After more than five decades spent composing, arranging, performing and helping other artists realize their musical visions, pianist, composer and musical director Steve Rawlins finally steps fully into the spotlight with Word on the Street, a vibrant ensemble recording that brings together music from different chapters of his career while introducing a fresh collection of compositions shaped specifically for his wildly adventurous quintet. Rooted in a dual aesthetic of past

Some music arrives effortlessly. A melody appears at the piano, the right musicians gather around it, and within weeks it finds its way onto an album. Other compositions take a far more circuitous route, quietly waiting years—or even decades—for the right combination of experience, collaborators and perspective before revealing what they were always meant to become. Steve Rawlins understands that creative patience better than most. Throughout a remarkable career spanning more

Every great groove has a destination. Some pull us to the dance floor, others stir memories, but Roberto Vally’s luminous new single “Soul Flow” reaches for something deeper, channeling rhythm into a reflection on the invisible connection between movement, spirit and human emotion. As Vally explains, “Soul Flow, for me, is about our souls swimming through the universe, trying to flow yet staying anchored. And when groove is honest, from the heart, people can feel that.” It’s

Over the past decade, Matias Bacoñsky has established himself as one of contemporary instrumental music’s most imaginative and dynamic storytellers. The Argentine pianist and composer marks ten years since the release of his solo piano debut Life and Death with a stirring re-interpretation of the deeply personal work that launched his career – not simply recounting the sweeping original journey but realizing a far more ambitious vision. On Life and Death (Reimagined), he surr

Long before telescopes mapped distant galaxies or science revealed the staggering scale of the universe, people gathered beneath the stars seeking guidance, comfort and perspective, believing that somewhere beyond the noise of daily existence lay a deeper understanding of who we are and why we are here. Those heavenly lights have inspired mythology, religion, poetry, philosophy and music across countless civilizations, serving as enduring reminders that something infinitely l

Tucked discreetly behind Au Lac, the acclaimed vegan restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, Birds of a Feather Jazz Lounge already feels like one of those rare places jazz lovers hope survives for decades. Opened earlier this year and curated by acclaimed vocalist-educator Cathy Segal-Garcia and bassist Sidney Jacobs, the intimate, Art Deco-inspired room encourages listeners to settle in and truly hear the music. Before her trio even finished its opening number, veteran flutist

Every artist hopes to make the album that finally embodies their truest selves. Few realize that discovering that voice sometimes means circling back to the person they were before life’s challenges and unexpected turns complicated the path forward. That’s the quiet revelation at the heart of Liz Fawcett’s empowering new album Remedies of the Heart. These eight personal songs – from the lyrical soul-searching “Somewhere Out There” to the ethereal unveiling and acceptance of

Throughout the course of evolutionary events, melodies came long after motion. Before there were prayers, poems, languages or civilizations, there was light bursting into unimaginable darkness, stars forging the elements that would one day become oceans, forests, mountains—and us. Across the billions of years separating the first spark of creation from this very moment, humanity learned to wonder not only how we came to exist, but why our brief lives matter at all. While it’s

While some musical partnerships are carefully planned, while others like Conversations, the newly unearthed five-track EP by vocalist Suzanne Pittson and pianist, composer and arranger Bevan Manson, evolve and emerge almost by instinct. Originally recorded as an unreleased demo session in 2002 and finally completed more than two decades later, the collection captures two adventurous improvisers listening, responding and challenging one another with remarkable trust and sponta

Few contemporary jazz artists have chronicled Brazil’s rich musical heritage with greater imagination than pianist, composer and arranger Antonio Adolfo. Yet after years of celebrating the timeless works of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Cole Porter and the songs of Carnaval, his dazzlingly performed and arranged, rhythmically dynamic Balaios may be his most personal statement yet. Rather than looking outward for inspiration, the internationally acclaimed Brazilian

One of the enduring powers of America’s great patriotic songs is their ability to preserve not only the nation’s history but the deeply personal stories woven into it. Penned by immigrants, Broadway composers, military veterans and devoted citizens, these timeless melodies celebrate freedom, sacrifice, gratitude and hope in ways that continue to resonate across generations. As America marks its 250th anniversary, versatile vocalist Judy Whitmore honors that remarkable legacy

One of jazz’s greatest gifts is its ability to transform life’s hardest-earned wisdom into something graceful, spontaneous and quietly uplifting. That spirit resonates throughout I Still Rise, Lisa Rich’s deeply satisfying second act—a beautiful, intricately crafted collection that continues her remarkable return to trademark form. The unveiling she began with Long As You’re Living now reveals an artist whose interpretive depth has only deepened and continues to evolve with