We Dream is the new studio album by New York–based alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin. Conceived as a deeply band-driven project, her sixth album and Artwork Records debut, out June 5, centers on Benjamin’s frequent collaborators in pianists Oscar Pérez and Miki Hayama and bassist Elias Bailey — along with new associates in trumpeter Sean Jones, and drummer Jonathan Barber — alongside an expansive cast of guest collaborators drawn from across jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and experimental music.

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“It does, as usual, have some of my guest flair,” Benjamin explains. “But this time, it’s for a different purpose.” Following the arc of 2023’s Phoenix and 2025’s Grammy-nominated, standalone single “Noble Rise,” We Dream reflects what Benjamin describes as a shift in perspective — a response to the present moment and the world around her. “It felt like that story couldn’t go all the way, given the state of the world,” she says. “So I started thinking about the idea of being a bright light in a dark space. Things feel really dark right now — everywhere — and we’re trying to be that light.”

Rather than assembling guests for ornamentation, Benjamin approached the project as a collective statement, bringing together artists she admires for their capacity to evolve, innovate, and reshape musical language. Her self-described team of “Avengers” includes trumpeters Terence Blanchard and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah; saxophonist Chris Potter; drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts; pianist Hiromi; the Roots’ Black Thought; vocalists Bilal and Tiaranna “Tank” Ball of Tank and the Bangas; and drummer and producer Kassa Overall.

When describing her collaborators, Benjamin emphasizes that they are not bound by genre, pointing instead to artists who have reshaped music through sound, presentation, and the spaces in which it can exist.

We Dream arrives after a period of heightened visibility for Benjamin. After years working with artists including Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Prince, Missy Elliott, Anita Baker, Gregory Porter, Kool & the Gang, and The Roots, she redefined her artistic direction with 2020’s Pursuance: The Coltranes, a guest-driven project honoring John and Alice Coltrane as parallel creative forces. Released during the pandemic, the album marked a turning point — reconnecting Benjamin’s work to lineage, spirituality, and personal responsibility during a moment of global pause.

She followed Pursuance with Phoenix, recorded after surviving a near-fatal car accident. The album proved a breakthrough, earning multiple Grammy nominations — including Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Best Instrumental Composition (“Amerikkan Skin”), and Best Jazz Performance (“Basquiat”) — and expanding both the scale and audience for her work.

Phoenix’s sister album, Phoenix Reimagined (Live) — announced on national TV by Stephen Colbert while she sat in with the Late Show Band — was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Jazz Performance. At the forthcoming 2026 ceremony, Benjamin is nominated for Best Jazz Performance for the standalone single “Noble Rise,” featuring fellow alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins.

Musically, We Dream unfolds as a cinematic, poem-driven journey. The album opens with the mesmerizing, tenacious spoken word piece “First Light.” This segues into  “Beyond the Dawn,” featuring Terence Blanchard alongside Sean Jones, Barber’s mallet work, and a spoken-word invocation by Benjamin that sets the album’s tone — part meditation, part reckoning. The music then surges forward, channeling intensity, propulsion, and forward motion.

Throughout the record, Benjamin blends spoken word, groove-based writing, and high-energy improvisation. “My Only,” featuring Jones, explores isolation and endurance. “Mi Gente,” with Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, centers community and cultural exchange, grounded in rhythm and collective movement.

“Dream Breaker,” featuring Watts, Potter, and Jones, pushes the music into a more combustible space, while “Flamekeeper,” with Hiromi and Potter, accelerates through force, volume, and extended exchange — reflecting Benjamin’s admiration for artists “who are not standing still, who are pushing forward, who are innovating.”

The album’s title track, “We Dream,” features spoken word and vocals by Tiaranna “Tank” Ball, whose narrative presence shapes the composition’s emotional arc. Later, “Right Now” brings together Bilal and Kassa Overall in what Benjamin describes as the record’s dramatic peak, where lyric, rhythm, and improvisation converge. The closing track, “New World,” offers a quieter resolution — a glimpse of the light Benjamin set out to find.

Across We Dream, Benjamin situates jazz within a broader cultural landscape, reflecting her growing presence at festivals where jazz shares the stage with DJs, reggae acts, and genre-defying artists. But genre aside, it stands as a bold, intentional artistic statement — one that insists on forward motion, collective imagination, and the power of sound to illuminate even the darkest spaces.

 Lakecia Benjamin website

Thank you to Lydia Liebman for sharing with us

British saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Hannah Horton presents: Stories On The Wind

Release date: May 22nd

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“Rising sax star Hannah Horton…..there’s bold and gritty playing, on both baritone and tenor sax…. – JazzWise

“Hannah is real. She is authentic. She is an artist who draws you in, engages you, inspires you and captivates you” - Jazz In Europe

British saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Hannah Horton is carving out a distinctive place on the UK jazz scene. An Official Selmer Artist and award-winning musician, she trained at the prestigious Junior Guildhall School of Music and Trinity College of Music, drawing inspiration from jazz luminaries like Mark Lockheart, Tim Garland, and Paul Bartholomew. Alongside her own career, Hannah champions the next generation of talent through ‘J Steps,’ a program supporting young musicians under 18 who identify as female or non-binary, tackling the historic gender imbalance in jazz.

Widely recognised for her dedication to honouring the legacy of legendary tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon. She regularly performs Gordon’s repertoire so much so her work has earned the admiration of Gordon’s widow, Maxine Gordon, who wrote the liner notes for Horton’s upcoming album, Stories On The Wind.

"The first time I heard Hannah Horton I was reminded of something I learned from Dexter Gordon. When he encountered a musician he had never heard before, anywhere in the world we travelled, he would listen, quietly, with his eyes closed. Then he would turn to me and say, “That’s the real sound. Real music. A real musician.” And then he would smile and nod his head to the music.That was my experience when I first heard Hannah Horton at The Jazz Café – Maxine Gordon

Renowned for her emotional depth, lyrical melodies, and compelling storytelling, Hannah delivers a powerful, expressive sound across both tenor and baritone saxophones. Her forthcoming third studio album, Stories on the Wind is her most personal and ambitious project to date. Evocative and timeless, the music explores themes of memory, longing and the subtle traces of belonging that shape our lives. The album unfolds as a rich, immersive soundscape, spacious and open to interpretation, yet firmly grounded in rhythm, where soaring melodies intertwine with compelling grooves.

Recorded at Red Kite Studio with renowned engineer and producer Martin Levan (Barbara Thompson, June Tabor, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Neil Ardley), the album captures a warmth and depth of sound that perfectly reflects Hannah’s artistic vision. Her band consists of Sam Leak (piano and organ), Rob Statham (electric bass), and Steve Taylor (drums and percussion) , brings additional colour and momentum, forming a dynamic backdrop for Hannah’s expressive saxophone lines. Recent highlights include a headline performance at the EFG London Jazz Festival**,** further cementing her reputation as a compelling live performer.

The album opens with‘Out of the Shadows’, a deeply personal composition inspired by moments when life veers off course. The piece captures that quiet, internal stirring, a sense that change is coming, and that, in time, everything will find its place.

‘Whisper’ is a lyrical baritone-led ballad dedicated to Hannah’s partner, Nick. Written in gratitude for his unwavering support during some of her most challenging times, including the loss of her father. The piece reflects intimacy, resilience and enduring connection. Having met just before lockdown, the two have been together ever since, a bond echoed in the tenderness of the music.

‘Alone’ reflects the solitude that often accompanies life as an independent artist, bandleader, booker, promoter, administrator, and everything in between. While the journey can be lonely at times, the music ultimately moves toward calm and acceptance. Its dreamy, floating ending captures a moment of release: a quiet peace found when the weight begins to lift, and letting go becomes possible.

The album ends on ‘Remembering Mr Gone’, written in response to the passing of Wayne Shorter , known as “Mr Gone”.

“This piece is shaped by the sound world I have always associated with him, particularly the colour and resonance of major seventh chords. While a full quartet version was recorded, an unplanned moment in the studio led to something more intimate. “One morning, instinct took over and we captured a stripped-back take, just baritone saxophone and piano, no rehearsal, no headphones, early in the day. When the final notes faded, there were tears in the control room, including my own”- explains Hannah.

The piece became more than a tribute to Wayne Shorter; it also transformed into a quiet act of remembrance for her father.

Being a female instrumentalist in the jazz world has never been easy, finding your voice in a historically male-dominated space demands resilience and resolve. Stories on the Wind is Hannah’s most personal statement to date: a reflection of where she stands now, both as an artist and as a person. Each composition began as a feeling, a fleeting moment, or a lived story, echoes of childhood, love and loss, hope, and the quiet strength that comes from forging your own path and finally being heard.

Hannah Horton Website click here

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) – one of the only jazz big bands in the world comprised exclusively of Native and Indigenous people – is releasing its debut album, Incarnadine, on May 8, 2026. Led by celebrated vocalist Julie Keefe (Nez Perce), Incarnadine brings together a 16-piece ensemble to celebrate a largely unrecognized lineage of Indigenous artists in jazz, while presenting new compositions rooted in tribal histories and storytelling. Following extensive touring at major performing arts centers and jazz clubs across the country, Incarnadine offers the ensemble's first recorded statement.

 Pre order here

On Incarnadine, celebrated vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) leads her all-star Indigenous Big Band featuring pianist Marc Cary (Wampanoag), trumpeter Delbert Anderson (Diné), bassist Mali Obomsawin (Abanaki of Odanak), trombonist Quinn Carson (Apache/Kiowa), drummer Edward Littlefield (Lingít), and many more. “We are not culturally monolithic,” said Keefe. “We each bring with us the cultural practices of our ancestors and many of our compositions are derived from traditional melodies and stories. With Incarnadine, we dive deeper into improvisatory music from the Indigenous perspective.”

Reflecting on the album’s title, Keefe mused that “while a word from Shakespeare’s Macbeth might not immediately bring “Indigenous jazz” to mind, ‘incarnadine’ means to redden. I think in many ways, the word encapsulates the goals of this band and this album. We are shining a light on history which is fraught with bloodshed and trauma, but also celebrating the brilliance and resilience of Indigenous people who survived and thrived through the beauty of their culture, prayers, and songs. We are broadening the scope of the listener’s understanding of jazz to include Native and Indigenous jazz musicians. Some people say, ‘decolonize your mind’ and I say, ‘incarnadine your mind.”

The album features music made famous by Indigenous jazz musicians from the Twentieth Century such as Mildred Bailey (Coeur d’Alene) and Jim Pepper (Kaw/Mvskoke) but also amplifies new works from musicians within the band’s ranks. Mali Obomsawin’s “Wawasint8da” is a haunting exploration of a Catholic hymn that was translated into the Abanaki language by an early French Jesuit missionary. DDAT Suite by Delbert Anderson pays homage to his tribal lands, commemorates Diné code talkers, and tells the story of an overnight train ride from Gallup, NM to Los Angeles. Keefe’s composition “Sonnet” was inspired by the poetry of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. To quote the late Jim Pepper, “you can’t generalize about Indian music, it’s too diverse.”

“Incarnadine is musical commentary on our Indigeneity and resilience against the generational impacts of colonial powers upon the indigenous peoples of the Americas,” Keefe said. “Incarnadine offers musical history, protest, and celebration all wrapped up in one album.”

Incarnadine was recorded through the support of The Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross.

About Julia Keefe:

Heralded by the New York Times as "a songbird of a jazz vocalist," Julia Keefe is an internationally acclaimed Native American singer, actor, educator, and director of the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band, her flagship project celebrating the diversity and vitality of Indigenous people in jazz. Her professional career has spanned over two decades, and she has headlined marquee events at the John F. Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., as well as opened for the likes of 20-time GRAMMY Award winner Tony Bennett and 5-time GRAMMY Award winner Esperanza Spalding. Her life’s work is the revival and honoring of legendary Coeur d’Alene jazz musician Mildred Bailey. Julia earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in jazz vocal performance from the University of Miami and Manhattan School of Music respectively, and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

 Julia Keefe website

Thank you to Lydia Liebman for sharing with us

Fearless is the captivating new album by Italian jazz singer Diana Torti, set for release on April 10, 2026 (Tambora Music).

Diana Torti on Bandcamp here

Listen/buy the first single Hawk's Hills here

Listen/buy the second single Montmartre Café here

Diana Torti is an internationally acclaimed performer, vocalist, and improviser, who’s deeply personal and inspired vision brings artistry and authenticity to the forefront. Her music explores intimate, versatile, and intense sound worlds, where improvisation is embraced as an expressive possibility beyond stylistic boundaries. Following the critical success of her albums On a Cloud (named among the best vocal jazz releases of 2019 by TNYCJR and Jazz Views) and It’s All We Have (2023) - both recorded as a duo with composer and guitarist Sabino de Bari, Torti now with her quartet, presents Fearless as both lyricist and interpreter. Featuring stunning original compositions by de Bari, along with a new and refreshing interpretation of Santamaria’s ‘Afro Blue’.

Through years of collaboration and musical explorations, the two artists have developed a distinctive sound, blending jazz, classical, and contemporary influences into a soundscape that is poetic, visionary, and surprising. Their music draws inspiration from Mediterranean culture and beyond, shaped by rich harmonies, refined melodies, and a broad palette of timbres.

At its core Fearless is inspired by the courage to express ourselves authentically, valuing our uniqueness and originality, in a contemporary world often shaped by stereotypes, imposed rules, and trends aligned with economic and cultural pressures that threaten individuality and freedom of expression. The album’s themes, mostly rooted in nature, humanity, and the outside world, are imbued with hope and the certainty that it is possible for everyone to “break the spell” and start to fly: like a hawk that transforms its limitations into driving force and vitality (The Hawk’s Hills); intimate landscapes reflecting our inner world and reclaiming the fullness of our connection with nature (Secret Places) and magical glimpses that have hosted revolutionary artistic creation despite cultural constraints (Montmartre Café).

Torti’s poetic writing traces the infinite dialectic contrasts of life, rendered as a magical and at times dazzling journey in Ups and Downs. The album also includes a new, darker and more minimal version of Whisky, a piece inspired by early blues lyrics and previously recorded by the artist. The recording closes with a striking interpretation of Afro Blue (Mongo Santamaria), where the original African-American roots of the piece metaphorically overlook the Mediterranean, revealing subtle cultural connections. Torti’s vocal melismas intertwine with de Bari’s fretless guitar in a fluid, dance-like dialogue. Diana’s voice and Sabino’s guitar are joined by outstanding Italian musicians, Andrea Colella (double bass) and Francesco De Rubeis, (drums), whose sensitivity and musicality enrich the album’s expressive depth.

The official album launch will take place on April 10, 2026, with a live performance at Arciliuto Jazz Club in Rome (Italy).

All tracks composed by Sabino de Bari except track 7 (music by Mongo Santamaria). All lyrics by Diana Torti, except track 7 (Oscar Brown Jr.) and track 3 (Sabino de Bari).

Diana Torti: vocals Sabino de Bari: classical guitar, fretless guitar Andrea Colella: double bass Francesco De Rubeis: percussions, drums

Recorded and mixed at La Strada Studios in Rome (Italy) in October 2024. Except for vocals and guitar solo on track 7, recorded at Westpoint Studios in London (UK) and mixed by Sabino de Bari in October 2025. Mastered by Sabino de Bari.

Photo by Monika S. Jakubowska Graphics by Antonella Zurzolo

Diana Torti website click here

March 2026 will mark the release of Realms, the new album by singer, songwriter and charismatic entertainer Rachel Sutton. Rachel’s emotive and uplifting performances filled with theatrical skill, humour and heartfelt expression, have enchanted audiences at leading venues and festivals across the UK and abroad. Now Rachel presents Realms: her best work to date, which captures the magic of Rachel and her band’s live show, while adding many subtle nuances and impressive techniques as part of the recording process.

“There is a thrill involved in the discovery of an amazing artist” - CABARET SCENE

Links here

Rachel’s vocal ability has landed her roles in award winning shows at the Edinburgh and New York Fringe festivals. Her theatrical training is at the core of every song, moreover her charming flair and easy rapport with her audience has gained her a first-class reputation across both theatre and music.

Rachel’s role in Lansky: The Mob’s Money Manat The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank and Cadogan Hall received widespread acclaim, with UK Jazz News calling her a “stand out performer… a revelation”. Her debut album, A Million Conversations (released on 33 Jazz Records), received rave reviews, celebrated for its personal approach which saw Rachel reach poignant levels of self-expression. Realms continues along this path of deep emotion, adding some vibrant and captivating optimism, reflecting a new stage in Rachel’s journey as an artist and performer.

Photo by John Lyons

The album is further enhanced by a dream team of players consisting of Roland Perrin on piano, Curtis Ruiz on bass and Paul Robinson on drums – all longstanding collaborators and excellent musicians in their own right, who’s synergy with Rachel’s voice creates a magnetic quality to the recording, making Realms a sublimely engaging listen.

Speaking about the new album, Rachel says: This album has been a true labour of love for me in countless ways. Realms is a world made up of many parts, drawing on stories from different moments in my life, and as a result, each piece is entirely its own. Together, they form a landscape that is cross-genre by nature—an eclectic blend of emotions, sounds, and sensations. When I write, I don’t confine myself to a genre, I like to let what feels good guide me. Every song on this album tells its own story. Drawing on my theatrical background, I’ve woven in moments of drama and humour, and I hope the result is something deeply personal yet universally resonant—something listeners can find themselves reflected in.

Realms will be launched on 10th March 2026 at at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, London – don’t miss the chance to witness the magic of this project in a live setting tickets here

Thank you to Dynamic Agency for sharing with us

Rachel Sutton website click here

Award-winning jazz vocalist April Varner announces Ella, a vibrant tribute album to the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald, arriving March 20, 2026 via Cellar Music Group. The recording finds Varner reimagining Fitzgerald classics through contemporary arrangements that honor the spirit of the original performances while forging an entirely fresh artistic path.

 Buy album here on Bandcamp

Varner's connection to Fitzgerald deepened significantly in 2023 when she won the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition. "I only just started singing jazz back in 2016," Varner explains. "The first vocalist I remembered listening to was naturally the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. Everything about her, her vibrant personality on stage, the ease in which she captured her audience's attention, and the effortless range of her voice—I knew she would be my biggest inspiration. I always knew I'd want to dedicate an album to her given all that her music has done for me in my career."

 Rather than attempting imitation, Varner captures Fitzgerald's essence while maintaining her distinctive vocal identity. The album features pianist and arranger Emmet Cohen, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer and producer Ulysses Owens Jr. on the small group tracks, with additional arrangements by trumpeter Brian Lynch for the big band selections. The ensemble also includes pianist William Hill III, trumpeters Nathaniel Williford and Michael Cruse, trombonists Jeffrey Miller and Jacob Melsha, and saxophonists Cleave Guyton and Bruce Williams.

The album opens with "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," Fitzgerald's 1938 breakthrough hit. Cohen's arrangement alternates between swing and Latin feels, with Varner offering a completely different perspective on the nursery rhyme adaptation. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket was Ella Fitzgerald's first major hit and her launch to stardom in 1938," says Varner. "I felt it was only fitting to kick off this album with this iconic tune."

Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" showcases Lynch's tight big band arrangement with dramatic shifts between Latin and swing sections. Varner's sophisticated approach to melody and rhythm demonstrates her technical command without drawing attention to the craft itself. The album's second single, "Night and Day," strips away the brassy energy for an intimate reading of Porter's love song. "Night and Day has to be my top favorite Cole Porter composition," Varner notes. "I especially love the famous verse, and Emmet does a masterful job with the floating reharmonizations and lulling atmosphere."

According to liner notes writer Thomas Cunniffe, "This is the true mark of a great singer: the ability to sing softly while effectively communicating an intimate message." The ballad medley that follows includes "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" (a song Fitzgerald never recorded) and "In the Wee Small Hours," with Varner's warm delivery suggesting temporary separation rather than permanent loss.

"Cheek to Cheek" highlights the musical partnership between Varner and Nakamura, whose bass work pays homage to Fitzgerald's former husband, the legendary Ray Brown. Cunniffe writes that "April and Yasushi perform like a well-prepared dance team, each one doing their best to make their partner look good."

The deceptively complex arrangement of "Mr. Paganini" draws from the multi-tempo innovations of the Boswell Sisters, early influences on Fitzgerald herself. On "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," Varner takes a different approach than Fitzgerald's celebrated Rodgers and Hart Songbook version, featuring an extended spotlight for Cohen before closing with melodic variation. "Fly Me to the Moon" opens with the tender verse before settling into gentle swing, while "Undecided" concludes the album with blazing tempo and brilliant improvisations.

Varner came to jazz during her undergraduate years at Indiana University, initially training in the show choir The Singing Hoosiers before studying with noted jazz vocalists Sachal Vasandani, Tierney Sutton, and then Theo Bleckmann at the Manhattan School of Music. Her previous releases include the critically acclaimed April (2024) and Winter Songs Vol. 2 (2024), both on Cellar Music Group.

Born just one year after Fitzgerald's passing, Varner discovered the icon's expansive recorded legacy through careful study. Ella represents both a continuation of that legacy and a statement of Varner's own artistic voice. "I hope that inspiration shines through to those listening…and my twist on these timeless tunes," she says.

 Derived from Liner Notes by jazz journalist Thomas Cunniffe

 Thank you to Lydia Liebman for sharing with us

April Varner website