Steve Cropper’s Final Studio Statement Watching The Tide Brings Together Rock and Soul Legends in One Last Creative Burst

 

The passing of legendary guitarist, songwriter, producer, and Stax architect Steve Cropper in December 2025 marked a profound moment for American music. As a foundational figure in the development of soul, R&B, and rock—both through his work at Stax Records and across decades of session and production work—Cropper helped define the sound of post-war popular music. Now, posthumously, his final recording project Watching The Tide stands as a fitting and emotional closing chapter.

Assembled by project leader Jon Tiven, the album gathers an extraordinary lineup of collaborators, including Eric Clapton, Brian May, Ronnie Wood, and Billy Gibbons, across twelve newly completed songs. Rather than functioning as a retrospective, the record presents itself as a vibrant, living session—full of energy, collaboration, and creative momentum that Cropper himself considered among the strongest work of his later years.

According to Tiven, Cropper remained deeply engaged with the project during its creation, finding genuine joy in the sessions that would ultimately become his final studio recordings. That sense of vitality runs through the album, which balances gritty soul textures with blues-rock drive and classic songcraft.

Across Watching The Tide, Cropper’s unmistakable rhythmic guitar style anchors a wide-ranging set of performances that move between swaggering groove tracks, introspective blues, and full-band rock collaborations. The material reflects both his deep roots in Southern soul tradition and his enduring openness to collaboration across generations and genres.

Standout tracks include “Ticket First” featuring Eric Clapton, the expansive “My Angels Are Calling” pairing Brian May and Billy Gibbons, and “Until Now” with Ronnie Wood—each highlighting a different facet of Cropper’s musical world. Elsewhere, songs such as “Blood From A Stone,” “It’s Gonna Get Worse,” and “Stand Right Here” reinforce the album’s grounded, band-led energy, while “Tandoori Chicken” bookends the record with raw, groove-driven fire.

More than just a final album, Watching The Tide feels like a gathering of musical peers paying tribute through performance—an album shaped by mutual respect, shared history, and the unmistakable influence of a musician whose fingerprints are embedded across modern music itself.

For listeners, it stands as both celebration and farewell: the last recorded chapter of a life spent shaping the language of American guitar.

Alessio Menconi and Nigel Price Capture Intimate Guitar Dialogue on New Duo Album

Italian jazz guitarist Alessio Menconi joins forces with acclaimed UK guitarist Nigel Price for Duo, a new collaborative album arriving June 12, 2026 via Nervy Nigel Records.

Recorded during a brief pause in the pair’s 2025 touring schedule, the album documents an instinctive meeting between two highly expressive players whose shared language is rooted in melody, swing, and deep jazz tradition. Originally intended as an entirely acoustic session, the direction shifted the moment the musicians entered London’s Masterlink Studios and discovered two vintage 1963 Fender Bassman amplifiers waiting in the control room. The decision to plug in immediately reshaped the atmosphere of the recording, giving the album a warm, resonant electric tone while preserving the intimacy of a conversational duo setting.

The collection blends standards, original compositions, and tributes to jazz guitar icons including Pat Martino, Wes Montgomery, and Emily Remler. Across the record, Menconi and Price move fluidly between lyrical balladry and energetic interplay, balancing technical sophistication with spontaneity and emotional warmth.

Studio performances are complemented by two live recordings captured at the legendary The Bull's Head in Barnes, London. According to Price, additional live material was intended for the release, though an unintentional failure to hit record during the first set meant some performances disappeared forever into “the ether”—a fitting reminder of jazz’s ephemeral nature and the unrepeatable magic of live improvisation.

Tracks such as “She’s Leaving Home,” “Turn Out The Stars,” “Darn That Dream,” and “In A Sentimental Mood” showcase the pair’s ability to reinterpret familiar material with elegance and restraint, while originals including “Look To The Sky” and “Sweet Georgie Fame” reveal the duo’s shared affection for groove, melody, and nuanced harmonic storytelling.

Known for his prolific recording output and relentless touring schedule, Nigel Price has long been regarded as one of the UK jazz scene’s most consistent and dynamic guitarists. Menconi, meanwhile, brings decades of international experience and fluid virtuosity shaped by both straight-ahead jazz and contemporary European influences. Together, they create a recording defined less by showmanship than by attentive listening, trust, and the subtle intensity of two musicians fully engaged in dialogue.

Duo arrives as a richly textured and deeply personal guitar record—one that captures not only technical mastery, but the fleeting chemistry that makes improvised music so enduring.

Deirdre Cartwright Returns With ORGANIK, Her First Album in 15 Years

Acclaimed British guitarist and composer Deirdre Cartwright returns with ORGANIK, her first new album in 15 years, reconnecting with the roots of jazz guitar trio interplay while embracing a stripped-back, deeply expressive sound.

Built around the classic organ trio format, the album pairs Cartwright with Pete Whittaker on Hammond organ and Gary Hammond on percussion. Together, the trio moves fluidly through swing, Latin grooves, blues-inflected improvisation, and soulful reinterpretations, balancing technical finesse with warmth and spontaneity.

For ORGANIK, Cartwright intentionally simplified her setup, plugging her Gibson guitar directly into a Fender amplifier without using effects pedals or studio processing. The result is an intimate, resonant tone that places touch, phrasing, and interaction at the forefront of the music. Combined with Whittaker’s classic Hammond textures and Hammond’s richly atmospheric percussion work, the trio creates a sound that feels timeless yet highly personal.

The album blends original compositions with imaginative reinterpretations of familiar material, including a striking version of Eleanor Rigby alongside pieces such as “Sultans of Swing,” “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise,” and “On Green Dolphin Street.” Cartwright also includes tributes to influential figures such as late jazz guitarist Emily Remler, whose lyrical and adventurous spirit echoes throughout the project.

Whittaker brings a deep connection to the hard-bop organ tradition, informed by collaborations with major UK jazz figures including Art Themen and John Etheridge. Meanwhile, Hammond’s broad rhythmic vocabulary—shaped through work with artists including Nina Simone and The Beautiful South—adds texture, movement, and subtle colour across the record.

Rather than aiming for virtuosity alone, ORGANIK thrives on feel, restraint, and collective chemistry. The album highlights Cartwright’s ability to move between melodic clarity and exploratory improvisation while maintaining an inviting, groove-oriented atmosphere throughout.

After a 15-year recording absence, ORGANIK feels less like a comeback and more like a reaffirmation of Deirdre Cartwright’s distinctive musical voice—rooted in jazz tradition yet entirely her own.

Kasper Bjørke Quartet Explore Memory, Time and Spiritual Ambient Jazz on Passages in Time

Kasper Bjørke returns with Passages in Time, the third album from the Kasper Bjørke Quartet project, a deeply meditative work that blends spiritual jazz, ambient composition, and reflective electronic textures into an expansive contemplation of time and memory.

Inspired in part by filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s idea that “time is the most fundamental part of our human experience,” the album unfolds as a series of musical fragments—moments suspended between recollection, emotion, and introspection. Across the record, freeform jazz improvisations merge with cyclical synthesizer patterns, creating compositions that drift with quiet momentum while reflecting the elusive, fluid nature of time itself.

Dreamlike synth textures intertwine with guitar, harp, flute, saxophone, trumpet, and flugelhorn, forming spacious arrangements that emphasize atmosphere as much as melody. Rather than imposing narrative structure, Passages in Time leaves emotional space open to the listener, inviting personal reflection and interpretation through its gradual movement and understated beauty.

The album’s subtitles reportedly read like fragments from a private diary, touching on themes of love, parenthood, connection, and the fleeting significance of daily choices. Together, the compositions form what feels like a musical memoir—less concerned with chronology than with emotional resonance and memory’s fragmented, shifting nature.

Passages in Time also marks an evolution of the Quartet itself. While longtime collaborator Langstrakt (Claus Noreen) continues to shape the project’s synthesizer work alongside Bjørke, the surrounding ensemble has transformed considerably. Strings and piano give way to a new palette featuring flute and saxophone from Oilly Wallace, ambient guitar textures by Danish composer Anna Roemer, trumpet and flugelhorn contributions from Malthe Kaptain, and orchestral harp arrangements by Katie Buckley.

Visually, the album is accompanied by cover artwork from American painter Marcus Leslie Singleton, courtesy of V1 Gallery, reinforcing the record’s contemplative and timeless atmosphere.

Released on Bjørke’s own Sensitive Records imprint, the album follows The Fifty Eleven Project (2018) and Mother (2022), both originally released through Kompakt Records. Together, the trilogy charts Bjørke’s gradual movement from ambient experimentation toward a fully realized synthesis of jazz improvisation, electronic composition, and emotional storytelling.

With Passages in Time, Kasper Bjørke Quartet offer a record that resists urgency in favor of stillness—music designed not simply to be heard, but inhabited.

Stein/Smith/Shead Document the Full Arc of Collective Improvisation on Five Nights in the Midwest

Improvising trio Jason Stein, Damon Smith, and Adam Shead return with Five Nights in the Midwest, a new three-CD live release capturing the ensemble’s December 2025 tour across the American Midwest in complete, unedited form. Due May 22, 2026 via Irritable Mystic Records and Balance Point Acoustics, the album presents seven extended performances exactly as they unfolded onstage, preserving the evolving energy and architecture of the trio’s night-by-night improvisational process.

Recorded across venues in Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois, Five Nights in the Midwest functions both as a live document and as a sonic travelogue. Rather than selecting highlights or editing performances into condensed statements, the trio chose to present the music in the precise order it was performed, emphasizing continuity, momentum, and the gradual evolution of interaction over the course of the tour.

The release marks the trio’s first tour document since their acclaimed collaborations with Marilyn Crispell, whose work with the group drew renewed attention to their approach to long-form collective improvisation. Here, Stein, Smith, and Shead return to their core trio format with sharpened focus and an expanded sonic vocabulary developed through years of collaboration.

At the center of the music is Jason Stein’s bass clarinet work—physical, expressive, and deeply attentive to texture and duration. Stein approaches improvisation as a narrative form, balancing abstraction with structural coherence while drawing out the full timbral range of the instrument. His playing moves fluidly between raw intensity and spacious restraint, sustaining momentum across extended performances without sacrificing detail or clarity.

Supporting and reshaping that momentum in real time are Damon Smith and Adam Shead, whose rhythm section interplay constantly shifts between propulsion and suspension. Smith’s elastic double bass lines and Shead’s highly responsive percussion create a framework where form emerges organically through listening, reaction, and shared intuition rather than predetermined structure.

Recorded live between December 9 and 14, 2025, the performances span intimate venues including Sugar Maple in Milwaukee, State Street Pub in Indianapolis, Spot Tavern in Lafayette, Dissonant Works in St. Louis, and Reverberation Records in Bloomington. The recordings were captured, mixed, and mastered by Shead himself, maintaining the immediacy and atmosphere of each space.

With Five Nights in the Midwest, Stein/Smith/Shead offer their most complete statement to date—an immersive document of collective improvisation unfolding in real time, shaped equally by geography, interaction, and the subtle transformations that occur across a week on the road.

Release Date: May 22, 2026
Artist: Stein/Smith/Shead
Label: Irritable Mystic Records / Balance Point Acoustics

Calibro 35 Enter the World of James Ellroy on New Album Ellroy vs L.A., First Single “Riots” Out Now

Italian cinematic funk collective Calibro 35 have announced their new album Ellroy vs L.A., due October 9 via Record Kicks. Inspired by the dark mythology of Los Angeles and the work of legendary noir author James Ellroy, the record began as the original soundtrack to filmmaker Francesco Zippel’s award-winning documentary Ellroy vs L.A. before evolving into a fully realized album of cinematic crime funk, psychedelia, and hypnotic groove-driven compositions.

The first single, “Riots,” is available now and offers an explosive introduction to the project’s atmosphere. Built around tense rhythms, distorted textures, and propulsive instrumental energy, the track captures the volatility and urban chaos associated with Ellroy’s vision of Los Angeles—a city suspended between glamour, corruption, violence, and myth.

The collaboration emerged through Zippel’s documentary, which received Italy’s prestigious Nastro d’Argento Critics’ Choice Award. Produced by Federica Paniccia and Francesco Zippel for Quoiat Films, the film explores Ellroy’s relationship with Los Angeles through archival footage, interviews, and scenes of Calibro 35 recording the score in the studio. Rather than simply accompanying the documentary, the music became an extension of Ellroy’s world itself.

Across twelve new compositions, Ellroy vs L.A. sees Calibro 35 operating in perhaps their most natural territory to date. Drawing on the tension and atmosphere of noir fiction, the band expand their signature blend of vintage Italian soundtrack influences, jazz, and funk into darker, more narrative-driven territory. The result feels less like a traditional soundtrack and more like an imagined sonic map of Los Angeles—fragmented, seductive, paranoid, and alive after dark.

Formed in Milan in 2007, Calibro 35 built their reputation by reinterpreting the legacy of Italian film music composers such as Ennio Morricone, Piero Piccioni, and Armando Trovajoli. Over time, they transformed those influences into a distinct contemporary sound that bridges cinematic funk, psychedelia, jazz, and crate-digger culture. Their music has since been sampled by artists including Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Damon Albarn, while earning praise from outlets such as Rolling Stone and Far Out Magazine.

Now nearly two decades into their career, the quartet—Enrico Gabrielli, Massimo Martellotta, Fabio Rondanini, and Tommaso Colliva—continue to evolve without abandoning the cinematic DNA at the center of their identity. Following the acclaim of their 2025 release Exploration and a high-profile performance at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Verona, Ellroy vs L.A. further expands their universe into something darker, stranger, and deeply immersive.

With this project, Calibro 35 do more than score a film—they translate the mythology of James Ellroy into rhythm, tension, atmosphere, and groove, creating a soundtrack for a Los Angeles that exists somewhere between reality and noir fiction.

Kenny Barron Trio Unearthed: So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon Captures a Rare 1995 Concert in Full Flight

A remarkable previously unissued 1995 live recording of the Kenny Barron trio is set for release as So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon, a newly restored concert documenting Barron alongside bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Ben Riley at the height of their mid-1990s European run. Captured at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales and sourced from the Jordi Suñol Archives, the recording will be released on June 12, 2026 as a limited-edition 2-LP set, alongside 2-CD and digital formats.

Produced by Zev Feldman and Jordi Suñol under the Elemental Music banner, the release presents ten expansive performances recorded on August 12, 1995 at the Brycheiniog Theatre. Mixed and restored by Marc Doutrepont (EQuuS) with mastering by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, the 180-gram vinyl edition was pressed at GZ Media in the Czech Republic and features detailed liner notes and track commentary by jazz historian Ted Panken.

The concert captures Barron’s acclaimed 1990s trio in peak form—fluid, responsive, and deeply interactive. Across more than 100 minutes of music, the group moves effortlessly through swinging standards, ballads, and original compositions, defined by a shared sense of momentum and improvisational risk. Barron’s lyrical pianism is matched by Drummond’s warm harmonic grounding and Riley’s elegant, propulsive drumming, forming a unit widely regarded as one of the most intuitive piano trios of its era.

Recorded during a fertile European tour period, the performance reflects the trio’s philosophy of exploration in real time—stretching harmony, rhythm, and form while remaining tightly connected as a unit. From extended interpretations of repertoire such as “The Very Thought of You” and “Up Jumped Spring” to more rhythmically charged material like “Time Was” and “Shuffle Boil,” the trio consistently builds dynamic, evolving structures rather than fixed readings of the material.

The tapes themselves remained privately held for decades after being recorded by festival director Jed Williams, before resurfacing through promoter Jordi Suñol and eventually being brought to Elemental Music for official release, with full approval from Barron and his management.

So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon stands as both a historical document and a vivid reminder of the conversational depth of Barron’s trio work—music shaped by trust, time, and the unspoken logic of three musicians listening as one.

Danny Keane Unveils “Passing Time”, a Meditative, Rhythmically Complex New Chapter from Upcoming Album Kinesis

Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Danny Keane has released “Passing Time”, the second single from his upcoming sophomore album Kinesis, due 10 July 2026. The track is available now, with the album open for pre-order via Keane’s official website and Bandcamp.

“Passing Time” reveals the more contemplative side of Kinesis, evoking what Keane describes as “a mood of gentle melancholy which rises to optimism.” Yet beneath its reflective surface, the composition retains the rhythmic intricacy and global musical language that has defined Keane’s career. At its core is a layered metric structure built around 3 against 4, introduced through tabla, reflecting his long-standing engagement with Indian rhythmic traditions and cross-cultural composition.

Keane frames the piece as a kind of musical pause—an emotional snapshot of transition: the end of a tour, the closing of a recording session, or the reflective quiet that follows intense creative work. It captures the duality of modern musician life, where stillness and complexity often coexist, and where downtime can become unexpectedly revealing.

Known for collaborations with artists including Mulatu Astatke, Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Damon Albarn, Penguin Café, and The Heliocentrics, Keane continues to operate at the intersection of jazz, classical, and global experimental music. His upcoming performance with Mulatu Astatke at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 17 June 2026 further underscores his deep ties to cross-cultural musical exchange.

Following his 2019 debut Roamin’, Kinesis represents both a return and a redefinition. After years of touring and collaboration, Keane has shifted focus toward a more personal artistic vision, assembling a wide ensemble of collaborators to realise a body of work shaped by movement—geographical, rhythmic, and emotional.

The album spans six tracks, each distinct yet conceptually linked through ideas of flow, transition, and temporal perception. Among them, “Cathartic Chaos” stands out as a high-energy collaboration with oud player Adnan Joubran, combining modular synth patterns with improvisational Arabic classical phrasing to create a dialogue between traditions rather than a fusion of them.

Across Kinesis, Keane explores the tension between structure and spontaneity, discipline and release. The result is a genre-fluid record shaped by classical training, improvisational freedom, and an ongoing curiosity about how musical systems from different parts of the world can intersect without losing their identity.

Kinesis tracklist:

1. Running
2. Passing Time
3. Cathartic Chaos
4. Somnolent Stomp
5. A Major Minor Waltz
6. Time To Go

Kronstad 23 Announce Dødehavet: A Live-to-Tape Journey Through Cinematic Jazz and Psychedelic Groove

Norwegian collective Kronstad 23 return with their third album, Dødehavet, a deeply immersive recording that continues their exploration of instinctive, analogue-driven music-making. Set for release on 12 May 2026 via Batov Records, the album marks their first collaboration with the label and their most expansive statement to date.

Formed by four long-time friends spread across Norway, Kronstad 23 operate in a uniquely dispersed way, meeting only a handful of times each year. Yet rather than diluting their chemistry, that distance appears to sharpen it. Their music carries a rare sense of trust and immediacy—an intuitive language built less on repetition and more on shared memory and instinct.

Dødehavet was recorded live to tape at keys player Øyvind Arnodd Vie Berg’s home studio in Bergen, using a 50-year-old mixing console and tape machine. Most tracks were captured in just one or two takes, with minimal preparation and no modern post-production intervention. The result is a recording that prioritizes feel over perfection, capturing musicians responding to each other in real time.

Across its runtime, the album moves fluidly between cinematic jazz, psychedelic rock, Scandinavian folk, soul, Afrobeat, and raga influences, forming what the band describe as a single, unforced musical language. Rather than treating these styles as separate references, Kronstad 23 blend them into a continuous flow shaped by collective improvisation and groove.

Following two earlier albums praised by outlets including Record Collector, Prog Magazine, and Sweden’s Lira, Dødehavet pushes the group further into rhythmic momentum and ensemble interplay. While their earlier work was noted for its atmosphere and restraint, this new record leans more confidently into propulsion—without losing its organic, unpolished character.

Additional contributions from saxophonists Håvar Skaugen and Inge Weatherhead Breistein add depth and texture, reinforcing the album’s live, room-recorded energy.

The album’s final preview single, “Stratosfæren,” draws inspiration from the spirit of early Santana. Built on a Latin-inflected groove, it combines driving rhythm with a bittersweet guitar line and subtle keyboard textures. The track offers a strong entry point into the band’s world—warm, hypnotic, and evolving with each listen.

Kronstad 23’s creative process is intentionally unhurried and informal. The group rarely rehearses in a traditional sense, instead building tracks from simple ideas—basslines, melodic fragments, or rhythmic cues—that are allowed to unfold naturally through group interaction. Their name references Afrobeat-era collective naming traditions, while “23” marks the year the project crystallized, and Kronstad nods to the Bergen neighbourhood where they first recorded together.

Despite growing critical attention, the band have yet to perform live. For now, the studio remains their only stage—a space for experimentation, restraint, and collective listening.

With Dødehavet, Kronstad 23 deliver a record that feels both grounded and expansive: analogue warmth, hypnotic grooves, and cinematic textures that reveal more with every return.

Gerardo Frisina Announces Meridio: A Mediterranean-Infused Funk Collaboration on Schema Records

Italian composer and producer Gerardo Frisina returns with a new project titled Meridio, a collaborative release born from his long-standing creative partnership with Naples-based sound engineer and musician Francesco Borrelli. The project marks another step in Frisina’s evolving relationship with groove-driven, cinematic sound design, this time filtered through a distinctly Mediterranean lens.

Released via Schema Records, Meridio arrives as a debut 7-inch single (also available digitally) on 8 May 2026, featuring two tracks: “Partenope” and “Ligea.” Both titles draw from Mediterranean mythology, referencing sea figures that have long symbolized mystery, movement, and cultural memory across southern coastal traditions.

At its core, Meridio is shaped by geography and shared history. Frisina and Borrelli’s collaboration spans more than a decade of recording sessions, with Borrelli playing a central role in shaping Frisina’s studio output. This new project formalizes that creative dialogue into a fully realized artistic identity—one where composition, engineering, and performance converge into a single vision.

Musically, the release draws from the textures of 1970s and 1980s funk and progressive music, reinterpreted through a contemporary production approach. The result is a sound that balances analog warmth with precise modern structure—layered, rhythmic, and intentionally fluid. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, Meridio reframes its influences as living material, reshaped through arrangement and studio experimentation.

The concept of “Meridio” itself reflects southern roots and a shared Mediterranean sensibility between Naples and Calabria. That influence is not presented as a theme but as an operating principle: a tension between structure and improvisation, elegance and instinct, rhythm and atmosphere.

With Meridio, Frisina continues to expand his catalog while reinforcing his reputation for blending jazz-funk foundations with forward-looking production aesthetics—this time through a deeply collaborative and regionally grounded project.

Release date: 8 May 2026
Format: 7" single / digital
Genre tags: Funk
Label: Schema Records

Martha Reeves Returns With Searching, Her First New Album in More Than Two Decades

 

After more than 20 years away from the recording studio, Motown legend Martha Reeves is stepping back into the spotlight with a brand-new album, Searching. For fans of classic soul music, it’s one of the most exciting comeback stories of the year.

According to recent reports, Searching is scheduled for release on August 14 and marks Reeves’ first full-length album in over two decades.

Best known as the powerhouse voice behind timeless hits like “Dancing in the Street,” “Heat Wave,” and “Nowhere to Run,” Reeves helped define the golden era of Motown in the 1960s. Alongside Martha and the Vandellas, she created music that blended gospel energy, pop hooks, and raw soul into a sound that still resonates generations later.

What makes Searching especially intriguing is its creative direction. Reeves reportedly teamed up with acclaimed New Orleans jazz musician Delfeayo Marsalis for the project, bringing together classic Motown soul and the rich musical traditions of New Orleans jazz. Reeves described the collaboration as “a spark of life,” signaling that this isn’t simply a nostalgia release — it’s a fresh artistic statement from an icon who still has something to say.

The announcement has generated major excitement among longtime soul fans and music historians alike. Reeves has remained active through live performances and public appearances over the years, but a new studio album was something few expected. Her last major studio release, Home to You, arrived back in 2004.

Beyond the music itself, Searching arrives at a moment when classic soul and vintage R&B continue to influence a new generation of artists. From Bruno Mars to Beyoncé, traces of the Motown sound remain everywhere in contemporary music. Reeves’ return feels less like a reunion tour and more like a reminder of where so much modern pop and soul began.

Now in her eighties, Reeves continues to embody the spirit that made Motown revolutionary: resilience, joy, and undeniable rhythm. If the early buzz surrounding Searching is any indication, the album could become one of the year’s most heartfelt and celebrated releases.

For longtime fans, it’s a chance to hear a legendary voice once again. For younger listeners, it may be the perfect introduction to one of soul music’s true pioneers.

Lawrence Udeigwe Explores the Intersection of Mathematics, Identity, and Music on New Album FOUR LEMMAS

For Lawrence Udeigwe, aesthetic sensibility and mathematical rigor are not opposing forces but complementary languages shaping a unified creative vision. Known professionally as UDEiGWE (pronounced “oo-dee-gway”), he moves fluidly between two demanding worlds: academia and music.

A Professor of Mathematics and Director of Integrative Programs at Manhattan University, as well as a Research Affiliate in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, Udeigwe also maintains a parallel artistic career as a pianist, vocalist, and composer. His previous albums, Live in Williamsburg (2026) and Rhythm Sustained (2018), have been praised for their originality and depth, with Live in Williamsburg described as a vivid snapshot of creative intuition and uninterrupted performance at its peak.

Born in Nigeria and a member of the Igbo tribe, Udeigwe grew up in Makurdi, a town defined by limited media access but rich exposure to American music through radio. That early environment fostered deep focus and curiosity, shaping both his intellectual and musical trajectory. Although he initially aspired to study music and theatre, his strong aptitude for mathematics guided him toward formal academic training. He later earned multiple degrees in mathematics and computer science across Duquesne University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Pittsburgh, all while continuing to study piano and develop his voice as a musician.

After completing his graduate work, Udeigwe established himself in academia at Manhattan University, balancing morning lectures and afternoon research with late-night jazz sessions across New York. That dual life eventually led to regular performances and growing recognition in the jazz community.

With his new album FOUR LEMMAS, Udeigwe continues to merge disciplines, translating abstract mathematical ideas into expressive, atmospheric music. Rather than attempting literal translation, he works impressionistically, using concepts from mathematics as frameworks for mood, structure, and narrative. The result is a warm, meditative body of work shaped by African rhythmic influence, subtle funk elements, and an emphasis on space, phrasing, and ensemble interplay.

Joining him are an accomplished group of East Coast musicians, including Steph Clement, Grammy-nominated Wayne Tucker, Josh Green on drums, and Rade Bema on bass.

At its conceptual core, FOUR LEMMAS reflects Udeigwe’s exploration of identity as both scientist and artist. In mathematics, a lemma is a supporting proposition that leads to broader understanding. Udeigwe structures the album around four such ideas, each paired with a lyrical “corollary” that expands its emotional and philosophical meaning.

The album opens with “Prologue,” establishing its reflective tone through poetic lines that frame identity as a process of discovery and construction. From there, each movement explores a distinct conceptual lens. “Orthogonality” examines independence and separation without disconnection, while its corollary reframes space as something generative rather than empty. “Sparse Matrix” reflects on clarity through reduction, drawing parallels between mathematical structure and mental focus. “Local Maximum” considers the illusion of completion at moments of perceived success, and “Stable Equilibrium” turns toward self-knowledge and the ability to return to one’s core identity through change and challenge.

Throughout the album, Udeigwe’s voice blends singing and spoken word, adding a poetic layer to the music’s already contemplative atmosphere. The compositions avoid excess, instead favoring restraint, collective improvisation, and emotional nuance.

FOUR LEMMAS ultimately presents a unified artistic statement in which mathematics, poetry, and sound converge. Rather than treating science and art as separate domains, Lawrence Udeigwe reveals them as interconnected ways of understanding structure, perception, and human experience.

Jason Miles Celebrates Miles Davis’s Legacy with Powerful New Album 100 Miles

Renowned keyboardist, composer, and producer Jason Miles honors the enduring legacy of Miles Davis with 100 Miles, a deeply personal and sonically adventurous new album commemorating what would have been Davis’s 100th birthday.

More than a traditional tribute project, 100 Miles reflects the profound musical and personal relationship Jason Miles shared with Davis during the final chapter of the jazz icon’s life from 1986 to 1991. As the architect behind much of the groundbreaking sound design and synthesizer programming on landmark Davis recordings including Tutu, Amandla, and Music From Siesta, Miles played a defining role in shaping one of the most daring and misunderstood periods of Davis’s career.

While many jazz tributes revisit familiar territory, 100 Miles stands apart by capturing the spirit of Miles Davis without attempting imitation. Instead, Jason Miles channels the innovative energy, groove, atmosphere, and emotional depth that defined Davis’s later years, creating a collection of original compositions that feel both contemporary and timeless.

The album opens with the dynamic title track “100 Miles,” immediately evoking the cinematic textures and rhythmic pulse associated with the Tutu era. Featuring commanding trumpet work from Randy Brecker and expressive saxophone performances from Ada Rovatti, the track sets the tone for an album filled with rich grooves, layered arrangements, and inspired improvisation.

“The Girl With The Purple Hair,” inspired by Davis’s admiration for Prince, highlights Rovatti’s compelling alto saxophone work, while “Controlled Chaos,” co-composed with Russell Gunn, delivers an elegant fusion of jazz, funk, and electronic textures anchored by Jason Miles’s synth bass grooves.

Other standout moments include the atmospheric “Malibu Midnight Blue,” featuring a beautifully restrained soprano saxophone performance by Jeff Coffin, and the lushly orchestrated “Jeanne Moreau,” a melodic and cinematic composition showcasing the understated sophistication of Miles’s arranging style.

One of the album’s most emotional moments arrives with “Miles to Miles,” a heartfelt solo piano piece written the day after Miles Davis passed away. The album closes with a remastered full-band version recorded in 1994, bringing the project full circle while honoring Davis’s spirit through mood, space, and feeling rather than direct recreation.

Released May 1, 2026, 100 Miles features an extraordinary ensemble of musicians including Jason Miles on keyboards, programming, organ, synth bass, percussion loops, and piano, alongside Randy Brecker, Barry Danielian, Patches Stewart, Ada Rovatti, James Genus, Adam Dorn, Tiago Oliveira, Kat Dyson, Ronnie Drayton, Romero Lubambo, Dean Brown, Bill Washer, Vicky Marques, Leroy Williams Jr., Adrian Harpham, Vinnie Colaiuta, Deodato DaSilva, Gene Lake, Russell Gunn, Jeff Coffin, Jay Rodriguez, and Cyro Baptista.

Rather than looking backward with nostalgia, Jason Miles uses 100 Miles to continue the forward-thinking musical conversation that Miles Davis championed throughout his career — fearless, modern, soulful, and constantly evolving.

Jonathan Karrant & Diane Schuur Reunite for Soulful New Single “Caught a Touch of Your Love”

 

Acclaimed vocalist Jonathan Karrant has released “Caught a Touch of Your Love,” the first single from his forthcoming album Full Circle, a deeply personal project inspired by his longtime friendship and mentorship with jazz legend Diane Schuur.

The album celebrates the musical connection between the two artists, with “Caught a Touch of Your Love” serving as a joyful and heartfelt duet that highlights their natural chemistry and deep artistic bond.

Originally written by James Best, Craig Bickhardt, and Jack Keller, the song became widely known through Schuur’s celebrated 1987 live recording with The Count Basie Orchestra on Diane Schuur & The Count Basie Orchestra. The album earned Schuur her second Grammy Award and remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts for 33 weeks. The song itself was famously recommended to Schuur by her close friend Ray Charles, further cementing its legacy in jazz history.

When choosing material for Full Circle, both Karrant and Schuur were immediately drawn to the song, recognizing it as the ideal showcase for their playful vocal interplay and emotional connection. Their performance captures both warmth and spontaneity, bringing fresh life to a beloved classic while honoring its rich history.

The recording features a sophisticated arrangement by pianist Tamir Hendelman alongside an all-star ensemble including Graham Dechter on guitar, Alex Frank on bass, Kevin Kanner on drums, Kye Palmer on trumpet, and Ricky Woodard on saxophone.

Blending timeless swing and blues influences with contemporary jazz sensibilities, “Caught a Touch of Your Love” delivers an elegant and vibrant interpretation that reflects the enduring artistry of both performers.

Full Circle Track Listing:

1. Meet Me Midnight
2. Sunday Kind of Love
3. Louisiana Sunday Afternoon
4. By Design
5. I Caught a Touch of Your Love (feat. Diane Schuur)
6. You’ll See
7. What a Difference a Day Makes
8. Nobody Does Me
9. New York State of Mind
10. I’ll Close My Eyes
11. I’ll Be Seeing You (feat. Diane Schuur)

Reggie Codrington Celebrates Resilience and Jazz Legacy with “Don’t Look Back”

 

As his latest single “Don’t Look Back” climbs toward the Billboard Top 40 Smooth Jazz Songs chart, saxophonist Reggie Codrington is marking International Jazz Day with gratitude—for the music that shaped his life, the family who supported him, and the determination that carried him through extraordinary challenges.

Born with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy, Codrington faced significant physical obstacles from an early age, undergoing nine surgeries before the age of 13. His father, Ray Codrington—once ranked among the world’s top trumpeters by DownBeat—helped spark his journey by finding a specially sized saxophone he could play despite limited dexterity. That moment laid the foundation for a career many believed was out of reach.

Growing up in Fayetteville, Codrington was immersed in jazz from the start. Through his father, he connected with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Harold Vick, and Freddie Cole—early influences that helped shape his sound and passion.

“Don’t Look Back,” inspired by his mother’s encouragement to focus on the future, blends a smooth R&B groove with Codrington’s warm tone and expressive phrasing. The track also marks his first collaboration with producer Nelson Braxton of the Braxton Brothers, with whom he’s already developing new music.

Reflecting on his journey, Codrington recalls a standout moment opening for three-time GRAMMY® winner Ramsey Lewis, who later told him, “You are a hard act to follow”—a compliment that continues to inspire him.

Now working on his 12th album, The Ray Codrington Signature Series, Codrington honors his father’s legacy while continuing to push forward with unwavering faith and purpose. His story is a testament to perseverance, proving that with passion and belief, even the steepest obstacles can be overcome.