New Music From Skúli Sverrisson With Bill Frisell And More

Welcome to this latest collection, a curated journey through the diverse and expressive landscapes of contemporary jazz and improvised music. This playlist traverses a wide spectrum of sound, moving seamlessly from intimate, reflective duets and delicate chamber-like compositions to the expansive energy of full ensembles and avant-garde explorations. Whether you are looking for moments of quiet introspection, intricate harmonic interplay, or adventurous sonic textures, these tracks represent a vibrant cross-section of today’s creative musicians pushing the boundaries of the genre. Sit back and enjoy this eclectic traversal of modern soundscapes

AUDIO

PLAYLIST

1. Skúli Sverrisson with Bill Frisell “Thank You for Taking Me There and Back” from For All Your Flowers (Newvelle Records) 00:00

2. Matt Otto “Ephemeral” from Ephemeral (Self Released) 05:16

3. Hernán Cassibba “Los azules tus azules” from La Espera (ears&eyes) 10:19

4. Colin Heshmat “Center Street Theme 1” from Elastic Groove (HMC Records) 16:30

5. Ali Ryerson “Before Today/Yesterdays” from The Ali Ryerson Quartet (ACR Music) 21:57

6. New West Quartet “Come Up” from TURN (Park West Records) 27:59

7. Larry Stabbins with Keith Tippett and Louis Moholo-Moholo “Acacia” from And The Birds Sang (Jazz In Britain) 35:20

8. Pat Thomas, Olie Brice and Garry Willcox “The caligrapher’s blues” from The Day After (Jazz In Britain) 42:20

9. Tonino Miano Trio “Mycelium” from MOSS/electric (Aut Records) 49:07

10. Ayn Inserto + WDR Big Band featuring Sean Jones “Down A Rabbit Hole” from Jagged Edges Elegant Lines (Summit Records) 54:41

11. Zack Moir & Roberto Cassani “As She Dreams Her Afternoon in Shy Anticipation” from Anaglyph (Aut Records) 1:01:55

12. Senri Oe “Amber Lab 2” from Homework (PND Records) 1:08:18

13. Larry Stabbins with Keith Tippett and Louis Moholo-Moholo “Inside and Outside” from And The Birds Sang (Jazz In Britain) 1:12:20

14. Bassism Trio “Foggy” from Dreams Must Explain Themselves (Aut Records) 1:20:47

15. Mat Maneri Quartet “Loved” from Mist (Sunnyside Records) 1:28:08

16. Egyptian Cotton Arkestra “2023-12-22T172519Z/+45.53259-73.61985” from Time & Place (Constellation) 1:36:48

17. Amstel Jazz Ensemble “Whitecaps” from First State Blues (Summit Records) 1:46:37

18. Joey Alexander “As Far As The Eye Can See” from Celestial Keeper (Mack Avenue) 1:52:42

19. Will Lyle “Eridania” from The All Seeing Eye (Circle Theory Media) 1:59:33

NOTES

1. To open we have the latest instalment in the Newvelle Ten series and a new chapter in the extraordinary collaboration between Icelandic bassist-composer Skúli Sverrisson and iconic guitarist Bill Frisell. Available August 1, 2026 and recorded over two days in June 2025 at EastSide Sound in New York City, this duo set captures a dialogue of rare intimacy and depth between two of the most distinctive voices in modern music. When Sverrisson and Frisell first met in the studio for their 2018 Newvelle release Strata, the result was remarkable and a demonstration of an evolving partnership that has an impressive intuitive shared approach to music. This new release confirms that intuition and is not merely a continuation, but an evolution of their relationship. The record’s ten tracks—all but one composed by Sverrisson, with Frisell contributing the tender “Baby”—are miniature worlds that bloom in the duo’s hands. From the opening shimmer of “Thank You for Taking Me There and Back” to the fragile uplift of the title track, each piece unfolds with patient lyricism, transparency, and trust. Sverrisson’s bass anchors the music with both gravity and grace, while Frisell’s guitar drifts, whispers, and sings, creating an atmosphere that feels at once rooted and otherworldly.

2. This new project by saxophonist, composer, and educator Matt Otto, is characterized by its contemplative and personal approach to the genre. The album reflects Otto’s commitment to blending rigorous compositional research with fluid improvisation, highlighting his focus on the expressive dimensions of sound. As a significant addition to his discography, the work continues his established artistic path of exploring jazz as an open and deeply expressive language. He uses fifteen different musicians over five line-ups on eight tracks on a set which demonstrates great variety. The album was released on June 26. 2026.

3. This new album by Argentinian bassist and composer Cassibba features a powerhouse sextet comprising the leader with Andrés Boiarsky on tenor saxophone, Juan Cruz de Urquiza on trumpet, Rodrigo Domínguez on tenor/soprano saxophone, Nicolás Guerschberg on piano, and Quintino Cinalli on drums. Together, they navigate a sophisticated soundscape that blends jazz with rock and classical influences, characterized by cinematic intensity, intricate counterpoint, and a masterful balance between melodic accessibility and complex rhythmic exploration. It was released on 19 June 2026.

4. Colin Heshmat has been part of the New York jazz scene since 2019. Although inspired by many earlier piano giants, he has developed his own sound within the jazz modern mainstream. On this studio recording debut he captures and celebrates the collaborative spirit of New York’s jazz community. He is joined by trumpeter Ryo Sasaki, bassist Yuma Takagi, and drummer Ben Cliness on eight originals inspired by his life in New York, and fresh renditions of three standards.

5. Accomplished fluatist Ali Ryerson is one of the most exciting proponents of the instrument in jazz. Over the course of a long career, both performing and teaching, she has honed a unique style. It is rooted in the Western classical tradition. Yet it has a boppish and soulful spontaneity. Her 17th release as a leader showcases her masterful command of the instrument and signature sound. The 16 May, 2026 release features a tight-knit ensemble consisting of the leader with pianist Larry Ham, bassist Lou Pappas, and drummer Tom Melito. This album demonstrates the group’s cohesive interplay and technical proficiency.

6. The debut statement from a collective of four distinct voices brought together through a shared commitment to exploration, structure, and sound. Featuring Matt Hollenberg (bass IV & guitar), Jim Clouse (soprano & tenor saxophone), Dave Sewelson (baritone saxophone & electric harmonica), and Patrick Golden (percussion & drums), the album charts a course through a richly layered musical landscape that resists easy categorization. At its core, it is a study in contrast and cohesion. The quartet moves fluidly between tightly constructed passages and open, avant-garde interplay, balancing precision with spontaneity. Composition and improvisation are not opposing forces here, rather they are interdependent, constantly reshaping one another in real time. Blending genres and embracing the avant-garde while remaining deeply intentional in its structure, the album is both expansive and precise. It is music that invites close listening where every gesture matters, and every turn reveals something new.

7. This 31 July, 2026 release is a project by saxophonist Larry Stabbins that revisits his deep, long-standing creative partnerships with pianist Keith Tippett and drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo. The album distills their collaborative chemistry into a series of intimate, high-stakes duets. The music is marked by a profound sense of mutual trust, navigating a spectrum that moves fluidly between moments of delicate tenderness, fierce improvisational intensity, and inventive, song-like structures that feel both spontaneous and deeply lived-in. I am featuring two examples of the duos - this first one is with Louis.

8. A collaborative album featuring the improvising trio of pianist Pat Thomas, double bassist Olie Brice, and drummer Gary Willcox. The trio is noted for its immense dynamic range and depth, drawing upon each member’s extensive background in jazz, modernism, and free improvisation. The album captures the group’s shared commitment to “in-the-moment” musical exploration, resulting in a performance that is both highly cerebral and charged with a distinct, authoritative energy. This project was officially released on June 22, 2026.

9. Featuring pianist and synthesizer player Tonino Miano, bassist Riccardo Grosso, and drummer Andrea Melani. Set for release in July 22, 2026, the album serves as a creative exploration of the trio’s “organic” approach to improvisation, deliberately blurring the lines between acoustic performance and electronic soundscapes. Through its original compositions, the ensemble maintains a dialogue between distinct musical paths, creating a multi-stylistic environment that sits at the intersection of modern jazz and a broader, textured sonic palette.

10. When Ayn Inserto received a call from the WDR Big Band to present an evening of her compositions, along with four newly commissioned pieces, she jumped right in. The live recording Jagged Edges & Elegant Lines: The Music of Ayn Inserto features a radiant selection of compositions from Inserto’s songbook alongside a new suite written for the acclaimed trumpeter Sean Jones, the ensemble’s special guest soloist for the evening. The album is released August 7, 2026.

11. This release Anaglyph documents the first recorded collaboration between saxophonist Zack Moir and double bassist Roberto Cassani. Taking its title from the photographic process in which two distinct images combine to create the illusion of depth, the album explores the meeting of two individual musical voices as they converge into a shared sonic perspective. Moving between jazz, free improvisation, ambient music, and electroacoustic sound, the music unfolds through spacious dialogues in which structure and discovery remain in constant negotiation. Saxophone, double bass, and live electronics shift fluidly between melody, texture, foreground, and atmosphere. Moir’s reactive generative electronic systems respond in real time to the performance, extending and refracting the acoustic sound world, while Cassani’s double bass provides both grounding and openness. Although several pieces originate from simple melodic frameworks, the album remains fundamentally rooted in improvisation. Composed materials become starting points for unexpected directions, collective decisions, and subtle transformations. The album reflects a shared commitment to exploration over certainty and process over prescription. In this sense, Anaglyph resonates with the spirit of research and experimentation that has long informed contemporary improvised music: a practice in which listening itself becomes a creative act and where meaning emerges through encounter rather than design.

12. The forthcoming album by Japanese pianist and composer Senri Oe, arriving September 4, 2026 worldwide. Recorded between Oe’s Brooklyn apartment and The Bunker Studio with longtime collaborators bassist Matt Clohesy and drummer Ross Pederson, the 16-track set moves between acoustic trio performance, solo piano, and self-produced electronics. Oe calls Homework “a soundtrack for a cinema without visuals” — music listeners can experience as their own internal movie. The album arrives after eighteen years in New York and the death of Oe’s beloved dachshund Peace, who crossed the ocean with him and stayed beside him through his New York reinvention. “I wanted to create this album for my generation,” Oe says. “People my age face the same crossroads: Where are we heading, and how do we keep going?”

13. As 7. this time a duo with Keith.

14. BASSISM stems from a strong musical affinity and from the desire to explore the structural and timbral possibilities of an unconventional lineup, with no traditional harmonic instruments. The result is a dense, physical and constantly shifting sound, in which the interaction between low registers becomes a central element of the musical construction. Enrico De Fabritiis (baritone sax, alto sax, kalimba) and Alberto Popolla (bass clarinet, electric bass ), who also play together in the horn section of Roots Magic, bring to the trio a shared vision rooted in the Afro-American tradition, while developing a personal language based on deep interplay, attention to sound, and openness to radical improvisation. The trio is completed by Ferdinando Faraò, a drummer with a longstanding career and director of the Artchipel Orchestra, whose approach combines formal awareness and expressive freedom. A special vocal contribution by Naima Faraò appears on the title track, “Dreams Must Explain Themselves”, adding a further layer to the album’s sound world.

15. Released on June 26, 2026, this album serves as the final instalment of a conceptual trilogy by the Mat Maneri Quartet. Featuring violist Mat Maneri, pianist Lucian Ban, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Randy Peterson, the album acts as a resolution to the quartet’s previous explorations of grief and memory found in their earlier projects, Dust and Ash. The recording presents a blend of original compositions by Maneri and Ban, characterized by a transition from dark, complex improvisations toward a more hopeful and serene sonic landscape, effectively concluding the group’s multi-year musical journey.

16. Released on August 29, 2025, this is an avant-garde jazz project by the Montreal-based quartet Egyptian Cotton Arkestra. The ensemble features James Goddard (saxophone and mbira), Ari Swan (violin), Markus Lake (bass), and Lucas Huang (drums). Known for their commitment to pure improvisation, the quartet captures a raw, spontaneous energy on this album, characterized by spacious, drone-like atmospheres that transition into intense, collaborative bursts. The record serves as a testament to their unique chemistry, emphasizing the “here and now” of musical creation and the value of ephemeral, live interaction in an increasingly digitized landscape.

17. Released on June 5, 2026, this album is an evocative project that pays homage to the legacy of jazz giant Clifford Brown—a native of Wilmington, Delaware—and the cultural landscape of the state itself. The ensemble, featuring Todd Groves (saxophones/flute), Bruce Tychinski (trombone), Dave Bozenhard (guitar), Miles Brown (bass), and Tom Palmer (drums/piano), seamlessly blends foundational compositions by Brown with thoughtful original works written by the group’s members. From the scenic imagery of “Whitecaps” and “White Clay Creek” to the collaborative spirit of the collective improvisation “You’ll Never Have More Time Than You Do Now,” the album showcases top-notch faculty artistry that bridges historical reverence with the vibrant contemporary jazz voice of Delaware.

18. Released on July 17, 2026, this is the eighth studio album from Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Joey Alexander. Inspired by his recent return to his native Bali, the album reflects on themes of faith, gratitude, and personal transformation, drawing influence from the natural rhythms of his home and his enduring connection to jazz legends like Miles Davis and Bill Evans. The project features Alexander's core touring trio—bassist Kris Funn and drummer Jonathan Barber—with notable contributions from saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and vocalists Lisa Fischer and Alita Moses. The record balances seven original compositions with fresh interpretations of classics such as "Stella by Starlight," "My Funny Valentine," and "How Great Thou Art."

19. Released on May 15, 2026 this album is a compelling jazz project by bassist Will Lyle. The album features a formidable quartet consisting of Lyle on bass, saxophonist Lucas Pino, pianist David Kikoski, and drummer Billy Drummond (with guest vocalist Sirintip appearing on “On a Clear Day”). The recording showcases a sophisticated balance between reverential interpretations of jazz standards and original compositions, such as the suite “Universal Truth” and the track “Deepfake.” With its blend of modern post-bop sensibilities and a deep respect for the acoustic jazz tradition, the project highlights the ensemble’s tight chemistry and Lyle’s evolution as both a bandleader and composer.