Yazz Ahmed - Polyhymnia [2019]

Published on NextBop

It's no secret to those that follow jazz that London is one of the places to be right now. The English capital has an exciting young scene. Bahraini-British trumpeter Yazz Ahmed is extremely active within this scene, having released her sophomore record, the much acclaimed La Saboteuse, in 2017. La Saboteuse was composed of many original compositions that featured a potent combination of Arabic melodies, strong chops and forward thinking jazz fusion. In Polyhymnia, Ahmed returns with a more expansive version of her vision, aided by over 20 musicians throughout the album's six tracks. The trumpeter's unique brand of big band is dedicated to important women throughout history such as civil rights icon Rosa Parks ("2857"), prominent activist for female education Malala Yousafzai ("One Girl Among Many"), and the first female Saudi Arabian film director, Haifaa al-Mansour ("Lahan al-Mansour").

Steph Richards - Take The Neon Lights [2019]

Published on NextBop

Although trumpeter Steph Richards hails from Canada, she has a deep connection with New York City. Like many modern jazz musicians, Richards' has built a name for herself in New York City, having worked with a wide range of artists that includes indie-pop stalwarts such as St. Vincent and accomplished jazz experimentalists like Sylvie Courvoisier. Richards' sophomore album as a bandleader, Take The Neon Lights, is an adventurous work dedicated to her musical home. Throughout the album's 44 minutes, Richards, accompanied by James Carney (piano), Sam Minaie (bass) and Andrew Munsey (drums) play a unique collection of compositions with a healthy balance between the subtle and the frenetic.

Jason Palmer - Live At Wally's Volume 2 [2018]

Published on NextBop

When one thinks of music in Boston, "jazz" may not be the first word that comes to mind. This is understandable - the amount of venues where one can frequently see jazz pales in comparison to New York City, which is only a little over 4 hours away via bus. That being said, there are still quality series and venues in Boston that regularly feature jazz, such as Mandorla Music, the Lilypad, the Regattabar, and most frequently, Wally's. 

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die [2017]

Published on NextBop

Although Jaimie Branch has been playing music for a while now, having been part of the Chicago jazz scene before her recent move to Brooklyn, Fly or Die is her debut as a bandleader. The trumpeter's band is made up of Jason Ajemian (bass), Chad Taylor (drums) and notably cellist Tomeka Reid, whose quartet had a standout release in 2015. The main quartet is occasionally joined by Matt Schneider (guitar) and two cornetists, Ben Lamar Gay and Josh Berman. Debut albums in jazz can be a tricky business. In the case of a musician like Branch, who has been a side-woman in past studio recordings, the goal should be to firmly plant a compelling and distinct compositional voice on the recording, and that is exactly what she has done in Fly or Die.