Recent Releases

June 2026
Some 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:

I receive so many requests to review recordings it is impossible to include them all.
Unlike some publications/blogs, Sandy Brown Jazz is not a funded website and it is not possible to pay reviewers.
Reviews tend to be personal opinions, something a reviewer likes might not suit you, or vice versa.
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.

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 June 2026

UK

Joe Webb - Neath Beat
(Edition Records) - Released: 22nd May 2026

Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (double bass); Sam Jesson (drums)

'Neath Beat is the new album from Joe Webb, following the acclaimed and Mercury Prize-shortlisted Hamstrings & Hurricanes. Arriving at a defining point in his rapidly rising career, Webb delivers the next chapter with the momentum of a musician whose audience and reputation are expanding quickly. National television appearances on Later... with Jools Holland and the Jools' Annual Hootenanny introduced his explosive piano style to millions, while collaborations with RAYE and performances alongside Wynton Marsalis mark Webb as one of the most compelling emerging voices in British jazz. At the centre of Neath Beat is Webb’s distinctive piano language - the rhythmic drive of stride, the melodic instinct of Britpop, and the storytelling shaped by the music he absorbed growing up in South Wales. ..... (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to James P :

Hannah Horton - Stories On The Wind
(Swinging Cat Records) - Released: 22nd May 2026

Hannah Horton (tenor and baritone saxophones); Sam Leak (piano, organ); Steve Taylor (drums, percussion); Rob Statham - (electric bass)

'Stories on the Wind is a deeply personal collection of music, a snapshot of where I am now, both as a person and as an artist. Each piece began as a feeling, a moment, or a story: memories of childhood, love, loss, hope, and the quiet strength that comes from finding your own path. Recording this album at Red Kite Studio in the Welsh hills was magical. We lived, breathed and created together for a week surrounded by wild landscapes, laughter, good food, and the sound of music taking shape. I wanted the recording to feel natural and honest, capturing the space between the notes as much as the notes themselves...... Music, to me, is storytelling through sound, and I hope these pieces speak to you in some way - maybe as a whisper, maybe as a gust wind - carrying a story of your own.' (album notes, Hannah Horton)

Details and Samples : Listen to Chasing Daisies : Listen to The Fortune Teller

Jasmine Myra - Where Light Settles
(Gondwana Records) - Released: 15th May 2026

Jasmine Myra (alto sax); Ben Haskins (guitar); Jasper Green (piano); Alice Roberts (harp); George Hal (drums); Greg Burns (percussion); Ozzy Moysey, conductor (Ancient Infinity Orchestra)

'Saxophonist and composer Jasmine Myra presents nine beautiful and powerfully grounded compositions that express her ruminations on life, growth, and progression, powered by the artist’s vision of duality. “It’s those bittersweet moments which are heart-breaking but so important. Looking forward and trying to make sense of life,” she says. “Pain is unavoidable, and you’ll have hardship no matter what, but you don’t grow or learn about yourself or the world around you without it. The duality is the growth and coming out the other side. I had the concept from the start.” Jasmine Myra’s verdant musical vision and talent for instrumental storytelling came to life over five days, with her long-standing ensemble gathering in one room at The Nave studios in Leeds with the addition of a string section – all recorded live. Myra had crossed paths with Ancient Infinity Orchestra bandleader Ozzy Moysey before she moved from Leeds to London, often attending and playing at the same jam sessions. This made him the perfect choice to conduct the 13-piece band, freeing her up to bring maximum tenderness and elegiac tones to the alto sax lines she’d written. Her own playing sits deliberately within each track, never flying above. Instead, it wraps gently around precision melodies she wrote for strings, piano, flute, guitar, vibraphone, and harp which themselves furl and unfurl gorgeously around tenor sax, double bass, drums, and percussion. Melodies that sparkle like sunlight on water.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Likeness and Shadow: Listen to Echo :

Knats - A Great Day In Newcastle
(Fontanan/Gearbox Music) - Released: 1st May 2026

Cooper Robson (vocals); Stanley Elvis Woodward, King David Ike-Elechi, Ferg Kilsby (vocals track 9): Stanley Elvis Woodward (bass guitar, synth); King David Ike-Elechi (drums, percussion); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Sandro Shargarodsky (piano, keyboards, synth); George Johnson (tenor sax); Otto Kampa (alto sax); Tom Ford (guitar); Geordie Greep (guitar tracks 4 and 7); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (piano track 1); Viviane Ghiglino (flute track 1); Lucy Rowan (alto flute track 1); Frank Barr (clarinet track 1); Sebastian Barley (french horn track 1); Tobias Amadio (trumpet track 1); Bertie Beaman (trombone track 1); Dillon Pinder (trombone track 9); Enya Barber, Congling Wu (violin); Natalia Solis Paredes (viola); Morgan Key (cello)

'A Great Day in Newcastle’ is musical documentation of the North East working class experience. Through a storytelling approach with the aid of new member, genius poet, Cooper Robson, the record details dark topics like substance abuse, crime and toxic masculinity through this Geordie Jazz Noir soundscape, whilst still feeling light hearted and playful, fully embodying the classic Northern optimism. With the introduction of Cooper’s poetry combined with Stan’s developing composition skills, King’s genius orchestration and groove composition and Ferg’s classic melodic sound, the record shows the growth of the bands sound wholeheartedly, returning to their roots of rock, supported by producer and friend Geordie Greep. Alongside longstanding members Sandro Shar (keys) and George Johnson (tenor sax), the band reaches new highs of intensity throughout the 45 minute epic.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Wor Jackie : Listen to Azure Blues :

America

The Joymakers - A Texas-Sized Band

(Turtle Bay Records) - Released: 24th April 2026

Colin Hancock (cornet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, mellophone, kazoo, clarinet mouthpiece, vocals, arranger); Luke Allen (trumpet, vocals); Freddie Mendoza (trombone); Lauryn Gould (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, vocals, arranger); David “Jelly” Jellema (c-melody saxophone, clarinet, cornet); Dylan Blackthorn (piano-accordion); Shane Dickens (piano); Westen Borghesi (tenor banjo, tenor guitar); Ryan Gould (string bass); Ryan Neubauer (drums )

'Step into the roaring energy of 1920s jazz as The Joymakers bring the high-stepping spirit of America’s Southern and Southwestern dance halls to life. Led by two-time Grammy-nominated music historian, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger Colin Hancock, this Austin-based ensemble revives the bold, joyous “hot” regional sounds that defined early jazz—where ragtime met blues and country string traditions to create an irresistibly vibrant groove. Rooted in the stomp rhythms that once echoed through Dallas, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio, The Joymakers deliver an authentic celebration of jazz’s most spirited era.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Somebody Stole My Gal : Listen to Honey Child :

Chris Potter - Alive With Ghosts Today
(Edition Records) - Released: 8th May 2026

Chris Potter (tenor, soprano saxophones); Bill Frisell (guitar); Burniss Travis (bass); Nate Smith (drums); Rane Moore (clarinet); Zekkereya El-magharbel (trombone); Sara Caswell (violin)

Chris Potter Alive With Ghosts Today.jpg

'Alive With Ghosts Today is Chris Potter’s new suite inspired by the story of the abolitionist John Brown. Potter, widely regarded as one of the most influential improvisers and composers of his generation, traces Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry – a moment that exposed the contradictions, violence and ideals at the heart of America. He uses the narrative as a lens to explore belief, sacrifice and the unresolved tension that still sits in American life. The music pushes into a raw, American-rooted soundworld shaped by blues, folk, Copland-esque harmony, and the rhythmic drive that runs through the country’s history. The ensemble was built to sound like a small-town band with limited resources but deep character – guitar, bass, drums, violin, clarinet and trombone. Bill Frisell’s guitar forms the emotional centre, carrying the grain and warmth Potter imagined while writing ..... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Osawatomie Brown : Listen to Sister Annie :

Peter Erskine - Peregrine
(Hard Wag Records) - Released: 10th April 2026

Peter Erskine (drums); Alan Pasqua (piano, electric piano); Scott Colley (bass); with guests Kate Lamont (vocals on “Poetry Man”); Bob Sheppard ( saxophones on “Poetry Man” and “Leaving LA”); Brian Kilgore (percussion on “Poetry Man”)

2x GRAMMY winner and drumming icon Peter Erskine is proud to announce Peregrine, an intimate album of standards and originals recorded with longtime collaborator Alan Pasqua on piano and Scott Colley on bass. Due out April 10, 2026 on Hard Wag Records, the album represents a deeply personal artistic statement -one Erskine describes as “the album I’ve always wanted to make.”.... Peregrine captures the magic of analog purity in an increasingly digital world. Co-produced by Jo Pangilinan, Brunner’s widow, the album is both a musical achievement and a tribute to friendship and perseverance. “Just about every song on this album is a first take,” Erskine notes. ......The trio exhibits masterful command throughout Peregrine. Contrasting tempos feel relaxed and buoyant, while subtle dynamic control reveals beautiful interplay between the instrumentalists. Pasqua’s keen harmonic imagination matches his clear, articulate touch, while Colley proves himself an outstanding accompanist, quietly generating compelling rhythmic dialogue with Erskine. The album’s eleven tracks comprise a deeply personal collection of tributes. Pasqua’s “Gumbo Time” celebrates New Orleans, while Keith Jarrett’s “Bop Be” finds the trio stretching their bebop chops. Pasqua arranged Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman,” a song cherished by Brunner and Pangilinan........' (album notes)

Details : Bandcamp : Samples on You Tube Listen to Wichita Lineman: Listen to Bop Be :

Brian Lynch - Torch Bearers
(Holistic Music Works) - Released: 6th March 2026

Brian Lynch (trumpet, flugelhorn on “The Joy Of Love” and “7-24”);  Charles McPherson (alto sax featured artist) ; Samara Joy (vocal tracks 2 and 6) ; Orrin Evans (piano tracks 1,2,4, and 9) ; Rob Schneiderman (piano tracks 3,5,7, and 8);  Luis Perdomo (piano track 6);  Boris Kozlov (bass ); Kyle Swan (drums all tracks except 6) ; Ulysses Owens (drums track 6)

'Torch Bearers is the landmark new recording from Grammy Award© winning trumpeter-composer-arranger Brian Lynch, featuring legendary saxophonist Charles McPherson. Recorded at Van Gelder Studios with an all-star lineup including vocalist Samara Joy, this album documents the first recorded collaboration between Lynch and McPherson since their initial meeting in 1980, reflecting a shared artistic lineage shaped by direct experience with pianist and educator Barry Harris. Featuring original compositions including pieces written specifically for and with Joy, alongside canonic bebop works by Barry Harris and Dizzy Gillespie, the album showcases mutual intuition among musicians united by Harris' influence. ..... Torch Bearers is a statement of continuity and collaboration across generations. The download includes a PDF booklet featuring liner notes by award-winning writer and journalist Ted Panken.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to But Beautiful : Listen to The Joy Of Love :

Europe and Elsewhere

Linus Eppinger & Sam Braysher - A Sinner Kissed An Angel
(Fresh Sound Records) - Released: 30th April 2026

Sam Braysher (saxophone); Linus Eppinger (guitar); Darryl Hall (bass); Eric Ineke (drums)

Sam Braysher Linus Eppinger A Sinner Kissed An Angel.jpg

'The quartet heard here came about as a result of a mixture of old and new connections and relationships. Linus and I have never lived in the same countr but became friends whilst playing in a band called “Rebop”. Keen to continue playing together as that band became inactive, we put together a few short tours in the UK (where I live in London) and around Amsterdam (where Linus is based), which saw us building up a repertoire of tunes we enjoyed, whilst being accompanied by various local rhythm sections. When it felt like the time had come to document the musical thing we had going, i felt obvious to ask Eric Ineke to play drums on the record date. Having played with him in Den Haag, we loved his glorious cymbal beat and hearing his stories about the many jazz legends that he has shared the bandstand with since the 1960s. Neither Eric nor I had met Darryl until shortly before this recording, although he was certainly aware of his reputation as one of Europe's top bassists, but Linus thought that he would make for a great combination in the engine room with our drummer. He was, of course, correct, and Darryl and Eric seemed to hit it off immediately, both on and off the bandstand, the bassist's huge quarter notes and casy-going personality making everyone and everything feel good....... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Put On A Happy Face : Listen to Relaxing At Camarillo :

Ant Law and Alex Hitchcock - House Of Lightl
(Zennez Records) - Released: 6th March 2026

Ant Law (guitar); Alex Hitchcock (saxophone); Jasper Høiby (bass); Sun-Mi Hong (drums)

Ant Law Alex Hitchcock House Of Light.jpg

'House of Light’ is the second studio instalment from Same Moon in the Same World - the collaboration between Ant and saxophonist/composer Alex Hitchcock. .....‘House of Light’ was released by Dutch indie jazz label ZenneZ Records on March 6th. The official release concert took place on March 28th at the groundbreaking Transition Jazz Festival (at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, the Netherlands). “Virtuoso playing, inventive compositions, and a unique blend of various jazz influences”, according to the festival. Hitchcock is praised for his boundless combinations of musicians from different generations and regions. ‘House of Light’ contains 11 tracks written by Ant and Alex. Let’s zoom in on some of them. The first single, ‘Fear of Flying’, is a composition by Alex Hitchcock. “I was trying to stretch things out here. There are many aspects of Sun’s playing that make me want to play free - I think she often takes the group towards that direction and I always think it suits Ant and Jasper because their virtuosity and lightning fast reaction time means they can always make astonishing things happen in the moment. So I wanted something frenetic that would go round and round and gradually break down - but that we would come flying out of the other side!”....... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Fear Of Flying : Listen to Orphan Source :

Biréli Lagrène - Elegant People
(PeeWee Records) - Released: 2nd April 2026

Biréli Lagrène (guitar); Jean-Yves Jung (piano. Fender Rhodes); William Brunard (bass); Raphael Pannier (drums)

'After more than forty years of a career that began at a young age, Biréli Lagrène has already secured his place in jazz history. His contribution to reinventing the guitar is lauded by his most prestigious contemporaries: John Scofield, Mike Stern, Lionel Loueke, and even George Benson have each expressed their admiration for this prodigious musician. Elegant People follows in the footsteps of his remarkable previous album, Solo Suites. It reveals a Biréli Lagrène in search of the essential. With instrumental mastery even greater than ever, he seems definitively free of any unnecessary acrobatics. His fundamentally spontaneous expression is guided by a very clear vision of the path to follow throughout the album.' (album notes)'

Details and Samples : Listen to My Foolish Heart : Listen to Kings Cross

Carsten Dahl, Reuben Rogers, Gregory Hutchinson - Into The Storm
(Storyville Records) - Released: 6th March 2026

Carsten Dahl (piano); Reuben Rogers (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums)

'Recorded on a cold January night in 2013 in Copenhagen, Into the Storm brings together renowned Danish pianist Carsten Dahl with one of the most formidable rhythm sections in modern jazz, American bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Across nine tracks consisting of a mix of standards and original compositions, the trio delivers a masterclass in trust, shared pulse and fearless improvisation. ..... Carsten Dahl stands as one of the most significant figures of the post-Montmartre generation. A central voice in Danish and European jazz, Dahl combines profound respect for the tradition with a restless, exploratory spirit. His playing is marked by a highly dynamic touch, sudden shifts in density, and a willingness to let form emerge in the moment. .... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Caravan : Listen to Blame It On My Youth :

Reissues

Baby Dodds - Spooky Drums : The Father Of Jazz Drumming

(Upbeat Recordings) - Released: 17th April 2026

Baby Dodds (drums); with King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band; Johnny Dodds Orchestra; Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, Bunk's Brass Band and others

'An absolutely stunning and unique album, compiled and produced by ace drummer and jazz historian John Petters – a must for all jazzers and drummers alike.' (album notes)

Details (Amazon) : Details (Upbeat Recordings) :

Tomasz Stanko - Balladnya

(ECM Records) - Released: 15th May 2026

Tomasz Stanko (trumpet); Tomasz Szukalski (soprano, tenor saxophone); Dave Holland (double bass); Edward Vesala (drums)

'An essential document of European jazz in the 1970s, and a recording that still sounds magnificent today, Balladyna exerted an enduring influence on successive generations of improvising musicians – in Poland and Finland above all, though it also cast its spell more widely. As Tomasz Stanko once said, “My international name was built on Balladyna.” ..... Even though it was only the trumpeter’s debut for the label, it presented Stanko’s unique melodic voice in an already fleshed-out framework, with his earlier freer influences still looming in the band’s explosive undercurrent. The quartet explores the seven originals on the album with a strong sense of rhythmic propulsion and melodic curiosity throughout.....' (album notes)

Details and Sample :

Yusef Lateef - A Light Upon The Lake : Live At The Jazz Showcase

(Resonance Records) - Released: 24th April 2026 [3 CDs or Download]

Yusef Lateef (tenor saxophone, flute, oboe); Kenny Barron (piano); Bob Cunningham (bass); Albert “Tootie” Heath (drums)

'Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase is a previously unissued recording of woodwind multi-instrumentalist icon Yusef Lateef featuring pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Bob Cunningham and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath captured live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, IL in June of 1975. The 3-CD (and limited-edition 180-gram 3-LP) set was mastered from the original tapes by engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab in Salina, KS. The deluxe package includes newly curated liner notes by Lateef biographer Herb Boyd, plus interviews with woodwind master and Lateef mentee, Bennie Maupin, Joe Segal's son Wayne Segal and more. Includes a 14-page booklet with over 160 minutes of music..' (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to Eboness :

Earl Bostic - Early Earl - The Gotham Recordings : 1946 -1947
(Jasmine Records) - Released: 8th May 2026

Earl Bostic (alto saxophone) with various musicians.

'Revered among his peers as a legendary saxblaster, Earl Bostic and his exciting, innovative alto playing were a mainstay of instrumental rhythm and blues from the early post-WWII years right through to his early and untimely death in 1965, from a heart attack, while only in his early 50s. For most of that time he was a flagship artist for the King label, for whom he sold stacks of 78s, 45s and LPs during his 16 years with the company. Prior to King, Earl recorded a significant number for Gotham Records of Philadelphia and it was the local success of his records for Gotham that made King step in and buy his contract and most of his masters. Although there have been many collections of Earl’s groundbreaking recordings down the years, Jasmine’s new ‘Early Earl’ is – we believe – the first to assemble as many of his Gotham sides as could fit onto a single CD, omitting only two for reasons of space. Collectively these great tracks demonstrate a side of Earl and his band that leans heavily towards rhythm and blues, with some of them featuring the man on vocals as well as saxophone (something he featured less and less as the 50s moved on). Great stuff abounds throughout, and will be enjoyed by everyone who appreciates small group R&B with a flavour of Earl’s fellow alto player Louis Jordan.' (album notes).

Details :