Kemuel Roig Presents ‘Both Sides Now’
Kemuel Roig’s Both Sides Now is a solo-piano album built on a deceptively simple idea: take familiar songs, remove almost everything that usually carries them, and see whether melody alone can still speak. Released on Life in Music, the album presents Roig alone at the piano across a long, reflective program that moves from Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell to Cole Latin American songbook staples such as “Bésame Mucho” and “Solamente Una Vez.”
But Roig does not approach these pieces like a pianist trying to “jazz up” well-known material. He performs in the style of someone reading old letters, and that is exactly where the emotional center lies. memory, tenderness, regret, and acceptance are all expressed without a rhythm section, and often without any urgency at all.
The opening “Junk” immediately sets the tone. Roig slows the McCartney tune into a waltz-like meditation, making it feel like a small nocturne. “How Can I Be Sure” is even stronger. Instead of leaning into the song’s sweetness, Roig finds the uncertainty underneath it, using harmonic movement between D minor and E-flat minor to mirror the lyric’s emotional doubt.
The first major peak is Jimmy Rowles’ “The Peacocks,” which appears twice, including a bonus version. It is one of the album’s most demanding pieces, harmonically strange and emotionally elusive. Roig handles it with patience, with the second version taking on a more dissonant tone that deepens the album’s atmosphere.
The Latin pieces are where Roig’s voice feels most naturally rooted. “Solamente Una Vez” is delicate and inward, while “Bésame Mucho” gradually opens from intimacy into quiet passion. Towards the end of the album, “Esta Tarde Vi Llover” reveals Roig’s roots, combining Cuban sentiment with jazz and classical-romantic accents.
At nearly 76 minutes on the CD program, Both Sides Now asks for a lot of stillness from the listener. But the best moments are so sincere and emotionally direct that the album’s generosity feels easier to forgive. Both Sides Now is a love-song record in the broadest sense, and Roig’s emotional performance only adds to its power.
The Fire We Build Ourselves: Pam Ross and the American Reckoning of “Who’s Gonna Save You?” (Out July 10th)
There is an old American story that keeps rewriting itself. It begins with the promise that reinvention is always possible—that no matter how badly we’ve failed, we can pack up, head west, start over, and become someone new. It is the mythology of the frontier, the revival tent, the open highway, and the second chance.
Pam Ross’s “Who’s Gonna Save You?” quietly asks what happens when that story stops working.
The song is built on familiar terrain: roots-rock guitars, a steady rhythm section, and Ross’s unassuming vocal delivery. Nothing announces itself as revolutionary. Yet beneath that musical familiarity lies something far more unsettling. Ross isn’t interested in the enemies outside the gates. She is documenting the collapse that begins from within.
“If you can’t have it, burn it down.”
That line echoes through the song like a confession disguised as determination. It speaks not only to one person’s despair but to a broader impulse that has always haunted American life—the temptation to destroy what cannot be perfected. The desire to erase failure by reducing everything to ashes has appeared in politics, religion, relationships, and art. Ross condenses that impulse into a handful of devastating verses.
Then comes the chorus, and with it, the song’s central question:
“God might save you from someone else, but who’s gonna save you from yourself?”
The brilliance of the lyric is that it refuses certainty. It acknowledges faith without using it as an easy resolution. God is present, but human responsibility remains unavoidable. The question hangs unanswered because perhaps it cannot be answered by anyone but the listener.
Ross sings with remarkable restraint. There is no theatrical anguish, no exaggerated display of pain. Instead, she sounds like someone who has reached the point where emotion no longer needs to announce itself. That calm gives the performance its authority. The words land harder because they are delivered without spectacle.
The musicians surrounding her understand the assignment. Yvan Petit’s guitar never overwhelms the lyric but colors it with subtle tension. FJ Ventre’s bass and George Hindenach’s drums create a foundation that keeps the song grounded, while Ross’s keyboards and organ add a quiet sense of inevitability, as though the music has been moving toward this destination long before the first verse begins.
The production resists the temptation to smooth away the rough edges. Instead, it allows silence, space, and texture to become part of the narrative. Every instrument serves the story rather than competing with it.
What ultimately distinguishes “Who’s Gonna Save You?” is its refusal to become either sermon or therapy session. It offers neither condemnation nor consolation. Instead, it documents a moment familiar to anyone who has stood amid the wreckage of their own decisions and wondered whether redemption begins with rescue—or with recognition.
In that sense, Pam Ross has written more than a song about doubt. She has written a song about the uneasy bargain at the heart of self-determination itself. We celebrate the freedom to make our own lives, yet we seldom acknowledge the equal freedom to dismantle them.
“Who’s Gonna Save You?” doesn’t answer its own question.
It simply leaves the echo ringing long enough for us to discover whether we’re asking it of the song—or of ourselves.
–Marcus Grey
Tom Ricci Presents Happenin’g in Buenos Aires Live at Borges 1975′
There is a lovely circularity to Tom Ricci’s latest album, “Happening in Buenos Aires.” an Argentine-born, California-based singer-guitarist, returns to his birthplace with a live set that feels loose, intimate, and emotionally open. Recorded at Borges 1975 in Buenos Aires on June 20, 2023, the album places Ricci with Pablo Sanguinetti on piano, Bruno Migotto on bass, and Oscar Giunta on drums
The session moves across jazz standards, bossa nova, tango, blues, and modern reinterpretation, opening with a classic and assured stretch. “Mood Indigo” sets a hushed conversational tone, while “Night & Day” and “Just Friends” bring the group into lighter swing. Sanguinetti’s piano is central here: elegant without becoming decorative, and never crowding Ricci’s voice.
HearNow link:
Bandcamp: https://tomricci.bandcamp.com/album/happening-in-buenos-aires
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tomricci
The album becomes more distinctive when Ricci leans into Latin American identity. “Naranjo en Flor,” arranged by Pablo Sanguinetti as a jazz waltz, is one of the
emotional anchors. Built in the style of an Argentine tango, the single is given new immediacy in this live version, helped by Oscar Giunta’s spontaneous drumming.
“What A Wonderful World” is another clear centerpiece. Ricci reinvents the song with the same emotional impact but minus the vocal theatrics of Louis Armstrong. But the boldest choice is “Creep,” which opens as an intimate jazz piece that builds from restraint to an explosive peak.
The album is self-produced by Ricci and his band, and you can sense that in their sound. the sequencing doesn’t feel like a fully unified live arc and the final mix is not as polished as contemporary jazz albums. However, that lack of corporate sheen gives the album its own rustic charm; something that many listeners will enjoy.
Happening in Buenos Aires succeeds because it knows what kind of live album it wants to be. It is a personal and quietly ambitious record. By the closing “There Will Never Be Another You,” the album has become a portrait of an artist comfortable with hybridity: Argentine and Californian, jazz and folk-rock, interpreter and storyteller.
Luis Alas Presents ‘High Life’
With his latest EP, “High Life,” veteran saxophonist Luis Alas steps confidently into the spotlight as a smooth jazz artist with a clear identity. The thesis of this album is simple: bright, melodic, groove-heavy, and built for listeners who want feel-good sophistication without the music becoming background wallpaper.
Alas, known as “The Sax of the South,” brings a personal blend of Miami-raised Latin flavor, Southern soul and urban funk to the table. With a sound built with as much melodic warmth as technical precision, High Life does not sound like a sterile studio smooth-jazz product.
“Sax You Up” is the album’s opening statement; a punchy, instantly accessible track that makes the project’s mission obvious. It is sleek, funky, and unashamedly upbeat, with Alas’ alto pushing the melody forward. “Breaking Out” continues the momentum but feels slightly more controlled. Alas is not just showing off his ability to play with fire and come out unscathed; he’s also demonstrating the skill to shape that energy into clean melodies.
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The emotional center of the EP is “Free My Soul.” Where the first two tracks lean toward movement and confidence, this one’s appeal is its tone, phrasing, and warmth. The Dave Koz-composed “Lullaby For A Rainy Night” is the project’s most tender cut, and it gives High Life needed emotional contrast.
“Silky & Smooth” then follows naturally, leaning even further into classic smooth-jazz intimacy. The album closes with “Sunny Side,” which brings the project back to the bright energy suggested by the title. It is joyful without feeling forced, and it leaves the listener with the sense that Alas is at his best when he balances strong hooks with live-band movement.
High Life is a confident EP from an artist who knows his audience but still brings enough personality to stand out. Luis Alas’ alto voice is expressive and emotionally direct, and the record’s blend of genres makes it accessible to a range of audiences. This is smooth jazz designed for uplift, romance, movement, and replay value; and on those terms, it succeeds very well.
Masquerade Presents ‘Darkest Hours’ Out July 10
Masquerade’s latest EP, “Darkest Hours,” takes a small-scale concept and quietly expands into a moving record that is deeply human. Written during a polar vortex, the three-track EP is framed around the stubborn search for hope when the world feels locked in place. The project is scheduled for release on July 10, 2026, and Masquerade describes it as one of their more organic releases, built around bittersweet instrumentation and an intimate room-like atmosphere.
What makes Darkest Hours interesting is that it does not treat despair as a dramatic costume. Instead, it treats hardship as something ordinary that can stem from causes as simple as bills and loneliness. Masquerade’s own notes describe the EP as a search for hope in difficult times, and that emotional through-line gives the record a clear narrative shape.
– https://samply.app/p/4yYpa1FNZ0zHpEkF6Pjl?si=We8WyAB2tTNBJVY4hWRKcx89qy63
The opening track, “I’m Lonely,” appears to set the emotional foundation. Its most striking choice is structural: rather than building around a conventional lyrical chorus, Masquerade uses “I’m lonely” as a single refrain and lets the instrumental section carry the feeling forward. The song’s café-born lyric idea, written from the strange experience of feeling isolated while surrounded by warmth and conversation, gives it a sharp emotional realism.
The title track, “Darkest Hours,” is the EP’s emotional center. It transforms a moment of helplessness into a meditation on bravery. The cover’s eclipse imagery and the song’s lyrics point toward Masquerade’s strongest instinct here: she is not simply writing about the dark, but asking what truth becomes possible inside it.
“Temptation” closes the EP by turning the lens inward. It studies self-sabotage and the frustrating awareness that change is necessary, even when familiar patterns remain seductive. Built around a sustained three-note guitar riff, this is the record’s most accessible track.
Production-wise, Darkest Hours sounds like a step toward intimacy. Masquerade’s earlier work has explored electropunk and post-punk territory, but here, the emphasis appears softer and more exposed. Gentle synths take the spotlight, the guitars are kept simple, and drums are used for texture rather than domination.
Darkest Hours may be brief, but its three-song arc feels purposeful: loneliness, endurance, temptation. In that order, the EP moves from emotional isolation to the possibility of light, then ends by admitting that the hardest battles are often the ones we keep repeating with ourselves. This small, shadowed EP with a surprisingly warm pulse could be Masquerade’s most vulnerable and cohesive work yet.
Socials:
https://sites.google.com/view/masquerademusic/masquerade-music-official-website
https://www.youtube.com/@themasquerademusician
https://www.newbohemia.art/masquerade
Alex Roitman Tango Ensemble Presents ‘La Cocina de Tango’ Street Date August 25, 2026
Sarasota-based bandoneonist Alex Roitman and his ensemble offer a compact but richly flavored debut album with “La Cocina de Tango.” With a runtime of thirty-three minutes, the album respects Argentine traditions while refusing to simply perform known standards.
The album brings together newly arranged traditional works, pieces by Astor Piazzolla, a contemporary composition by Finnish composer Sami Pirttilahti, and four Roitman originals, all performed by Roitman on bandoneon, Nayiri Piloyan on violin, Mayu Funaba on piano, and Carlos Maldonado Cisneros on double bass.
The classic side of the program is immediately attractive. “Aníbal Troilo” gives the set a bright, energetic opening, while Piazzolla’s “Chau, París” pushes the ensemble into more modern, harmonically restless territory. Roitman’s bandoneon naturally becomes the emotional center of the sound, but the album’s arrangement concept seems designed to keep the violin, piano, and bass in constant dialogue.
https://www.youtube.com/@arte-tango
What gives the record its identity is the balance between dance-floor clarity and concert-hall detail. Roitman shares that “La Cocina de Tango” pays tribute to Tango Kitchen, a building associated with the Stowe Tango Music Festival, where the music was rehearsed, refined, and partly shaped by the festival community. But this is not tango presented as museum music; it is animated, alert, and conversational.
Roitman’s originals are where the album develops its own personality. “El último encuentro” takes on a waltz rhythm but delivers a distinctly Latin sound with its arrangement. “Panadera” is a more rhythmically lively number that contrasts from the more melodious numbers with its staccato verses.
If there’s one word that describes La Cocina de Tango; it’s generous. It gives dancers rhythm, traditionalists familiar material, and newcomers enough melodic directness to enter the music without needing a map. At just over half an hour, it does not overstay its welcome, and is a warm, stylish debut from an ensemble that understands tango as both inheritance and living practice.
‘Wood, Wire & Shadows’ by Björn Martin Klaus (BMK)
German jazz artist Björn Martin Klaus tests the limits of his instrument with “Wood, Wire & Shadows,” a double-bass solo album built almost entirely from the double bass and its sonic extensions. The wood creaks, the strings throb, the shadows become atmosphere as the bass becomes an entire ensemble of its own.
Across the record, the double bass is both the rhythm section and melodic voice. The opening track, “Dance Of The Auburn Lady,” is short but vivid, giving an elegant and slightly theatrical introduction to the album. It works less like a conventional song and more like a close-up shot of the instrument itself, all curves, grain, and low-end sway.
“Nordic Noir” switches things up immediately with a longer runtime and a dark, haunting tone. The result is a cinematic piece where BMK leans into mood and makes the bass carry the drama, letting the darkness gather slowly. Meanwhile, “Dear Potomac, I Am Your Child.” brings a sentimental touch to the album. The track is tied to Klaus’ childhood memories of Maryland, the C&O Canal, and the Potomac River.
‘Wood, Wire & Shadows’ by Björn Martin Klaus (BMK)
https://ampwall.com/a/bmk/album/wood-wire-shadows
The more restless side of the album arrives with “The Party Crasher (Why Don’t You Leave This Town).” The piece has a slight menace to it, as though the bass is both host and intruder in this record. The album closes with “The Rhythm Suite,” an ambitious cut that runs over nine minutes and is divided into four parts. It acts as a final demonstration of the album’s core idea: the double bass as a complete world of grooves, knocks, pulses, and melodic fragments.
What makes Wood, Wire & Shadows compelling is its handmade quality. BMK is credited not only with double bass, electric bass, jazzbrush, vocals, and voiceover, but also recording, mixing, editing, arrangement, and production duties. You can feel that closeness in the finished sound.
Wood, Wire & Shadows is not background music. It is too strange, too tactile, and too full of little narrative gestures for that. But as a compact, atmospheric bass-led record, it has a strong identity. BMK takes an instrument often pushed to the back of the stage and lets it become the whole stage.
Shawn Michael Perry Presents ‘Red Earth’
Shawn Michael Perry continues his mission of highlighting Native American heritage with his latest single, “Red Earth,” a song that feels both deeply personal and culturally resonant. Released as part of the digital reissue of his “Brave” project, the single reflects Perry’s polished melodic rock sound that has become his signature through his collaboration with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio.
From the opening notes, “Red Earth” balances soaring hard rock melodies with an earthy emotional core. The production is crisp and expansive, giving equal weight to
Perry’s expressive vocals and the song’s layered instrumentation. The guitars carry a warm, melodic drive, while the rhythm section maintains a steady pulse that compliments the song’s message.
https://shawnmichaelperry.hearnow.com/red-earth
Perry’s vocal performance is the centerpiece. He sings with conviction, delivering powerhouse vocals that carry a sense of emotional authenticity. His voice possesses a weathered quality that suits the reflective nature of the lyrics, particularly as the song explores themes of ancestry, resilience, and humanity’s enduring connection to the land.
Lyrically, “Red Earth” is one of Perry’s more evocative compositions, with rich imagery representing history, memory, and the enduring strength of Indigenous culture. The songwriting avoids clichés, instead allowing vivid metaphors and heartfelt storytelling to communicate its emotional impact.
Del Vecchio’s influence is evident in the song’s dynamic structure, blending contemporary melodic rock production with classic AOR sensibilities. Every instrumental element serves the song’s emotional arc, resulting in a recording that feels polished without sacrificing sincerity.
https://www.shawnmichaelperry.com/
For longtime followers, “Red Earth” represents a natural progression from Brave, expanding Perry’s artistic identity while remaining faithful to the melodic rock foundation established in his earlier releases. It pairs memorable hooks with genuine emotional substance, delivering an uplifting message through thoughtful songwriting and confident musicianship. As a preview of what’s to come from Shawn Michael Perry, it suggests an artist continuing to refine both his voice and his vision.
Damien Musto Presents “Goodbye”
Damien Musto makes a statement of quiet confidence with his latest single: “Goodbye,” a song that transforms the pain of a fading friendship into an affecting slice of alternative rock. Rather than leaning on melodrama, Musto embraces emotional honesty, allowing the track’s reflective lyrics and soaring melodies to speak for themselves.
A heartfelt anthem about accepting that not every meaningful relationship is meant to last, “Goodbye” captures the confusion that follows an unexpected emotional distance. The lyrics don’t dwell on blame or bitterness, and instead, Musto explores the lingering questions that remain when someone important quietly slips away.
The delivery of this track is conversational and sincere, making the song hit hard for anyone who has experienced the slow unraveling of a close friendship. Musto’s vocal performance is one of his most compelling performances to date, his voice balancing vulnerability with determination, carrying the emotional weight of the lyrics without ever becoming overwrought.
Musically, “Goodbye” carries elements of early-2000s alternative rock while remaining thoroughly contemporary. The arrangement is spacious enough to let the lyrics breathe, yet dynamic enough to keep the listener engaged throughout.
The production, handled by Wayne Dorell, strikes an effective balance between intimacy and power. Warm, layered guitars provide the song’s emotional backbone, while the rhythm section steadily builds momentum toward a cathartic climax. One of the track’s defining moments is the opening guitar riff which returns during the outro, giving the song a sense of completion and reinforcing its themes of reflection and closure.
For longtime followers of Musto’s work with small a.m. and Hey Tiger, the single represents a natural evolution. “Goodbye” reveals a more personal and introspective side of his artistry, and carries a mature concept of how some endings never fully make sense. Beautifully written, thoughtfully arranged, and deeply felt, Damien Musto has crafted a song that lingers well beyond its final note.
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ROSINO SERRANO/ORQUESTRA MODERNA Presents ‘Coalescencia’ (Music By Alex Mercado)
Rosino Serrano’s Orquesta Moderna and pianist-composer Alex Mercado deliver a modern jazz orchestra masterpiece with “Coalescencia”. While it may look like a conventional big-band record on the outside, closer listens reveal it to be a fusion between jazz orchestra, piano concerto, and literary imagination.
The album’s title is exactly its thesis: separate elements merging without losing their individual force. Mercado’s piano does not simply sit in front of the ensemble as a soloist; and this becomes evident right out of the gate with the title track. Brief piano interludes act as the volatile center around which brass, reeds, rhythm, and percussion collide.
What makes the project compelling is its refusal to treat big band jazz as nostalgia. The composition leans into modern art music, Afro-Caribbean traces, and contemporary jazz harmony, while still giving Mercado’s piano a dramatic, improvisatory role. Meanwhile, Serrano’s orchestra gives the compositions that sense of scale and theatricality.
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_moqjHpijP7d8x9YIyT7jndE65-JxzYaqw
The album’s centrepiece is “Escenas de una ciudad,” a four-movement concerto for piano and big band. It is the most cinematic and conceptually ambitious section of the record, and establishes the album’s central tension between structure and freedom.
The story of each movement lies in its title: “Noches humeantes de invierno” delivers a smoky, nocturnal unease; “Ciudad en despertar” is brief but awakening; “Imágenes sórdidas” turns darker and more angular; and “La infinita sufriente” gives the suite its emotional gravity. The album closes with “Cora-Son,” which carries a warmer human pulse, its title playfully suggesting both rhythm and heart.
https://www.orquestamoderna.com
https://www.orquestamoderna.com/en
The production is another major strength. Recorded at Estudios Noviembre in Mexico City, engineered by Rubén Rodríguez, mixed by Grammy winner Juan Sosa, and mastered by Luis Felipe Herrera, the album has the kind of clarity a project like this needs: the brass power lands, the reed colors remain legible, and the piano is not swallowed by the ensemble.
Coalescencia is a sophisticated and commanding work of contemporary Mexican big-band jazz: orchestral in scope, literary in imagination, and alive with the tension between discipline and improvisation. It is one of those albums that feels painstakingly built; and that is exactly its strength.
Rebecca Rafla Presents ‘Fundamentally Unfinished’
Rebecca Rafla’s Fundamentally Unfinished is an assured debut that understands something simple but difficult to pull off: romance in jazz can feel deep while being subtle. Built around six Rafla originals and four standards, the album frames love as something still in progress rather than a conclusion.
What makes the album work is Rafla’s refusal to over-sing. She chooses a warm, graceful delivery with a natural sense of phrasing, closer to storytelling than vocal theatre.
The standards are polished and elegant, but Rafla is especially persuasive on her own compositions as the originals carry the real emotional fingerprint of the record.
The title track opens with a bright, compact swing, immediately setting up Rafla as a vocalist who knows how to sit inside a rhythm section without forcing her personality over it. “A Day and Then Forever” shifts into bossa nova, giving the album one of its most charming early moments: romantic, airy, and lightly cinematic.
The emotional center, though, is “Sunday.” With a moving string and piano arrangement, it is the record’s strongest ballad. Rafla’s writing on this track is equally powerful, exploring themes of love lost, and letting the sadness breathe. It lacks polish, but that lived-in, sentimental tone is part of its appeal.
The standards are tastefully chosen, with Cole Porter’s “I Love You” being performed with poise and introduced with an unaccompanied vocal passage before the arrangement opens up. “The Very Thought of You” benefits from the slow introduction and John Raymond’s trumpet feature, giving the song a burnished late-night quality.
Fundamentally Unfinished is a graceful first statement from an artist who already sounds clear about what she wants to say. It is strongest when Rafla leans into her own songwriting: the love songs, the melancholy, the small theatrical turns, and the sense that every relationship is still being written. This is a quietly memorable album that’ll have you coming back for more in no time.
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Christopher Sánchez Presents ‘Latin Jazz Meets Opera’
Christopher Sánchez’s “Latin Jazz Meets Opera” is an intriguing crossover album framed as a journey through Dominican memory, New York migration, opera training, bolero romance, and Latin jazz identity. The work could have easily collapsed into a novelty, but what makes it work is that Sánchez treats the fusion less as a gimmick and more as autobiography.
The album opens with “Quien Será”, known internationally through “Sway.” Sánchez’s voice has an elegant, formal polish, but the arrangement feels like supper-club romance and Caribbean dance floor meeting in the same room. The operatic adaptations are the album’s most daring moments. “Carmen’s Habanera” makes the most obvious conceptual sense, since Bizet’s habanera rhythm already carries a Spanish-Caribbean suggestion. Here, the Latin jazz setting does not feel forced, and sharpens the sensuality already inside the aria.
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“Là ci darem la mano” is more delicate. By setting Mozart’s seduction duet as a danzón-like encounter, Sánchez and Saunders turn theatrical flirtation into something more conversational, almost like two people testing the emotional temperature of a dance. “The Flower Duet” is the most fragile of the duets: beautiful in tone, with a lovely arrangement.
The strongest stretch arrives when Sánchez leans into Latin American and Caribbean emotional memory. “Damisela Encantadora” has warmth and charm, while “The Shadow of Your Smile” deepens the romantic melancholy, with the bolero language of longing giving Sánchez more room to sound emotionally natural.
The original composition “Un Retoño de Santiago” gives the album its clearest self-definition towards the end. Sánchez is locating himself inside the lineage of Dominican music, opera, and New York Latin jazz.
Latin Jazz Meets Opera doesn’t fully surrender to jazz spontaneity, but its sincerity and cultural specificity give it real weight. Sánchez has made a debut that feels personal and unusually brave: a record about migration, inheritance, and the complicated beauty of having more than one musical home.
Colin Heshmat Quartet Presents ‘Elastic Groove’ On July 23rd, 2026
New York-based pianist Colin Heshmat makes an adventurous debut with his upcoming release, “Elastic Groove”. Rather than using flash for its own sake, Heshmat gathers a talented quartet to build a musical concept using feel, structure, and a quietly confident sense of group interplay.
The album sits comfortably in the modern mainstream jazz lane: post-bop in vocabulary, straight-ahead in spirit, but fresh enough to avoid sounding derivative. Heshmat clearly understands the value of the quartet as a living unit, and builds a conversation between piano, trumpet, bass, and drums, with each voice helping shape the emotional and rhythmic direction of the music.
https://www.colinheshmat.com/music
The opener, “Sea Breeze,” sets the tone with a relaxed, medium-tempo ease. Ryo Sasaki’s trumpet tone gives the tune a mellow glow, and Heshmat’s piano lines move with patience. It is a smart first impression: melodic, warm, and polished, but still alert. The bluesier “Corner Spot” brings an edge to the record, with Heshmat describing it as a tribute to New York deli culture.
The title track, “Elastic Groove,” is the album’s clearest statement of intent. Written as an energetic jazz waltz and dedicated to Heshmat’s wife Olivia, it captures the album’s central idea: rhythm that bends without breaking. Among the originals, “Morning in Midtown” is a standout. Its 5/4 meter could easily become a technical gimmick, but the tune keeps a quietly joyful character.
The standards are handled with respect but not over-caution. “Just Friends” keeps the familiar melody intact while modernizing the feel, and “Blue Bossa” gives Heshmat room to explore fresh trio ideas inside a well-known form. Closing with Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” is a crowd-pleasing choice, but the quartet earns it. Sasaki, Heshmat, and Takagi each get space to speak, and the performance ends the album on a spirited, open-handed note rather than a self-serious one.
What stands out most about Elastic Groove is its balance. Heshmat’s influences are audible, but his writing carries that identity of a pianist thinking carefully about how tunes live inside a band. As a debut studio recording, Elastic Groove is a strong arrival. It presents Colin as a performer, composer, and bandleader who understands that jazz is most alive when the musicians are listening as hard as they are playing.
Bellstar Present ‘Before a Fall’
Bellstar’s latest album, “Before a Fall” is a genre-defying release that intrigues the listener as much as it entertains. It builds its identity through atmosphere; featuring dusky guitars, steady rhythmic movement, and songs that feel carefully arranged. The record combines elements of modern alternative and indie releases with classic psychedelic rock, carrying enough melodic clarity to remain accessible, but enough shadow to avoid predictability.
The opening track, “The River Flows,” sets the tone with an interesting tension between light percussion and a deep, guitar-led weight. It’s heavy without necessarily being loud, conveying the idea through mood, pacing, and texture. One of the album’s best qualities is its sense of contrast, with “Mercury’s Possession” entering a restrained, ballad-like space. The extended instrumental bridge takes on psychedelic character, adding to the album’s mystique.
01. The River Flows
02. Mercury’s Possession
03. Against the Wall
04. You Get to Stay
05. Too Hard
06. Waiting to Breathe
07. All the Pretty Little Horses
08. Animals in the City
09. Nothing Disappears
10. Blindsided
“Too Hard” switches things up further with a classy piano-led arrangement. This track is also a perfect showcase of the album’s haunting songwriting with its dreary outlook and rich imagery. The latter half of the record widens the emotional palette, with “Animals in the City” delivering themes of resistance and uprising. “Blindsided” closes the album by pulling together the record’s melodic and emotional threads, showing Bellstar’s preference for immersion and emotional aftertaste.
The production perfectly mirrors the band’s artistic approach. The arrangements are uncluttered, giving ample space to the vocals and acoustic textures while subtle layers of instrumentation add depth. The result is a warm, organic sound that enhances the album’s introspective character.
SPOTIFY:
VIDEO for “The River Flows”
VIDEO for “Waiting to Breathe”
Before a Fall is a mature, mood-driven rock album with a strong sense of atmosphere, and its best moments are the ones where Bellstar allows the arrangements to breathe. This is not a record for Tiktok clips or instant viral impact. It rewards listeners who enjoy darkly textured indie/alternative rock with careful production and a slow-burn emotional core.
Bullets and Butterflies Presents “Not Yours to Lose”
Bullets and Butterflies come out swinging on “Not Yours to Lose,” a lean, hard-hitting rock anthem that packs a surprising amount of energy. Built around muscular guitar riffs, pounding rhythms, and an unapologetic attitude, the single feels like a statement of intent from a band that understands the enduring appeal of unfiltered hard rock.
The song establishes a sense of urgency with the opening chords. The guitar work is dense and aggressive from the start, while the rhythm section drives everything forward with relentless momentum. There’s a satisfying balance between melody and power here; something many contemporary rock acts struggle to achieve.
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Rather than relying solely on heaviness, Bullets and Butterflies build the track around dynamic vocal interplay. Every riff and drum fill is structured into a call-and-response vocal approach that adds extra excitement, creating the feeling of a live crowd already singing along. The band sets out to deliver maximum impact in minimal time with a chorus designed to stick in your head long after the final note fades.
Production-wise, “Not Yours to Lose” embraces a polished but punchy sound. The guitars sit prominently in the mix, the bass provides a powerful undercurrent, and the drums hit with enough force to give the track a stadium-ready feel. Yet despite its modern sheen, the song retains the raw spirit that has always defined great rock music.
The track also fits naturally alongside the band’s recent releases, including “When You Lie” and material from their 2025 album Full Circle. While those songs showcased the group’s knack for blending melody with hard-rock muscle, “Not Yours to Lose” feels even more focused and immediate.
“Not Yours to Lose” is a great showcase of what rock music does best: big riffs, infectious energy, and a sense of exhilaration. It’s a compact but potent reminder that when executed with conviction and skill, the classic ingredients of rock remain as thrilling as ever. Bullets and Butterflies may not be innovating with this new track, but they are proving they know exactly how to keep its fire burning.
ONLINE:
https://www.bulletsandbutterfliesmusic.com/
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Rebekah Snyder “Small Town” Out Friday, June 19th
Rebekah Snyder celebrates the emotional pull of home with her latest single, “Small Town.” Sitting comfortably in the country and Americana lane that has shaped her recent releases, the track is an uplifting tribute to rural community and the quiet strength found in returning to one’s roots.
https://soundcloud.com/rebekahsnyder/small-town-radio/s-MlS1jV6ZUJ4
The song’s central idea is simple but effective. Built around the memorable refrain “I recommend a small town,” Snyder rejects the idea that small-town is something restrictive or outdated. Instead, she highlights the feelings of safety, familiarity, and belonging that you simply can’t find in the big city.
In a genre that has often returned to hometown imagery, what makes Snyder’s approach work is how personal it feels. It comes from the perspective of someone who left, lived through hardship, and found real support by coming home.
Lyrically, “Small Town” leans into sincerity with direct and heartfelt writing. The song reflects on the importance of raising children in a place where people know each other and where open arms remain waiting. That message could easily feel preachy, but Snyder gives it enough autobiographical weight to land authentically.
Produced in Nashville by Dean Miller, the track has the clean, radio-ready feel of modern country music blended with classic heartland storytelling. The arrangement is energetic without being overdone, allowing the song’s warmth and optimism to remain at the center. Snyder’s confident and inviting vocal performance adds to the musicianship, as her delivery carries the easy warmth of someone telling a familiar truth.
As part of Snyder’s forthcoming album “Ready to Ride!,” “Small Town” feels like a natural continuation of her recent artistic direction. With its upbeat arrangement, sincere vocal delivery, and grounded message of home and belonging, Rebekah Snyder offers a warm, feel-good country single that should connect strongly with listeners.
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LIZ CRACCHIOLO PRESENTS ‘JUST A GIRL I’M A WOMAN’ RELEASE DATE SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Immediately announcing her bold artistic identity and willingness to take risks, Liz Cracchiolo’s “Just a Girl I’m a Woman” is the perfect kind of debut. Drawing material from jazz standards, pop classics, and rhythm-and-blues staples, the Tucson-based vocalist avoids the common trap of merely “jazzing up” familiar songs. Instead, she reimagines them through a lens that is soulful and deeply rooted in modern jazz.
The title itself reflects the album’s central theme of transformation and self-assurance, pairing No Doubt’s feminist anthem “Just a Girl” with the Leiber and Stoller classic “I’m a Woman.” Cracchiolo navigates this idea flawlessly, showcasing her ability to move comfortably between styles while maintaining a distinct vocal personality.
The opening track, a jazz-infused reinvention of “Just a Girl,” sets the tone perfectly. Guitarist Hajime Yoshida trades phrases with Cracchiolo in a playful arrangement that preserves the rebellious spirit of the original while giving it a freer, more improvisational character. Elsewhere, “These Boots Were Made for Walkin’” becomes a spirited showcase for alto saxophonist Erica von Kleist.
One of the more unusual experiments on this record is “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” a complete inversion of the Guns N’ Roses classic delivered as a smoky blues performance that reveals an entirely different emotional core. One of the album’s greatest strengths is its supporting cast, as violinist Edward W. Hardy brings unexpected textures to Cracchiolo’s tango-inspired interpretation of “Mr. Brightside”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Just a Girl I’m a Woman is that Cracchiolo never seems intimidated by the iconic versions of these songs. Whether she is taking on Nancy Sinatra, Peggy Lee, The Killers, No Doubt, or Guns N’ Roses, she approaches each selection with enough imagination to make it feel personal.
As debut albums go, “Just a Girl I’m a Woman” is remarkably assured. It introduces Liz Cracchiolo as a creative interpreter capable of finding new possibilities in songs listeners thought they already knew. The album’s blend of jazz tradition and fearless reinvention makes it one of the more intriguing debuts of 2026.
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Circus Mind Presents ‘Road Less Traveled
Circus Mind’s latest album, “Road Less Travelled” plays like a full-band carnival of American groove music, with funk-rock at its core, but constantly veering into soul, Americana, classic rock balladry, and New Orleans-flavoured jam-band looseness. The record’s instrumentation is rich and varied: Mark Rechler’s keyboards and vocals sit at the front, supported by Dan Roth’s drums, Steve Finkelstein’s percussion, Mathew Fox’s bass, Brian Duggan’s guitar, and guest/backing vocal contributions including Chris Butler on the title track.
One of the greatest strengths of this album is its songwriting, which is evident on the opening track, “The Battle of Brooklyn.” The title takes inspiration from a real civil war battle and juxtaposes it against the changing landscape of modern-day Brooklyn. “Melt Away” is a harder-hitting track that explores themes of climate dread, escalating the tension through hard-rock guitars, synth-driven passages, and a fiery Scott Metzger guitar feature.
Road Less Travelled also stands out for its ability to change rooms without losing the party. “Follow Me Home” brings a tropical softness through Brazilian samba rhythms, Rhodes keys, pedal steel, and saxophone, creating one of the record’s most atmospheric grooves. “Barstool Hero,” meanwhile, starts from reggae and expands into rock and psychedelia, using instrumental shifts and a closing guitar solo to give the track a cinematic arc.
The production works best because it lets the band breathe. “Whole Lotta Nuthin” is a perfect example: its supple bassline, tight drums, and horn colour all sit naturally in the mix, creating a laid-back soul-funk groove that feels lived-in. The heavier side of the album lands just as convincingly. “Viking Princess” distils Circus Mind’s jam instincts into a blues-soaked psychedelic rocker with overdriven guitars, thick bass, and organ textures.
Road Less Travelled is Circus Mind at their most expansive and self-assured. It is not a minimalist album, nor is it trying to be. Its charm comes from excess handled with craft: horns, keys, percussion, guitars, pedal steel, harmonies, reggae pulses, blues grit, psych-rock detours, and soulful vocals all moving through the same big tent. The result is a warm, adventurous record that proves Circus Mind’s road may be less travelled, but it is full of colour, character, and serious groove.
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Rich Willey Presents ‘Laid Back Vol. 1’
Rich Willey’s “Laid Back Vol. 1” is a cheerful, groove-forward jazz album that wears its title honestly, but not lazily. The record is built around seven Willey originals, arranged by Wally Minko for an 11-piece ensemble, with John Swana’s EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument) placed at the center of the album’s identity.
What makes the album work is the effort it makes to be accessible. Willey describes it as “groove jazz” designed to be joyful, and fun. But don’t confuse “laid back” with bland; these tunes are carefully built with clear melodies, strong rhythmic hooks, and generous solo space.
The opening track, “Laid Back (Night Life),” sets the tone with a reggae-tinted groove, island percussion and warm brass lines that give the track an old-school soul-jazz flavor. The album’s central creative tension is between Willey’s grounded, melodic trumpet voice and Swana’s more futuristic EVI sound. That contrast is especially effective on “Triple Play” and “Long Lost Brothers,” where trumpet and EVI trade ideas like two related but very different personalities.
Wally Minko’s arrangements are a major reason the album sounds as good as it does. The horn lines are bright and compact, often giving the music a bigger-band punch without overcrowding the groove. This is evident on “That’s My Little Girl,” which takes on a more buoyant and samba-like sound, with flute and soprano sax adding a warmer, more lyrical texture. “Hip Slick & Cool,” the closing track, is also a fitting finale, leaning into bluesy keyboard textures, funk rhythm, and another prominent EVI feature.
The production, handled at Palisade Studio in Chicago with Carey Deadman producing, Jim Massoth engineering, and Brian Schwab mastering, keeps the ensemble clear and bright. Nothing sounds muddy or overworked. The horns have bite, the rhythm section has body, and the EVI sits prominently without swallowing the band.
Laid Back Vol. 1 is a warm, melodic, groove-heavy jazz album with enough craft to satisfy serious listeners and enough sunshine to appeal beyond the jazz purist crowd. It may be too smooth-groove oriented for listeners wanting danger at every turn; but as joyful, accessible, musicianly jazz, it is very easy to recommend.
Dusty Edinger Presents ‘Jack of All Trades’
Atlanta-based musician Dusty Edinger’s new single, “Jack of All Trades,” lands as a bright, self-assured melodic rock cut with enough looseness to feel playful and enough polish to feel fully formed. Revolving around a central idea of overconfidence, Edinger delivers a powerful performance with the swagger to match the theme.
Rather than treating the “jack of all trades” idea with bitterness, Edinger seems to lean into the comedy and danger of someone who thinks they can do everything. That gives the single a wry, character-driven quality that explores the charming ridiculousness of ego when it goes unchecked.
Musically, the strongest feature is the contrast in the arrangement. The opening blend of light percussion and heavy guitar riffs creates a sense of anticipation before it settles into a fuller rock groove. That combination gives the track a more distinctive personality than a straightforward guitar-rock single would have had. The percussion adds movement and colour while the guitars give it weight, creating a sense of someone entering the room with too much confidence and somehow making it work.
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“Jack of All Trades” sits firmly in the territory of melodic rock and classic pop-rock. It has the accessibility of old-school pop-rock songwriting, but the guitar tones keep it from becoming too smooth. The production is modern and suits Edinger’s broader artistic instincts, as he describes enjoying studio experimentation, bringing in elements like horns, strings, complex percussion, and pop influences across his work. The arrangement is lively, layered, and open to unexpected details.
What makes the single enjoyable is that it does not take itself too seriously. The hook-driven structure, rhythmic lift, and playful instrumental choices all serve the theme. A song about overconfidence can easily become flat if it only points at its subject, but Edinger instead makes the music sound like the overconfident person. It struts, grins, throws in a few flashy moves, and keeps going.
ONLINE:
https://www.dustyedinger.com/
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