A true musical citizen of the world, Swiss born guitarist Lars Taylor brings a sensual, seductive beauty and fresh, sophisticated cosmopolitan spirit to contemporary urban jazz with his debut single “Sweet Onion” – which is currently rising on several key independent charts (Smooth Jazz Network, Radio Wave Monitor, Smoothjazz.com). True to its title in many ways, the track has a soulful, deeply heartfelt acoustic guitar melody driven by a gently lilting groove, rich keyboard

Best known as legendary punk/art rocker Patti Smith’s longtime guitarist, Oliver Ray has been, according to his bio, “writing songs for decades,” but only now is emerging as an offbeat, though often quite fascinating, solo artist. As a vocalist, he’s kind of like a laid back, Dylanesque, slightly lugubrious acquired taste, but his slow, dreamy storytelling may just prompt your ears to itch for the next line as he builds his narratives. Under the Brian Eno-esque guidance of Ba

Bringing a quirky playfulness to her snapshots of intense heartbreak and snappy resilience on the many roads she’s traveled, Lauren Crosby shares a fascinating lifetime of world-wise and weary experience on her second full length album I Said Take Me To the Water. It’s confessional indie folk/blue driven pop/rock at its most raw yet shimmering, a spirited diary infused with spunk and rage, wit and whimsy. A Maine lobsterman’s daughter, she chirps fondly of home (even when rum

With the release of Still the River Flows, David M. Edwards’ majestic and expansive, multi-faceted debut album as a solo pianist, the veteran musician and composer opens a fresh door in his long, eclectic career – finding a beautiful and organic new musical flow after two impressive piano based ensemble recordings under the name Dave Edwards. Looking back, it’s as if his well-received collections Elusive Dreams (2011) and The Illusion of Time (2014) were powerful stepping sto

The empowering culmination of 23 years of collaborations between pianist Richie Beirach and violinist Gregor Huebner, Crossing Borders is a prodigious, multi-faceted ensemble work with the WDR Big Band that, as per its title, celebrates the ability of music and art to transcend the spiritually limiting realities of xenophobia and tribal-based politics. The all-original set centers on two intricate, alternately rousing and graceful, explosive and hushed, booming and graceful t

Argentine bassist/composer Pablo Langouguere has been living and making music in NYC since 2013, but his melodic musings and rhythmic energies never stray far from his roots in Buenos Aires. Since 2016, the versatile musician with the mile-long resume has been a founding member of the traditional tango sextet Abaddon. He has also been a member of Daniel Binelli’s Astoria Tango Orchestra and toured with the Alejandro Ziegler Tango Quartet. As the fresh album title Eclectico im

If we could all be as hip, happy and glowingly nostalgia filled as veteran guitarist and producer Dave Stryker is on the cover of Eight Track III, which, as the title implies, caps his popular, wonderfully re-inventive trilogy of classic 70’s (and 70’s adjacent) hits. Holding his electric axe, he’s wearing shades and leopard skin platform shoes, listening to vinyl while some classic LPs linger on the floor. Stryker’s mix of feistiness/festiveness (“Move on Up,” “Too High”) an

One of jazz’s most versatile, prolific bassists, Jay Anderson launched his career with the Woody Herman Orchestra, then Big Band, and after two years with Carmen McRae moved from SoCal to NYC and has appeared on over 400 recordings providing the pluck and groove for a plethora of legends. It’s been nearly two decades since he’s stepped out as a leader in the studio, which makes his rhythmically, melodically and thematically eclectic new ensemble session Deepscape a delightful

Not that we truly needed a refresher, but we learn in the liner notes to Art “Turk” Burton’s free for all celebration of all things percussion Ancestral Spirits that in indigenous African societies, “the drum represents the heartbeat, the very lifeblood of humanity, of every living thing.” If we don’t believe it with all our hearts and souls after Burton – a veteran conguero and bongo player who’s ensembled with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Muhal Richard Abrams – and his

On his highly anticipated follow-up to debut A Conversation Among Friends, Jordon Dixon turns the simmering fire up and the adventurous energy On! With a vibrant, multi-hued melodic and percussive style that has earned him favorable comparisons to Dexter Gordon and Stanley Turrentine, the fast-emerging saxophonist brings a unique, multi-faceted background to this slyly soulful, deeply bluesy and percussively eclectic collection. Raised in Baton Rouge – you’ll know he’s from L

The Girl from Ipanema never had it so good, sashayed so beautifully or danced in the balmy sunshine so long. Attributed to Brazilian guitar master Carlos Barbosa-Lima but in essence a soulful and intricate duet project with fellow guitarist, duo partner and co-producer Larry Del Casale, Delicado is a carioca’s dream, an exuberant, rhythmically intoxicating celebration of Brazilian culture and music by an ensemble of Rio natives nonpareil. Though very much a contemporary ensem

A former 30-plus year member of the legendary Sun-Ra Arkestra, trumpeter, composer and bandleader Fred Adams’ critically acclaimed Philadelphia Heritage Art Ensemble is a vibrant six-piece group dedicated in part to celebrating the City of Brotherly Love’s vast jazz heritage. Their latest work, Crossing the Bridge 2, fulfills that mission via a breezy swing through Lee Morgan’s “Soft Touch” (featuring spirited, inventive solos by Adams and pianist Emilio Teubal) and high octa