February 2026
Some Recent Releases
Recent Releases
A few words about recent releases / reviews:
Apart from where they are included in articles on this website, I don't have a 'Reviews' section for a number of reasons:
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I receive so many requests to review recordings it is impossible to include them all.
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Unlike some publications/blogs, Sandy Brown Jazz is not a funded website and it is not possible to pay reviewers.
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Reviews tend to be personal opinions, something a reviewer likes might not suit you, or vice versa.
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It is difficult to capture music in words, so much better to be able to listen and see whether the music interests you.
For these reasons in particular I just include a selection of recent recordings below where I share the notes issued by the musician(s) as an introduction and links to samples so you can 'taste' the music for yourselves. For those who like to read reviews, these, of course, can be checked out on other sites.
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Some albums are priced in dollars or other currencies. These are marked ^. There are currency options if you proceed to order. Recordings are now regularly available on different formats (CD, mp3 downloads, vinyl) or platforms e.g iTunes, Spotify, etc. I am unable to list them all so it is worth checking if you have a favourite platform).
Featured In February 2026
UK
The Gareth Lockrane Big Band - Box Of Tricks
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 17th October 2025
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Gareth Lockrane (flute / alto flute / bass flute / piccolo / compositions); Tom Walsh.James Davison, Steve Fishwick, Henry Collins (trumpet / flugelhorn); Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires, Olli Martin (trombone); Barry Clements (bass trombone); Sam Mayne (alto saxophone / clarinet); Mike Chillingworth (alto saxophone / clarinet / soprano saxophone); Graeme Blevins, Nadim Teimoori (tenor saxophone / flute); Tom Smith (baritone saxophone / bass clarinet); Ross Stanley (piano / hammond organ / fender rhodes); Mike Outram (guitar); Ryan Trebilcock (acoustic bass / electric bass); Ian Thomas (drums); Hugh Wilkinson (percussion); Pat Levett (chromatic harmonica); Nick Smart (conductor)
'For Gareth Lockrane, music is inseparable from community. His reputation as a flautist, composer and arranger ensures that he’s in constant demand for a wide range of top-end musical projects, from international touring stars to Hollywood movie soundtracks, but he’s equally renowned for his dedication to education and mentorship, teaching at all the London conservatoires and supporting emergent voices. It’s an attitude of total engagement that somehow also includes time for a constant process of exploring, writing and arranging his own music. The Gareth Lockrane Big Band has been the vehicle for that music since the band’s formation in 2008. Following on from their 2017 debut Fistfight At The Barn Dance the new album Box Of Tricks was honed on the bandstand and recorded in a single day in Livingston Studio. It presents the all-star band romping through a set of original compositions that effortlessly blend the sincerity and freedom of improvisation with an intricacy of detail and precision of delivery that delights and astonishes at every turn. “I love writing for an ambitious project like this that’s big enough to combine all my favorite influences, and I never get over the thrill of a big band roaring away with the unique voices of the soloists shaping the music - it never gets old.” says Gareth. All the tunes balance rich, deep arrangements with spontaneous improvisation from the array of star soloists ...... (album notes)
Gerald Clark - The Echo Chamber
(The Interrupting Sheep Records) - Released: 6th February 2026
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Gerald Clark (composer); Johnny Lippiett (tenor sax); Byron Wallen (trumpet (on 3 and 5); Duncan Haynes (piano); Oli Hayhust (double bass); Will Glaser (drums)
'Gerald Clark, acclaimed for his 2013 album Nakba (4 stars in Jazzwise), returns with The Echo Chamber, a powerful six-track collection that confronts the fractured landscape of contemporary society. In his words: “The six songs that make up this album collectively represent the troubled times we live in; the tribalism; the arguments on social media made by people who don’t know what they’re talking about, and the myths perpetuated by those who do; and how we can find a path through this and being true to ourselves. I love the classic sound of post-bop, and in particular the writing for Tenor and Trumpet, but I wanted to do something a bit more contemporary with this one. If it helps to describe it, just think of some of my favourite albums – Cedar Walton’s Eastern Rebellion, Classic Art Blakey or something by Opus 5We recorded the 6 tracks in one day last November. They collectively represent the troubled times we live in, the tribalism, the arguments on social media made by people who don’t know what they’re talking about, and the myths perpetuated by those who do, and how we can find a path to and being true to ourselves in all this.2 (album notes)
Steve Lodder - 2 Sorts Of 3
(Sleeve Records Records) - Released: 5th December 2025
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Steve Lodder (piano, compositions, arrangements); Dudley Phillips (electric & double bass, guitar); Nic France (drums); Freddie Jensen (double bass); Marius Rodrigues (drums)
'Renowned pianist, composer and arranger Steve Lodder returns with 2 sorts of 3, a striking double-trio album presenting two contrasting line-ups - one plugged, one unplugged. It marks Lodder's third solo release, following 'bout time 2 (2001) and ...Tied up with Strings (2015). .Initially planned as two separate projects - one acoustic, one electronic - Lodder ultimately brought them together to create a single album that bridges both worlds. The result is twelve original compositions that balance lyricism and groove with Lodder's signature curiosity for sound and form. On the plugged side, Lodder performs on Rhodes Mk8 electric piano with Dudley Phillips (electric and double bass, guitar) and Nic France (drums) - long-time collaborators from tours across Africa and Europe. Their intuitive chemistry gives the session an exploratory edge. For the unplugged trio, Lodder moves to Yamaha acoustic piano, joined by Freddie Jensen (double bass) and Marius Rodrigues (drums). This new partnership finds space for subtler textures and rhythmic interplay, drawing on Brazilian influences and contemporary jazz phrasing.' (album notes)
Stephen Godsall - Tingling skin, buzzing wires
(Jazz Halo Records) - Released: 26th February 2026
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Stephen Godsall (banjo, ukulele, guitar, bass, synths, percussio); Laura Taylor (vocal); Steve Waterman (flugelhorn); Ian Ellis
(tenor sax); Richard Godsall (Wurlitzer piano, Hammond organ); Andrew Godsall (drums); Diane Annear (piccolo)
'Stephen Godsall's new album drives the banjo kicking and screaming into new territory, miles away from its traditional roles in bluegrass, jazz and traditional music. Each track has different tone combinations – banjo alongside flugelhorn, Wurlitzer piano, piccolo, Hammond organ, tenor sax and more. Rhythms are striking, with shifting tempos and time signatures alongside crazy syncopation. There are driving, riff driven tunes alongside dreamy ambience, with a mix of pungent and lush harmonies to match. Composer and multi instrumentalist Godsall explains; “When I've wanted to highlight a melody in a new piece, I've been drawn increasingly to the banjo. The clangorous tones, rhythmic incisiveness and relative unfamiliarity give it a stand-out character. It seems to me that banjo is very underused in modern jazz and improvised music, particularly in Europe. And it's very expressive – different tones, articulations and string bends. ....... (album notes)
Jonny Mansfield - Light Finds A Way In
(Resonant Postcards, Bandcamp) - Released: 28th November 2025 [Download, 2 LPs]
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Jonny Mansfield (vibraphone); Dominic Ingham (violin); midori jaeger (cello); Will Sach (bass); James Maddren (drums)
'Light Finds a Way In also takes its name from a Mieko Kawakami story, ‘Wisteria’. There’s a moment where the narrator lies in a darkened room and gradually begins to perceive the world around them - “I enter the darkness and sit in the living room, or in the centre of the room if it’s a studio. Then I lie down and open and close my eyes slowly. The eyes adjust after a while, and you start to see all kinds of things. Light finds its way in even at night, no matter how small the window may be.” I love the quiet power this phrase gives to both nature and the individual. There's something deeply reassuring in the idea that light persists in finding its way in, even through the tiniest openings. It reveals a resilience, a presence of hope, and the beauty that can emerge from simply being open and attentive......... (album notes)
John Donegan - Interfuse
(Jaydee Records) - Released: 1st December 2025 [digital album]
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John Donegan (piano); Richie Buckley (saxophone); Bernard O'Neill (bass); John Daly (drums)
'Following a successful run of four sextet recordings, Cork-born, Hertfordshire-based pianist John Donegan changes direction with a return to the jazz piano trio tradition on his latest album, Interfuse. “I loved working with the sextet – I still do – but I wanted to shake things up a bit and revisit the trio format,” says Donegan whose piano influences include Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Hampton Hawes, Bud Powell, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Kenny Barron. The trio recordings of Bill Evans are particular favourites of Donegan’s and they inspired him to explore the tradition again. He had also been struck by saxophonist Richie Buckley’s lyrical side and improvising strengths while leading the Irish Sextet that has made three enthusiastically received albums. So the trio becomes a quartet on tracks including the energetic opener, Blues Jive, which also pays homage to Thelonious Monk with its edgy attack. Blues Jive is one of two new compositions – the other being the heartfelt ballad A Resolute Rose dedicated to Donegan’s young grand-daughter – on the album. A prolific composer, Donegan also likes to reinterpret previous work, finding new meaning and new inspiration when taking a different approach.' (album notes)
America
Peter Evans' Being & Becoming - Ars Ludicra
(Mor Is More Records) - Released: 17th October 2025
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Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, electronics, piano); Joel Ross (vibraphone, synth, percussion); Nick Jozwiak (bass, synth); Michael Shekwoaga Ode (drums); Alice Teyssier (flutes #5).
'Ars Ludicra is the third studio album from Peter Evans’ group Being & Becoming, recorded in 2024 at the legendary Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey. Featuring Evans on a range of trumpets, piano, and electronics, Joel Ross on vibraphone and synth, Nick Jozwiak on bass and synth, and Michael Shekwoaga Ode on drums, the album captures the band in peak form during a period of extensive touring and intense musical development. The sound of the group has changed radically from what was heard on their previous album Ars Memoria to include an even wider variety of styles and sounds. Detailed post-production with engineer Mike Pride has resulted in an album that traverses the explosive stadium-level dynamics of Malibu, the musique concrète of Pulsar, and the orchestral Brazilian-influenced textures of Images. The album includes a rare cover as well - ”My Sorrow is Luminous”, by the Russian folk-punk singer Yanka Dyagileva, arranged and expanded to symphonic proportions .... (album notes)