embraced experimental American music, capturing Riley’s innovative spirit and his pioneering role in minimalist composition.

Beyond the music, the box features a 50-page booklet packed with rare archival photos from Columbia’s famed 30th Street Studios and essays by notable figures, including Grammy-nominated producer Tom Laskey, original producer David Behrman, and Riley’s longtime manager Thomas M. Welsh. These insights offer a deeper understanding of Riley’s creative process and lasting influence.

Riley, who turned 90 this past June, is widely regarded as the father of minimalism. His 1968 In C recording is credited with launching the minimalist movement, influencing contemporaries such as Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and La Monte Young. Drawing on jazz, Indian classical music, improvisation, and early electronic techniques, Riley forged a musical language that was both avant-garde and accessible—an unprecedented feat that expanded the possibilities of 20th-century sound.

This box set not only celebrates those landmark recordings but also highlights Riley’s enduring musical journey, which continues to inspire listeners and musicians worldwide.