Paul Anka Reflects on Romance and Resilience with “Inspirations of Life and Love”

Billed as the 30th studio album from legendary octogenarian singer-songwriter Paul Anka, Inspirations of Life and Love arrives during Valentine’s Week with a tone that is less celebratory than contemplative—surprisingly melancholy at times, yet deeply moving throughout. Recorded primarily at Anka’s home studio in California and elevated by a lush symphony orchestra tracked in Budapest, the 11-song collection blends past and present in a sweeping orchestral setting that underscores a lifetime of love, loss, reflection, and resilience.

The album is eclectic in its sourcing but cohesive in its emotional core. It features a thoughtful mix of brand-new originals, reimagined Anka classics, carefully chosen covers, and a first-ever Anka recording of “Love Never Felt So Good,” a song he co-wrote with Michael Jackson. The track first appeared on Jackson’s posthumous 2014 album Xscape, but here Anka delivers his own interpretation, transforming the upbeat disco-pop number into a warmer, more sophisticated orchestral arrangement. Strings and woodwinds soften the edges, while subtle rhythmic undertones preserve a gentle hint of the original’s danceable spirit. The result feels less like a retro revival and more like a seasoned artist reclaiming a shared creation with tenderness and poise.

The album opens with the dramatic new power ballad “Just Can’t Wait,” presented in a polished country-rock style before the project settles into its prevailing orchestral mood. From there, Inspirations of Life and Love unfolds as a cohesive meditation on longing, memory, and emotional endurance. A recurring theme is the ache of lost companionship and the yearning for second chances—sentiments that resonate strongly in re-recordings of some of Anka’s earlier hits.

“Anytime,” originally a Top 40 hit for Anka in 1976, is reborn as a timeless orchestral ballad and stands as one of the album’s highlights. Its mature vocal phrasing lends additional weight to lyrics that now feel even more lived-in. Likewise, “(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings,” first a Top 20 hit when Anka was still a teenager in 1958, receives a reflective reinterpretation that bridges the decades between youthful optimism and seasoned perspective. The empowering “Freedom – Prefer the Fade,” a revisit of 1987’s “Freedom for You and Me (Freedom for the World),” retains its gospel-inflected chorus while embracing a more expansive orchestral backdrop.

Among the new compositions, “Boulevard” emerges as a tear-streaked centerpiece, steeped in nostalgia and quiet sorrow, while “I Believe” rises as a towering theatrical ballad that showcases Anka’s enduring dramatic instincts. These new works feel fully integrated with the revisited material, not as add-ons but as natural extensions of a long storytelling arc.

The covers on the album further reinforce its reflective tone. Anka pays homage to Frank Sinatra with stirring renditions of “It Was a Very Good Year” and “That’s Life.” The latter serves as a particularly fitting closer, its resilient message brushing off heartbreak with a promise to keep moving forward. Anka’s vocal interpretation subtly nods to Sinatra’s phrasing while maintaining his own distinctive warmth and clarity. Positioned at the album’s conclusion, “That’s Life” feels less like imitation and more like kinship—a salute from one master interpreter of the American songbook to another.

The complete track listing includes:

1. Just Can’t Wait

2. Anytime

3. Boulevard

4. It Was a Very Good Year

5. Let Me Try Again

6. All of a Sudden (My Heart Sings)

7. Love Never Felt So Good

8. Freedom – Prefer the Fade

9. I Believe

10. The Last Time I Saw You

11. That’s Life

Taken as a whole, Inspirations of Life and Love is best experienced without overanalyzing its historical context or the weight of its milestone status. While longtime listeners will recognize melodies spanning decades, the album plays most powerfully as a unified orchestral statement—an intimate, late-career reflection on romance, regret, gratitude, and perseverance. The production is warm and enveloping, the arrangements elegant and restrained, and Anka’s voice, though weathered by time, carries an emotional authority that cannot be manufactured.

Rather than chasing trends, Paul Anka leans into experience. The result is an album rich with love lessons deeply learned—an elegant reminder that even in life’s autumn years, inspiration can still bloom.

Shawn Maxwell Bridges Jazz and Classical Worlds on “Frenetic Domain”

After issuing a dozen jazz albums under his own name, Shawn Maxwell takes a bold new direction with his 2026 release, Frenetic Domain—a project that reconnects him with his earliest musical identity while pushing his compositional voice further into uncharted terrain. Long before he became a mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene, Maxwell was a classical clarinetist, beginning in fourth grade and immersing himself in the Western canon before ever picking up the saxophone after high school. That dual foundation—classical discipline and jazz exploration—now converges in a recording that consciously builds a structural bridge between two traditions often seen as opposites.

The effort to unite jazz and classical music is not new. In the 1920s, Paul Whiteman championed what he called “symphonic jazz,” aiming to elevate jazz through orchestral ambitions. Decades later, Stan Kenton pursued similarly grand fusions with brassy, large-scale ensembles. The “third stream” movement later sought a more organic synthesis, blending classical compositional structures with jazz improvisation at their roots. Maxwell’s Frenetic Domain stands firmly in that lineage—but with a contemporary sensibility and a highly personal spark.

That spark arrived through his role as an Artist Clinician for Vandoren, the century-old reed and mouthpiece manufacturer that sponsors leading woodwind players across genres. At a Vandoren national clinician meeting, Maxwell met classical alto saxophonist Chika Inoue. What began as a playful suggestion that they record together evolved into a serious artistic concept: a project where fully notated classical passages coexist with open spaces for jazz improvisation. Inoue, who does not improvise, would anchor the composed sections with her focused tone and precise phrasing, while Maxwell and pianist Mark Nelson would navigate the improvisational terrain.

Maxwell composed pieces that demand strict adherence to written passages while allowing the ensemble to expand, react, and reshape the material in real time. In a striking gesture of inclusion, he even wrote out a fully notated solo for Inoue—an intricate passage featured in “Reed Tire Earth”—ensuring her classical voice remained central rather than ornamental. The result is not a gimmick but a thoughtful structural dialogue: composed architecture framing improvisational freedom.

The album’s opener, “Cats Are Gods,” immediately signals Maxwell’s signature style with its triple meter and yearning melodic intervals, yet Inoue’s pristine tone shifts the sonic landscape. Percussionist Nils Higdon’s rhythmic spotlight reinforces the interplay between written precision and spontaneous energy. “The Last 10 Kilometers,” inspired by Maxwell’s experience as a marathoner, captures the psychological tension of a race’s final stretch—mirroring the album’s aesthetic middle ground between classical restraint and jazz abandon. Maxwell’s clarinet moves from refined lyricism to growls and wails, pushing against the rhythmic guardrails laid down by the ensemble.

Elsewhere, “8 Bit Sounds with a Plumber” nods to Maxwell’s affection for 1980s video game soundtracks, channeling pixelated motifs and shifting textures into modern jazz language. “Frenetic Random Activity Period” musically traces the mercurial energy of his dachshund Marvel, pivoting from explosive bursts to sudden calm. The rubato chamber piece “Profound Thoughts at 3AM” strips away the rhythm section entirely, conjuring insomnia’s surreal haze through intimate interplay between Maxwell and Inoue. The album closes with “Public Domain Hit in 2138,” a counterpoint-rich, fusion-tinged finale whose title humorously references copyright law—imagining the song’s life long after its creator is gone.

While Frenetic Domain introduces a fresh sonic dimension, it remains unmistakably Maxwell. His rhythmically intricate writing, shaped by jazz but informed by rock, funk, hip hop, R&B, and classical influences, has long resisted tidy categorization. Earlier large-ensemble projects like his Alliance recordings explored adjacent musical territories, and his compositional voice—sometimes compared to Frank Zappa, Philip Glass, and even Bach—has consistently thrived in stylistic borderlands.

Maxwell’s career reflects that restless creativity. From his formative years in Joliet, Illinois, through earning a Music B.A. at Millikin University, to more than 25 years performing throughout Chicago and touring nationally, he has cultivated a distinct voice on saxophone and clarinet. His albums have twice been named among DownBeat Magazine’s “Best Albums of the Year,” earned multiple Editor’s Picks, and received praise from outlets including the Chicago Tribune and Jazz Times. His recordings have charted in the Top 50 on JazzWeek and College Music Journal Jazz Charts. Projects such as Expectation & Experience featured ambitious remote collaborations with nearly thirty musicians, including harmonica virtuoso Howard Levy, further underscoring his expansive creative reach.

As both a Vandoren and Conn-Selmer artist, Maxwell remains deeply committed to education, delivering master classes and guest appearances that merge pedagogy with performance. That same balance of discipline and spontaneity defines Frenetic Domain: a recording rooted in classical craftsmanship, energized by jazz improvisation, and unified by a composer who understands both languages fluently.

With this release, Shawn Maxwell does more than experiment—he refines a personal dialect spoken at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. Whether or not “Public Domain Hit in 2138” becomes prophetic, Frenetic Domain stands now as a compelling testament to artistic synthesis, proving that the space between genres can be fertile ground for something enduring.

Melissa Aldana Finds Her True Sound on Filin, a Luminous Ballads Statement

For as long as she has been a recording artist, Chilean-born tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana has wanted to make a ballads record. Inspired by archetypes such as John Coltrane’s 1963 classic Ballads, Aldana envisioned a slow-tempo project not as a showcase for volume, velocity, or harmonic complexity, but as a vehicle to pursue something far more elusive: sound itself. Not just tone, but the full emotional and physical presence of her tenor — the way its overtones can cradle a fragile melody, the way its resonance can move through a space and saturate it with shifting colors and emotional depth.

Aldana has long studied the masters — Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and Don Byas among them — transcribing their solos and absorbing their approaches. For these icons, she notes, sound itself was the ultimate expressive tool; every note contained an entire emotional universe. Beyond the technical mastery required to execute complex ideas lies what she describes as the mystical dimension of sound — an intangible force she continues to explore. A ballads record, she believed, would allow her to burrow deeper into that essence.

Yet Aldana, known for a 15-year arc of strikingly personal and narrative-driven projects, refused to approach the concept as a straightforward exercise in American jazz standards. Seeking something authentic to her artistic identity, she reached out to one of her musical heroes, Cuban pianist and composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba, with whom she had long hoped to collaborate on a full-length project. Rubalcaba proposed an inspired direction: interpret the filin tradition of his native Cuba, a richly arranged romantic song form that flourished between the late 1940s and early 1960s. Derived from the English word “feeling,” filin created a dialogue between Cuban trova, bolero, and jazz, elevating lyrical intimacy and musical sophistication while redefining aspects of Cuban musical identity.

Born in Havana in 1963, Rubalcaba grew up immersed in this music, encountering key figures of the movement including guitarist Ñico Rojas, pianist Frank Domínguez, and vocalists Omara Portuondo and Elena Burke. The style’s emotional depth and harmonic nuance left a lasting imprint on his artistry. For Aldana, filin offered an ideal bridge between her jazz foundation and her Chilean roots. The songs evoked the romantic ache of the Great American Songbook, yet their Spanish lyrics allowed her to connect on a level she had never experienced before. The language itself opened new expressive pathways, reshaping how she inhabited melody and phrasing.

Guided by Rubalcaba, Aldana immersed herself in the history and repertoire of filin, ultimately crafting a program for her album Filin. Rubalcaba arranged the music and performed on piano, joined by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kush Abadey. Acclaimed vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant contributes luminous performances on two tracks, while Don Was, President of Blue Note Records, produced the project with his signature blend of discernment and empathy.

Aldana approached the repertoire with her customary rigor, transcribing melodies from vocal versions, studying the lyrics and their emotional intent, and internalizing each song’s narrative. The ensemble recorded together in the same room with minimal rehearsal, prioritizing human connection over studio polish. The result is a striking work of emotional minimalism: eight tracks that move with deliberate patience and quiet intensity, foregrounding Aldana’s radiant melodic delivery. The virtuosity of the musicians is undeniable, yet it is channeled toward restraint, nuance, and collective storytelling rather than technical display.

The album opens with the breathtaking “La Sentencia,” co-written by Salvador Levi and Ela O’Farrill, followed by “Dime Si Eres Tú” by filin pioneer Cesar Portillo de la Luz, whose sustained brushwork outro from Abadey serves as an elegant and daring arrangement choice. Marta Valdés’s torch song “No Te Empeñes Más,” featuring a stunning vocal by Salvant, holds personal resonance for Aldana, who recalls her mother playing it at home. Frank Domínguez’s “Imágenes,” which Aldana first encountered through Pablo Milanés, closes the first half with haunting lyricism.

“Las Rosas No Hablan,” composed by Brazilian samba innovator Cartola, appears here in Spanish translation, with Salvant delivering a poignant interpretation. Hermeto Pascoal’s “Little Church,” known to many through Miles Davis’s double LP Live-Evil, is reimagined as pure lyricism, stripped of the eerie surrealism associated with Pascoal’s original whistling textures. Aldana cites Wayne Shorter as a guiding inspiration in shaping her approach to the piece. The album concludes with José Antonio Méndez’s “Ocaso” and Frank Domínguez’s “No Pidas Imposibles,” both evoking the timeless elegance of midcentury jazz and pop balladry while retaining a uniquely Latin sensibility.

Throughout Filin, Aldana’s improvisations depart from her signature long-form harmonic explorations in favor of gossamer phrasing and melodic clarity. Rather than striving for the perfect jazz solo, she focuses on presence, space, and emotional authenticity. The album reflects an artist who feels less compelled to prove anything and more committed to saying something meaningful.

Filin is the kind of record to live with — a timeless, immersive statement that unfolds slowly and rewards deep listening. In embracing filin’s intimate language and merging it with her evolving sound, Melissa Aldana has created a ballads album that feels both inevitable and revelatory — a profound meditation on tone, heritage, and artistic maturity.

Tom Oren Illuminates New Creative Horizons With Dark Lights

Award-winning pianist and composer Tom Oren unveils Dark Lights, a bold and deeply personal new trio recording featuring Elam Friedlander on bass and Eviatar Slivnik on drums. Available worldwide on Anzic Records beginning February 20, 2026, the album captures Oren’s remarkable fusion of monster jazz piano technique, cinematic storytelling, and expansive imagination. Winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition, Oren continues to affirm his reputation as one of the most compelling creative forces of his generation.

Founded on fluent three-way interplay, Dark Lights presents six original compositions and three arrangements that showcase Oren’s fearless improvisational voice. Throughout the album, he unleashes daring polyphony, unexpected harmonic combinations, and an unending stream of melodic invention, all unfolding in dynamic conversation with Friedlander and Slivnik. The trio’s cohesion allows Oren to transcend the confines of the studio and access the spontaneous intensity he associates with live performance — balancing devotion to written composition with deep commitment to the moment.

In 2023, the year of the recording, Oren had already built an extraordinary résumé before turning 30. In 2018, he captured first prize at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition, earning global recognition for his interpretive brilliance. Alongside his thriving jazz career, he established himself as a gifted film composer. In 2021, he created a vivid, kaleidoscopic score for acclaimed director Avi Nesher’s award-winning feature film Image of Victory, later released in 2022 on Milan Records, a division of Sony Music Masterworks. The score blended classical influences with a cross-era jazz sensibility, further expanding Oren’s artistic scope.

By 2026, Oren continues to broaden his creative footprint. He is composing a second film score for Avi Nesher, collaborating in piano-voice settings with Serbian singer Tamara Jokić on an upcoming album, and working with Israeli pop star Tamir Greenberg. Simultaneously, he is cultivating an alternate stream of expression as a singer-songwriter-guitarist, demonstrating a versatility that mirrors the stylistic range heard on Dark Lights.

Oren describes Dark Lights as “the second chapter of my recorded musical journal.” The first chapter, Dorly’s Song, released in 2020 on Concord Records, featured ten striking arrangements of songs by his mother and first teacher, Dorly Oren-Chazon — a renowned pianist, composer, lyricist, and innovative music pedagogue. Reflecting on the years between the two albums, Oren credits his growth to learning how to approach music with seriousness and respect while remaining inwardly at peace — allowing spontaneity to coexist with discipline.

The album’s title track, composed when Oren was just 17, unfolds as a two-part opus exploring darkness as a leap into the unknown — reaching forward with courage and faith. The opening section surges with turbulent minor chords and dark melodies that fuel a warp-speed improvisation, before resolving into a stately meditation. Even the most innocent melodic ideas carry an edge, “born out of the night,” as Oren describes it.

The mysterious waltz-like motif of “Fantasy in C Sharp Minor” opens the program, gradually introducing listeners to the album’s sonic world. Structured with classical sonata principles of exposition, development, and recapitulation, the piece builds toward a vertiginous contrapuntal climax before resolving into a vamp that frames Slivnik’s fiery drum solo. Oren’s playful 9/8 arrangement of “Out of Nowhere,” developed during his time at Berklee College of Music, reflects bebop lineage while boldly venturing into new rhythmic territory. His contrapuntal composition “Forest Conference” conjures a nocturnal tribal gathering, culminating in Friedlander’s lyrical bass solo as the imagined assembly disperses.

Oren also transforms Dorly Oren-Chazon’s “Inner Demon Inner Game” from a ballad into an exhilarating up-tempo swing showcase, demonstrating breathtaking command of bebop vocabulary. His straight-eighth arrangement of “Stella By Starlight” retains melodic fidelity while introducing his own harmonic architecture. “Goodbye Alyosha,” inspired by Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, channels literary reflection into kaleidoscopic improvisation. “Throwing Pebbles,” a rubato ballad featuring Friedlander’s pizzicato bass, evokes two figures by a lake in quiet conversation, revealing Oren’s classical touch and lyrical sensitivity. The album closes with “Dawn of Adventure,” an affirming statement whose spirit echoes the uplift of Oscar Peterson and the improvisational freedom of Keith Jarrett — a symbolic bird in the sky above an otherwise shadowed palette.

Oren’s performance calendar reflects his global reach. On February 22 and February 28, he joins Terence Blanchard for performances of the opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts and Leighton Concert Hall, respectively. On March 12, he appears with the Meital Waldmann 4tet at the Manhattan JCC for an EP release concert. April 10 finds him performing with Tamir Greenberg and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at Heichal Hatarbut Tel Aviv. On April 17, he co-leads a performance with Yonatan Hadas and Joca Perpingnan at the Eretz Israel Museum as part of the Hakatedra series, and on April 23 he appears at Ztuker Hall at Heichal Hatarbut with Elam Friedlander, Alon Benjamini on drums, and special guests.

Praised by producers Oded Lev-Ari and Anat Cohen for his staggering musical diversity and profound listening abilities, Oren stands at the forefront of a new generation of jazz artists — one equally fluent in tradition and innovation. With Dark Lights, he delivers a compelling chapter in his evolving musical journal, illuminating shadow and radiance in equal measure.

Chieli Minucci Celebrates Special EFX’s Legacy With “The Hits” Collection

Responding to longtime fan demand and decades of chart-topping success, Emmy-winning guitarist Chieli Minucci has assembled a definitive collection from his GRAMMY®-nominated jazz fusion group Special EFX. Titled The Hits, the Chieli Music release gathers the majority of the band’s No. 1 Billboard singles, remastered fan favorites, and three brand-new songs into one celebratory package. The album arrives as one of its new tracks, “Marbella,” is poised to enter the Top 40 on both the Billboard and Mediabase Smooth Jazz charts.

Nearly 45 years ago, Minucci co-founded Special EFX with Hungarian percussionist George Jinda. Though Jinda passed away in 2002, Minucci has continued to evolve and lead the band, preserving its signature blend of world music textures, contemporary jazz sophistication, and blues-tinged grooves. In recent years, Minucci noticed that while audiences enthusiastically attend Special EFX concerts, many are less familiar with the band’s newer recordings — a reflection of the shrinking number of contemporary jazz radio stations. With frequent requests to “play the hits,” he curated The Hits to satisfy both nostalgia and discovery, giving fans a cohesive collection that honors the band’s legacy while introducing fresh material.

Mining Special EFX’s expansive 25-album catalog, Minucci selected seven of the group’s eight No. 1 Billboard hits for inclusion. Four additional fan favorites were remixed and refreshed, breathing new life into beloved tracks. Minucci wrote and produced 13 of the album’s 14 songs, including three new compositions that extend the band’s signature sound into new territory.

Leading the new material is the Spain-inspired single “Marbella,” a rousing, sun-drenched groove that captures the romance and warmth of the Mediterranean coast. The track features saxophonist Michael Paulo and was produced by two-time GRAMMY® winner Paul Brown. Minucci describes Marbella, Spain as his fantasy vacation destination and notes that the song’s melodies were written against its rhythmic backing groove. Paulo’s heartfelt sax solo adds emotional depth and lyrical elegance, elevating the track’s celebratory feel. Minucci remains optimistic that audiences will connect with the song’s beauty and spirit.

The project also features an impressive lineup of GRAMMY® winners and nominees, Billboard hitmakers, and renowned musicians, including Warren Hill, Eric Marienthal, Elan Trotman, Nicholas Cole, Elliott Yamin, Lin Rountree, Oli Silk, David Mann, Roger Smith, Roberto Vally, Greg Vail, Shane Theriot, Ron King, Omar Hakim, and Lionel Cordew, underscoring the collaborative depth and prestige surrounding the release.

Special EFX earned a GRAMMY® nomination for their 1985 album Modern Manners, cementing their place in the evolution of contemporary jazz fusion. Over the decades, the band’s global influences and melodic accessibility have made them a mainstay on the Billboard charts and international stages.

Based in New York City, Minucci maintains a relentless touring schedule, performing throughout the United States and abroad in various Special EFX configurations. This year, he will tour Canada and parts of the U.S. as a featured guest with Hungary’s top jazz fusion band, Djabe, and appears on their upcoming album Butterflies. He is also featured on percussionist Curtis McCain’s forthcoming single “Oceanside,” set for release this summer.

A prodigious and versatile guitarist, Minucci has played or recorded with major international artists including Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Marc Anthony, Michael Bolton, Eartha Kitt, and Eddie Fisher. Within contemporary jazz circles, he has collaborated with luminaries such as Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Maysa, Marion Meadows, and Mindi Abair.

Beyond recording and touring, Minucci is a three-time Emmy Award winner who has composed music for film, television, and theater. His credits include the Academy Award-winning film No Country for Old Men, as well as Bowfinger, Legally Blonde, Panic, Peter Pan, and children’s favorites Dora the Explorer and Thomas & Friends.

The Hits track list includes: “Uptown East,” “Blue Lagoon,” “Cool Summer,” “Kickin’ It Hard,” “Waterfall,” “Lavish,” “You Make Me Blue,” “Meant To Be,” “Dreams,” “Been So Long,” “Marbella,” “Passions,” “Till The End Of Time,” and “Cruise Control.”

Praised by Cultuurmania as “a beautiful album… a chance to get acquainted with the oeuvre of Chieli Minucci & Special EFX,” The Hits stands as both a celebration of an enduring musical legacy and a vibrant reminder that the band’s sound continues to evolve, inspire, and chart new territory.

Sharon Rae North Reimagines The Cars’ “Drive” With Soulful Elegance and Emotional Depth

For adult contemporary/jazz vocalist Sharon Rae North, Drive has long held a special place in her heart. Originally released in 1984 by The Cars, the band’s biggest international hit carried an unmistakable current of soul, longing, and heartbreak beneath its sleek pop exterior. When North heard the song again last fall for the first time in years, it stirred the same emotions she felt decades ago. Inspired by that wave of nostalgia and emotional resonance, she decided to record her own interpretation — partnering with two-time GRAMMY® nominee Chris Davis, known throughout the industry as “Big Dog.” The independently released single is now gaining traction at radio and earning playlist adds.

Determined to honor the essence of the original while firmly making it her own, North and Davis immersed themselves in the song’s emotional core — from Ric Ocasek’s vulnerable lyrics to Benjamin Orr’s aching vocal performance. Together, they reshaped “Drive” into a version that reflects North’s perspective and vocal identity. In her capable hands, the song transforms into a tender reassurance — less distant observation and more intimate consolation. Davis, architect of more than twenty Billboard No. 1 singles, constructs a lush, soulful R&B groove around North’s commanding yet deeply personal vocal delivery. Jazzy keyboard flourishes and atmospheric textures preserve the dreamy, melancholic quality of the original while elevating it into contemporary adult jazz territory.

North speaks openly about the emotional gravity of the song. To her, “Drive” embodies a profound sadness born from helplessness — the pain of wanting to support someone who may not be ready to confront their own struggles. Though she hasn’t personally experienced that exact dynamic, she connects with the complexity of caring deeply for someone who may be in denial about challenges in their life or relationship. That emotional nuance informs her vocal phrasing, allowing vulnerability and strength to coexist in every line.

Capturing the perfect vocal performance proved essential. After initial takes were recorded and mixed, North felt something was missing. Without informing Davis, she returned to the studio to recut her vocals in pursuit of a deeper emotional truth. When Davis discovered the surprise revision — after having already completed a mix — he wasn’t initially pleased. Yet he ultimately remixed the track with the new vocals, resulting in a finished version that satisfied them both and further solidified the creative trust built over more than a decade of collaboration.

That trust has been cultivated through a long-standing partnership. Davis helmed North’s 2016 EP, Sincerely Yours. In 2022, Davis joined forces with two-time GRAMMY®-winning producer Paul Brown to produce North’s first full-length album, Silhouette. The album followed the 2019 single “Moments,” which featured acclaimed saxophonist Marion Meadows and helped further establish North’s presence in the contemporary jazz world.

Before fully committing to her recording career, North built a distinguished résumé as an award-winning television news anchor, journalist, and reporter, with roles at local media outlets and nationally with CNN in Atlanta. Music initially began as a parallel passion, with early releases including The Way You Make Me Feel in 2007 and Gee Baby in 2012. Over time, her recordings have charted domestically and internationally, including appearances on major charts such as Billboard. As a live performer, North has opened for notable artists including Paul Brown, Patti LaBelle, Joe Sample, Adrian Crutchfield, Dee Lucas, and Patrick Lamb. She has graced respected stages and premier jazz venues across the country and abroad, including Blues Alley, Catalina Jazz Club, Vibrato Jazz Club, and the Richmond Music & Jazz Festival.

North continues to connect with audiences on stage, with upcoming concert dates in Columbus on March 21 at the ICON Jazz Lounge and in Atlanta on April 12 at St. James Live!. With her evocative new interpretation of “Drive” now resonating at radio and streaming platforms, she is already planning to release another new single later this year — further expanding a career defined by sophistication, emotional honesty, and artistic evolution.

Blake Aaron Rises Higher With “The Upside” After a Record-Breaking Year

As he navigates turbulent times with clarity, gratitude, and unshakable optimism, R&B/jazz guitarist Blake Aaron continues to channel hope into music that resonates deeply on both emotional and spiritual levels. That forward-looking mindset fuels his newly released Innervision Records single, “The Upside,” a vibrant, groove-driven statement that launches the next chapter of his career and serves as the first release from his forthcoming album Fire and Velvet.

“The Upside” arrives on the heels of the most successful year of Aaron’s recording career. In 2025, he scored two Billboard No. 1 singles — “Let’s Get Lost” and “Dare To Fly” — achievements that propelled him to Billboard’s No. 2 Artist of the Year. He also claimed the No. 1 Artist of the Year title on both the Mediabase and Radiowave charts, further solidifying his standing as one of contemporary jazz’s most dominant forces. “Let’s Get Lost” closed out the year as Billboard’s No. 5 single and Radiowave’s No. 4 single, capping a milestone year that saw Aaron earn his eighth and ninth No. 1 singles across all four major smooth jazz charts: Billboard, Mediabase, Radiowave, and SmoothJazz.com.

Reflecting on the breakthrough year, Aaron expressed deep gratitude for the journey. Achieving multiple No. 1 singles in a single year across all major charts marked a personal and professional pinnacle. Being named No. 1 Artist of the Year on Mediabase and No. 2 Artist of the Year on Billboard pushed that success even further. For Aaron, the numbers represent more than chart positions — they signify a lifelong dream of reaching hundreds of millions of people emotionally and spiritually through his music, a dream he feels closer to realizing every day.

Determined to build on that momentum in 2026, Aaron released “The Upside,” which began earning immediate airplay and playlist adds upon impact. The track is a dynamic fusion of retro R&B groove and contemporary jazz sophistication. His agile electric guitar takes command from the opening bars, delivering lyrical phrasing with confidence and warmth. Sprightly horns, lilting strings, and a full, vibrant rhythm section create a cinematic soundscape bursting with energy and forward motion. The funky instrumental serves as both celebration and affirmation, showcasing Aaron’s signature melodic storytelling and expressive tone while delivering a timely message of resilience.

Aaron describes the inspiration behind the track as a response to the mounting challenges people face in everyday life — financial pressures, health struggles, career obstacles, and relationship hardships. “The Upside” is about finding light even when the climb seems overwhelming. He envisioned the song as an inspiring, bright, cinematic journey that transforms challenge into triumph through melody, groove, and musical optimism — something revitalizing, instantly memorable, and impossible to forget, reminding listeners that no matter where they are, there is always a way up.

The recording features an all-star lineup of collaborators. GRAMMY-winning bassist Mel Brown anchors the groove alongside Carnell Harrell on piano and keyboards, Michael White on drums, and Ramon Yslas on percussion. The horn section includes Michael Stever on trumpet and arrangements, Andrew Neu on saxophone, and Lane on trombone, while Tyries Rolfe crafted the lush string arrangements that elevate the track’s cinematic sweep.

Aaron’s latest album, Love and Rhythm, his seventh collection, was released in 2024 and further expanded his signature blend of smooth jazz, R&B, and soulful melody. Beyond recording his upcoming Fire and Velvet album — anticipated for release later this year or early next year — he is currently producing four additional artists, continuing to shape the sound of contemporary jazz both on stage and behind the scenes.

A sought-after live performer, Aaron’s touring schedule remains robust. March dates include performances in Virginia and Delaware, as well as appearances at the prestigious Boscov's Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, Pennsylvania on March 25 and 26. In May, he travels overseas for concerts in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, including a featured performance at the Algarve Jazz Festival in Portugal. While in Europe, he will also teach music clinics at several universities, further demonstrating his commitment to mentorship and musical education. Later this year and again in March 2027, he will join the celebrated Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruises, bringing his electrifying stage presence to international audiences at sea.

A first-call guitarist throughout his career, Aaron has recorded and/or performed with an eclectic roster of marquee artists including Philip Bailey, Sheila E., The Alan Parsons Project, The Gap Band, Lakeside, Ronnie Laws, Keiko Matsui, Warren Hill, Bobby Womack, and Carlos Santana. His versatility extends beyond the stage and studio, with film and television credits that include MADtv, Super Dave Osborne, and The Ben Stiller Show.

With chart-topping momentum, a powerful new single, and a global touring schedule ahead, Blake Aaron continues to ascend — turning optimism into artistry and proving once again that the upside is always within reach.

Philly 3: James Fernando’s Daring, Playful Reimagining of the Modern Piano Trio

James Fernando—the prodigiously talented pianist and composer known for equal parts mischief and mastery—steps boldly into a new chapter with Philly 3, his sixth album overall and the debut recording of his working trio. Across nine original compositions and a single, lovingly reimagined nod to Erroll Garner, Fernando positions himself at the intersection of virtuosity, humor, and serious compositional intent, pushing the piano-trio tradition forward while keeping listeners perpetually off balance and irresistibly locked into the groove. The album arrives via Spring Garden Records, a boutique label operated through the Community College of Philadelphia that spotlights the city’s music community while creating real-world learning opportunities for students.

The trio—Fernando on piano, Dan McCain on bass for most of the record (with Sam Harris guesting on “The Parisian” and “Like It Is”), and the incandescent drummer Kyon Williams—came together under unlikely circumstances in 2023, when Fernando received a last-minute call to assemble a group for a Kennedy Center performance with just three days’ notice. That first meeting happened onstage, and the chemistry was immediate. What followed was a rapid ascent into one of the most dynamic piano trios emerging from the region, with appearances at venues and universities across the country confirming the group’s depth, elasticity, and shared intuition.

After five albums as a leader and years of touring and collaboration, Fernando felt an urgency to document a trio that had coalesced so quickly and emphatically. Writing with the individual voices of McCain, Harris, and Williams in mind, he advanced compositional ideas he had been refining for years: metric modulation as narrative propulsion, multi-section forms that unfold like short films, and a harmonic language that draws as freely from classical counterpoint as from bebop lineage. The result is both laboratory and love letter—music that tests technique while remaining deeply personal, rooted in story, humor, and emotional clarity.

“As much as I love a big, ridiculous piano flourish,” Fernando says, “I wanted this record to feel like a conversation; fun, surprising, sometimes dark, always human. I also wanted to make music that couldn’t have been written by just anyone with a jazz degree—and certainly not by an algorithm. I crave music with breadth, humor, and contradictions.” That ethos animates every corner of Philly 3, a record that refuses to separate playfulness from rigor.

Fernando’s influences surface not as quotation but as lived vocabulary. Erroll Garner’s joyful swing is honored through a modernized take on “Like It Is,” while the technical clarity and lyricism of Oscar Peterson and Brad Mehldau inform Fernando’s phrasing and harmonic risk-taking. The adventurous rhythmic sensibility of Tigran Hamasyan is felt in the album’s odd-meter maneuvers, yet imitation is never the goal. Fernando instead situates himself as a next-generation voice in this lineage, committed to transcending genre boundaries and positioning the piano as a tool for cultural conversation rather than stylistic containment.

The album opens with “Persistence,” which begins in near-chamber territory with bowed bass and a classically inspired piano introduction before Williams reshapes the landscape with inventive, elastic drumming. A drum solo rides a vamp into a Vijay Iyer-esque pocket before yielding to a fierce piano improvisation marked by independent hands and surging momentum. “Unlikely Animal Friendships” unfolds as a miniature narrative film: a solo-piano opening in 5/8, a composed contrapuntal passage, an expansive melodic improvisation, and a tear-stained bass solo from McCain, culminating in a triumphant reprise that dramatizes tenderness across difference.

“The Parisian” juxtaposes odd meters, slap bass, and stride piano into something buoyant, swinging, and quietly powerful. Written with Harris in mind, it becomes a standout bass feature, equal parts charm and muscle. “Singularity” functions as Fernando’s human response to computer-generated music, beginning with machine-like processing before blooming into a montuno that asserts warmth, breath, and bodily presence. “Neon Kyon,” an ode to Williams’ luminous energy, fuses bop language, blues grit, and second-line swagger, revealing the trio’s near-telepathic communication.

“Beings On Toast,” sparked by a family joke from Fernando’s UK roots riffing on the classic British breakfast, imagines humans themselves as the “beings” served up on toast. The tune leans into absurdity through witty interplay, but beneath the humor lies a gentle philosophical inquiry about value, care, and consumption. “Potions” moves through balladry, quintuplet-driven modern jazz, and a final djent-like section, linking disparate musical worlds into a single haunted arc. “What’s the Password?” reframes bebop for 2025, using metric modulation and formal structure to carry Charlie Parker’s spirit into contemporary language. Closer “Like It Is” swings ferociously, offering an affectionate but unsentimental homage to Erroll Garner, with Harris returning on bass to lock in the feel and propel the trio forward.

Philly 3 ultimately challenges the jazz tradition to remain alive, playful, and unafraid. It presents James Fernando as both storyteller and technician, a musician capable of making audiences laugh, think, and move—sometimes all at once. The trio’s debut recording is not just a document of a band finding its footing, but an invitation to follow a group committed to craft, connection, and the joyful risk-taking that keeps jazz urgent and relevant.

2026 Tour Dates

Feb 7 – Williamsburg Music Center – Brooklyn, NY – 9:30pm
Feb 17 – CPAC – Green Valley, AZ – 7pm
Feb 18 – Central Arizona College – Casa Grande, AZ – 7pm
Feb 19 – The Century Room – Tucson, AZ – 6:30pm
Feb 20 – The Ravenscroft – Scottsdale, AZ – 7pm
Feb 22 – Davies Concert Series – Temple Hills, MD – 4pm
Feb 28 – Sharp 9 Gallery – Durham, NC – 7:30–9:30pm
Mar 1 – Sharp 9 Gallery – Durham, NC – 2–4pm
Mar 2 – UNC Pembroke – Pembroke, NC – Concert 7pm
Mar 7 – The Mainstay – Rock Hall, MD – 7:30pm
Mar 20 – Plainfield Performing Arts Center – Plainfield, NJ – 7pm
Mar 21 – Concord Community Music School – Concord, NH – 7pm
Mar 22 – New York State Museum – Albany, NY – 4pm
Apr 12 – Levine Jazz Fest – Bethesda, MD – Free show

The Skipper and Mike Clark: Daggerboard Puts the Groove Front and Center

Daggerboard—the collaborative project of trumpeter and composer Erik Jekabson and multi-instrumentalist and composer Gregory Howe—turns its spotlight squarely onto the rhythm section with The Skipper and Mike Clark, dropping March 6 on Howe’s Wide Hive Records. The album’s titular figures are bassist Henry “Skipper” Franklin and drummer Mike Clark, two living legends of jazz whose deep history and near-telepathic chemistry form the core of the record.

Neither Franklin nor Clark is new to the Daggerboard universe. Franklin appeared on the group’s 2022 sophomore effort Daggerboard and the Skipper, while Clark joined the fold on 2024’s Escapement, which also featured Franklin. Beyond the band, the two have shared a musical friendship spanning nearly three decades, a connection that translates into an immediate, wordless understanding. As Clark puts it, “We always could right away play together without saying anything. I love Skipper. He’s a very close friend and a deep musician. His time is so strong.”

That powerful, intuitive groove has never been as central to a Daggerboard release as it is here. Joined by guitarist Dave MacNab, pianist Matt Clark, violinist Mads Tolling, saxophonist Dave Ellis, vibraphonist Dillon Vado, and conguero Babatunde Lea, the band moves through eight Jekabson–Howe compositions clearly shaped around the rhythmic gravity Franklin and Clark provide. From the seamy, crawling opener “Desierto de Tabernas” to the funky struts of “Runnin’ Into One” and “A Pride in the Prairie,” and the mellow melancholia of “Tranquil Blue,” bass and drums define both direction and atmosphere.

Ironically, it’s Franklin’s two contributions—“Tanzanian Skies” and “Ruaha Daybreak”—that feel the most overtly melodic, though there’s sleight of hand involved. “Tanzanian Skies” features one of Franklin’s most rhythmically complex and satisfying solos on the album, while both pieces give Clark ample room to display his virtuosic, conversational kit work. Elsewhere, melodic riches are everywhere. “Changing Emphasis” unfolds with an orchestral sweep, anchored by a tough yet thoughtful tenor solo from Ellis, who also shines on soprano on “Brother Ranelin.” Clark and MacNab paint in subtle hues on “Tranquil Blue,” while Jekabson’s flugelhorn takes center stage on “Street Sheik,” a moody, lyrical ballad delivered with bravura restraint.

Though The Skipper and Mike Clark proudly places bass and drums at its heart, it ultimately plays as a full-band triumph. The album captures Daggerboard at its most focused and confident, balancing groove-forward intent with compositional depth. What emerges is not just a showcase for two masters of time and feel, but a vivid reminder of how deeply rhythm can shape melody, mood, and meaning when the right musicians are in the room.

Jazz Gone Dub: Gaudi’s Deep Conversation Between Modern Jazz and Dub Reggae

Gaudi’s Jazz Gone Dub is a masterful exercise in wedding modern jazz to dub reggae, a project that feels both patiently crafted and joyfully alive. Created and recorded over four years, the album is saturated in heavy dub rhythms, killer solos, glorious melodies, and canny, immersive production. Its illustrious lineup alone signals ambition: the late, legendary rhythm section of Sly & Robbie; guitarists Ernest Ranglin and David Hinds of Steel Pulse; bassists Jah Wobble and Colin Edwin; saxophonist and flutist Gavin Tate-Lovery; trumpeter and trombonist Tim Hutton; reggae drummer Horseman (Winston Williams); and several others. Gaudi himself is everywhere, playing piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3, glockenspiel, santoor, and taishōgoto harp. The album was recorded in London and Sardinia by Papa Ntò, with Sly & Robbie and Ranglin tracked at Kingston’s legendary Tuff Gong Studios.

Gaudi wastes no time revealing his chops on opener “Cool Jazztice,” winding blues-drenched piano lines around reverbed horns, Wurlitzer, and a wah-clavinet, all anchored by a skanking rhythm that supports soul-jazz phrasing and a trancey, economically funky bassline. His solo feels completely at home inside the reggae cadence, never forcing the fusion. “H.E.L.P. (Happy Elephants Love Pistachio)” rides a reverb-soaked dub foundation, decorated with tenor sax, trombone, and trumpet shaping a harmonically rich, contemporary jazz melody. Tim Hutton’s trumpet solo is lyrical and precise, while Tate-Lovery delivers a righteous flute statement amid crisscrossing rhythms and a pummeling bassline.

“Deflated and Discombobulated” leans into funky, soulful contemporary jazz, with punchy Wurlitzer, layered pianos, wah-clavinet, and a hard dub rhythm section flowing effortlessly through the mix. Gaudi plays piano, bass, and santoor on the gorgeous “Alabaster Moon,” threading groove-heavy jazz into a ferocious palette of deep dread rhythm and electronics. Slippery funk converses with finger-popping, nocturnal swing as biting, double-timed bass and drums whirl beneath hovering horns.

“Bach @ Liszt (Bucket List)” becomes a showcase for David Hinds, who walks the tightrope between lead and rhythm guitar while comping deftly behind shifting solos. Tate-Lovery’s flute, floating amid brass and reeds, adds an exotic, Quincy Jones-esque orchestral sheen over the insistent pulse. Gaudi’s vampy introduction to “Dub Lu” recalls a young Herbie Hancock, framed by Edwin’s dub-heavy bassline and two guitarists, while echo-laden production gives the track depth and dimension. “Susceptible,” featuring Sly & Robbie and Ranglin, reimagines Ranglin’s “Ernie’s Dub” from Havana Meets Kingston in Dub. Gaudi’s Hammond B-3 guides the pulse as dub effects slip and shimmer through the backdrop, and Ranglin delivers a jaw-dropping solo that weds his iconic phrasing with echoes of Grant Green and Boogaloo Joe Jones. Tate-Lovery’s flute and sax add grace, polish, and soul.

Closer “Tokyo Subterfuge” opens with a vintage hard-bop piano vamp before Gaudi’s solo nods to the in-the-pocket funk of Ray Bryant. When Gaudi switches to Rhodes or harp, Matteo Saggese takes over the acoustic keys, while Wobble, Horseman, and guitarist Marcus Upbeat drive the groove home. Jazz Gone Dub ultimately unfolds as an easy yet deeply rewarding conversation between hip jazz and dub reggae, where vintage traditions meet breathtakingly modern sound design. Guided by Gaudi’s taste, texture, innovation, and grit, the album feels less like a crossover experiment and more like a natural evolution.