Montreal-based drummer Valérie Lacombe released her debut album, "State of Garden and Shadow," on April 17, 2026, via Rhea Records. Inspired by the writings of Clarice Lispector, the project serves as a metaphor for personal and artistic cultivation. Featuring a chord-less quartet with Camille Thurman, Caoilainn Power, and Ira Coleman, the album emphasizes fluid interaction and melodic drumming in the vein of Elvin Jones. The record balances original compositions with jazz tradition, establishing Lacombe as a sophisticated composer and leader in the contemporary hard-bop and post-bop idioms.

Joe Beck began his career as a highly sought-after studio guitarist in the early 70s. His clean jazz playing on electric guitar was his hallmark. His discography is well-worthy searching for. He was well-respected and played with artists such as John Abercrombie, Jimmy Bruno, Gill Evans, Don Sebesky, Bobby TImmons, and Paul Simon. This recording was made for Japanese Venus label. Relaxed samba/bossa nova is the emphasis here, with selections from Antonio Carlos Jobim, primarily.

Lee Konitz had been on tour in Japan when he went into the studio with the Laurent de Wilde trio and recorded this album. He's joined on three numbers by Keiko Lee, a smokey Japanese vocalist. The result is somewhat out of the ordinary. There are three Konitz compositions including a reworking of "Thingin'". The rest are standards with an excellent version of Miles Davis "Solar" and Theolonius Monk's "Ruby my dear".

Pharoah Sanders is one of the few horn players whose sound is instantly commanding and recognizable. He's often compared to John Coltrane in their similar power, spirituality, and preference for the meaty middle register of the tenor, and in fact, one of the selections here is a long, atmospheric meditation on Coltrane's "Welcome". This album is a rare treat, since Sanders has not been recording as prolifically as he did in the first four decades of his career.

Drummer Tony Williams died suddenly, and tragically, in early 1997. His death struck hard, eliminating one of jazz rhythm's sharpest innovators since the 1950s. Williams first made his brilliance clear in the second great Miles Davis Quintet of the early 1960s. He whirled like mad later, especially with his own jazz-rock fusion trio Lifetime. In between, he created rhythmic vapor trails behind Miles and increased the wobbly rhythmic ratio with artists like Eric Dolphy. Sadly, in Young at Heart, we have his final recording.

Grady Tate has been one of the world's most versatile, frequently-recorded musicians for more than 40 years. He is often featured as a distinctive drummer, but in fact, he is also one of the best vocalists in the world. For this album, Grady Tate selects everything from standards to '50s musical hits number to his own composition, but the common theme is "love". That is the very message Tate, who celebrated his 70th birthday during the recording date, wanted to remind people of. Grady's voice swings gently and sometimes longingly together with the finest trio.

Ever since Joe Chambers made his recording debut on Freddie Hubbard's classic LP, "Breaking Point" he's remained a nearly peerless jazz figure in terms of consummate musicianship. His career throughout the 1960s established Chambers as both a noteworthy hard-bop and avant-garde jazz drummer and as an intriguing composer, particularly through his partnership with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. Chambers released his debut LP, "The Almoravid" in 1974 for Muse Records. After recording several other releases for the Denon, Candid and Blue Note labels. On "Landscapes" reflects all of his well-honed talents as superb multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader.