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THE JW VIBE
Music That Sticks To My Soul
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KATHY INGRAHAM, Jazz Dreams
With a compelling interpretive vocal style that has earned favorable comparisons to Nina Simone for its intense, soulful richness and Blossom Dearie for its intimacy and whimsy, vocalist, composer and producer Kathy Ingraham finds the ultimate expression for her eclectic aesthetic on her fourth album Jazz Dreams. Inspired by a unique gambit between classical composers and a bebop band leader showcased in the 1944 Oscar winning short film Heavenly Music, the multi-talented art
Jonathan Widran
May 8


BOBBY SANABRIA MULTIVERSE BIG BAND, Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall
Few contemporary bandleaders bridge scholarship, cultural preservation and explosive live performance with the authority and passion of drummer, percussionist and educator Bobby Sanabria. With Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall, Sanabria and his remarkable multi-Grammy nominated Multiverse Big Band deliver not merely a fiery, multi-faceted and rhythmically diverse concert recording, but a vibrant celebration of Afro-Cuban musical history, New York jazz tradition
Jonathan Widran
May 8


SOPHIA AGRANOVICH, A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works
Sophia Agranovich’s exquisitely rhapsodic A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann artfully transcends the realm of a recital—it is a deeply immersive psychological and spiritual journey into the very essence of Romanticism, guided by a veteran artist whose interpretive voice is as dynamic and commanding as it is intimate. Long hailed as a “tigress of the keyboard,” Sophia brings to this repertoire not only formidable technical mastery, but a rare ability to inha
Jonathan Widran
May 6


DAVID WOHL, Feels Like Happiness
In a genre where many solo piano albums arrive with a clearly defined concept or carefully framed intention, David Wohl’s Feels Like Happiness takes a quieter, more revealing path. Rather than announcing itself, the album unfolds naturally, inviting the listener into its world without pretense. The effect is subtle but profound: a body of work that feels less constructed than lived, less presented than shared. From the opening moments, there is no sense of striving, no need t
Jonathan Widran
Apr 27


APSTARA, One Minute Mantras I: Awakening
Over the past several years, with her releases Breath of Gratitude and Breathe III, Juliet Lyons has created a deeply personal body of work rooted in breath, healing and inner renewal—music shaped not only by her keen artistic instincts but by lived experience. With One Minute Mantras I: Awakening, she introduces a new creative identity, Apstara, and with it, a subtle but meaningful shift in focus. Where earlier projects often unfolded as expansive, emotionally immersive jour
Jonathan Widran
Apr 23


MAN ON LAND, Echo the Hills
On Echo the Hills, Boston-based trio Man on Land—pianist Brian Friedland, bassist Greg Loughman and drummer Austin McMahon—expand their deeply intuitive group language and aesthetic with the addition of soprano (and sopranino) saxophonist Lihi Haruvi, whose presence proves to be both a natural extension and a catalytic force. The result is a fluid, often shape-shifting modern jazz set that artfully balances atmosphere, lyricism and exploratory fire, with each piece unfolding
Jonathan Widran
Apr 23


ZACH SWEENEY, Age Gracefully
After decades building a multi-faceted life defined by service, family and business, Zach Sweeney returns to his first creative calling with Age Gracefully, a debut EP years in the making that draws on songs written across the span of his life—from high school and college through the present day. Rather than a sudden reinvention, the project feels like a long-deferred arrival, a richly textured, lyrically fascinating and deeply personal collection shaped by time, perspective
Jonathan Widran
Apr 22


Q&A WITH DAN WHEETMAN of MARLEY'S GHOST
Often associated with the Pacific Northwest but never confined to a single geographic identity, Marley’s Ghost has, over four decades, carved out a singular place in the American roots music landscape through its seamless blend of folk, country, bluegrass, gospel and beyond. Rather than being rooted in a single city, the band reflects the wide-open spirit of the American West itself—a collective shaped by decades of life and music-making across Washington, California, Montana
Jonathan Widran
Apr 17


KRISTEN MATHER de ANDRADE, SEM FIM
Kristen Mather de Andrade’s Sem Fim is an intricately textured and deeply personal statement that bridges her classical training, jazz sensibilities, and profound lifelong connection to Brazilian music. From the charming, lyrical and uber-whimsical horn splashed delight “Atraente” through the sensually elegant vocal-graced “So o Tempo,” the New York-based clarinetist, vocalist and producer brings all facets of her artistry into focus on this lush, orchestral project, creati
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


JASON KRUK, Beyond the Veil
With Beyond the Veil , the long awaited follow-up to his 2009 debut album Leaving Saturn , veteran drummer and composer Jason Kruk delivers an ambitious and wide-ranging fusion project that blends technical precision with a strong sense of musical storytelling. Drawing on his extensive background across jazz, funk and rock, Kruk assembles an elite ensemble—including guitarists Wayne Krantz and Adam Rogers and members of Snarky Puppy—to create a vibrant, all at once musically
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


PAUL KAHN, Willingness
Infused with a swirl of jazz whimsy blended with ambient spaciousness and heartfelt intent, veteran singer-songwriter Paul Kahn transforms a lifetime of lived experience into a warm, roots-infused collection that blends elements of jazz, Americana, blues and folk into a multi-hued, deeply personal statement. Produced by Catherine Russell, whose musical sensibility and collaborative presence are felt throughout, the album – a follow up to the 2024 re-release of his sole 1999 c
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


MARIE-PAULE FRANKE, Through the Cracks the Light Is Born
On Through the Cracks the Light Is Born , vocalist and composer Marie-Paule Franke offers a deeply expressive and thoughtfully crafted collection that bridges jazz, folk and poetic singer-songwriter traditions. Backed by a finely attuned New York-based quartet featuring saxophonist Amir Mankovski, pianist Dongfeng Liu, double bassist Marcos Varela and drummer Matthias Künzli, Franke presents seven heartfelt original songs that unfold with emotional nuance, lyrical depth, gen
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16
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