New Music From Conrad Herwig, Early Times, Jorge Torrecillas And More

This selection of tracks from new releases charts a vivid course through the expansive world of contemporary jazz and avant-garde improvisation, seamlessly blending fiery genre fusions with deep, atmospheric explorations. From the vibrant, polyrhythmic energy of Latin-infused big bands to the stark, boundary-pushing textures of free improvisation and cross-cultural instrumentation, the music constantly shifts between structured elegance and raw, spontaneous dialogue. Featuring an eclectic mix of international masters and visionary collectives, the playlist serves as a compelling testament to the limitless possibilities of modern jazz, where traditional boundaries dissolve in favour of bold sonic curiosity and profound emotional intensity.

AUDIO

PLAYLIST

1. Conrad Herwig “Litha” from The Latin Side of Chick Corea (Savant Records) 00:00

2. Early Times “Succubus” from Border Crossings (Dealers Choice Records) 06:46

3. Mario Mocho and Jorge Torrecillas “Kochi” from Mata Natsu (dForma) 16:41

4. Camila Nebbia and Chris Corsano “A Paper Cut In Smoke” from Six Or Seven Ways Towards Becoming Undone (Relative Pitch Records) 25:39

5. Greg Kelley and Yoona Kim “Dispute” from Distractions For Trumpet And Ajaeng (Relative Pitch Records) 37:37

6. Luciana Bas, Ezekiel Jaime, Federico Isasti “Con los huevos alimento a las víboras” from Vi La Pampa Arder (Relative Pitch Records) 52:24

7. Ochibo no ame “Studio Recording (Excerpt)” from Studio Recording (Relative Pitch Records) 1:03:44

8. Jorge Torrecillas Pablo Vázquez, Marcelo von Schultz “Caliope” from physis (Plus Timbre) 1:17:49

9. Armen Donelian “Inverted Reality” from Inquiry (Sunnyside Records) 1:22:42

10. Rosino Serrano & Orquesta Moderna “Concierto para piano y big band “Escenas de una ciudad” from Coalescencia : Music by Alex Mercado (Fonarte Latino S.A. de C.V. ) 1:33:51

11. Ben Ferrell “Song For Stilgar” from Sextet (Adhyâropa Records) 1:49:18

12. Miles Okazaki “Thermopolis” from Boomtown (Pi Recordings) 1:59:29

NOTES

1. This release commemorates the 30th anniversary of Herwig’s iconic project, honouring the profound influence and genius of jazz legend Chick Corea. The album features a powerhouse ensemble, the Latin Side All-Stars, bringing together some of the finest talents in Jazz and Latin music. Conrad Herwig’s trombone, alongside saxophonist and flutist Craig Handy, trumpeter Alex Norris, and pianist Bill O’Connell deliver masterful performances that showcase Corea’s timeless compositions with fresh, inventive improvisational energy. The rhythm section, composed of bassist Ruben Rodriguez, drummer Robby Ameen, and conga player Mauricio Herrera, anchors the album with vibrant Afro-Latin-Caribbean grooves, blending clave, precision, and swing to create an irresistible musical foundation. The album is a vibrant celebration of two musical worlds — Jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythms — united by Herwig’s vision and Corea’s enduring legacy. The album, with its dynamic improvisation and heartfelt tribute to one of jazz’s most innovative composers, is hugely impressive.

2. The newest album by New York guitarist and composer Early Times is a straight-ahead jazz collection spiced with soul and Latin rhythms. Early has received airplay nationally and internationally. For this recording, Times recruited some of the finest and most decorated players around including Steve Gadd (drums), Zaccai Curtis (piano), Luques Curtis (bass). and Craig Handy (saxophone and flute) The tunes on Border Crossings, all written by Times, cover the spectrum from hard bop to Latin Jazz.

3. Although this duo was formed recently, its members have been playing together for years in various groups, mainly in the free jazz scene. The album is the duo’s first, recorded in mid-2025 at Estudio Libres (Buenos Aires), and centers on a theme inspired by various natural phenomena such as rain, wind, snow, and more. These elements are expressed through free improvisation, which also incorporates extended techniques on both the piano and the saxophone. These techniques contribute to the creation of unique effects for each performance. Some of the performances were based on scores written using special, non-traditional notations. Like any spontaneous composition created through free improvisation, it invites the listener on a sonic journey where, at every moment, new musical situations arise—unplanned in advance and brimming with freshness and artistic risk.

4. The duo of Camila Nebbia and Chris Corsano brings together two fiercely creative voices from the international improvised music scene. Nebbia’s searching tenor saxophone lines meet Corsano’s explosive, highly textural percussion in a set of spontaneous exchanges of raw expression. Their music moves fluidly between delicate detail and surging intensity, driven by deep listening and fearless experimentation. The result is a striking dialogue where every gesture reshapes the sonic landscape in real time.

5. On Distractions for Trumpet & Ajaeng two radically distinct instrumental traditions converge in a study of texture, fragility, and focus. Kelley’s whisper-quiet trumpet tones and microscopic bursts of air intertwine with Kim’s bowed ajaeng, its coarse, resonant grain stretching and splintering in real time. The result is a taut, immersive dialogue that transforms subtle gestures into seismic events and invites listeners into a heightened space of deep listening and unpredictable detail.

6. The trio of Luciana Bass, Ezekiel Jaime, and Federico Isasti brings together three distinctive voices from Argentina’s adventurous improvised music scene. Centered on Bass’s expressive sonic palette, their music is both volatile yet deeply attentive, fueled by Jaime’s exploratory playing and Isasti’s highly responsive drumming. They move freely between sparse textures and intricate collective energy. This release documents a trio deeply attuned to one another, forging form and intensity in the moment through fearless improvisation.

7. The new release by Ochibonoame captures the trio’s raw and searching approach. With Makoto Kawashima on alto saxophone, Louis Inage on bass, and Naoto Yamagishi on drums and percussion, the group navigates the volatile terrain of silence and eruptive energy. Their music unfolds as an intuitive dialogue, where fragility and abrasive sonic bursts collide in real time. The result is a deeply visceral document of spontaneous creation, rooted in the underground spirit of Japan’s improvised music scene. Featured is an excerpt from the 38 minute piece.

8. For the second album on the show featuring Jorge Torrecillas we have a 2026 digital‑only release on the Plus Timbre netlabel by the trio of Jorge (tenor & alto saxophones), Pablo Vázquez (double bass & vocals), and Marcelo von Schultz (drums). It consists of nine short improvisations, all recorded 6 February 2025 at Estudio Libres, Buenos Aires, and released 9 May 2026.

9. The result of a four-year, carefully conceived and painstakingly executed studio process, the album is a haunting and introspective work with no real precedent in Donelian’s long career. Beginning life as an unaccompanied demo recording of Donelian’s then-newest compositions and arrangements, Inquiry evolved considerably from that genesis. While musing on the timbral possibilities on some of the tracks, Donelian (and engineer Dave Cook) had the revelation that he could build out orchestrations himself “by making subtle EQ shifts to the piano sound to create new ‘voices’ and ‘instruments.’” Yet Donelian also applies actual new voices and instruments to several tracks. Vocalist Dominique Eade, trombonist Ed Neumeister, bassist Jay Anderson, and drummer Dennis Mackrel appear in various places to put their own stamps on Donelian’s ruminations.

10. This release presents Rosino Serrano’s Orquesta Moderna working with Alex Mercado’s compositions in a tightly written, contemporary orchestral jazz setting, where Mercado’s harmonic language and pianistic sensibility are expanded into full ensemble colours—layered woodwinds, brass voicings, and rhythm‑section detail—yielding a sequence of pieces that move between precise, through‑composed passages and broader textural writing, all delivered with Serrano’s characteristic clarity of arrangement and Fonarte Latino’s clean, modern production.

11. An album that documents a tightly focused ensemble navigating bassist Ferrell’s writing featuring contributions from Atley King on vibraphone, Nick Rousseau on electric guitar, Reginald Chapman on bass trombone, Will Evans on trumpet, and Rintaro Mikami on drums. Comparisons with Mingus ensembles and the M-Base can be made about this fascinating release.

12. Pi Recordings’ latest release is Boomtown from guitarist/composer Miles Okazaki, his ninth album of original compositions and his fourth as a leader for the label. It’s an expansive work inspired by a road trip Okazaki took across the state of Wyoming that evoked magnificent vistas, sublime beauty, along with moments of chaos and terror. Its ten musicians were brought together for both their attention to precision and spontaneity: saxophonists Caroline Davis, Jon Irabagon, and Anna Webber, trombonists Jacob Garchik and Kalia Vandever, bassists Chris Tordini and Hannah Marks, Matt Mitchell on piano, Dan Weiss on drums, and Okazaki on guitar.