This came up in my prog queue, but it's really mainline fusion. According to the bands promotional material, SPHERICAL AGENDA not only draws from the cutting edge of today's fusion, but also harkens to the reckless abandon and pure energy of groups like Tony Williams Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Return to Forever. While I'm not ready to put them in that rarified air, this is a very solid album very much in the vein of the aforementioned artists.
Tomoko Omura - Run Run Run Year: 2025
Style or Subgenre: Modern Creative
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Japanese violinist/composer began her classical violin training at age four. Okay, so we can probably bet with confidence she wasn't playing Paganini before the fifth candle hit her cake, but really, who could imagine even handing a four year old such a delicate instrument at that age!? Well, the answer here is her mother, but the beneficiary is all of us. On Run Run Run, she brings us a moving suite of songs inspired by her study of the first use of atomic weapons in her homeland. Her technique is so incredibly pure and clean, it's a genuine joy to listen to, even as she's describing the horrors of atomic warfare. That said, this album isn't all dark and dire, and without having read about the inspiration behind it, I never would have guessed. The beauty of this music transcends the tragedy. Highly recommended to fans of classical, jazz, or really, any kind of beautiful, heartfelt music.
Rebecca Trescher - Changing Perspectives Year: 2025
Style or Subgenre: Modern Creative, Avant Garde
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
From the Bandcamp Page:
“Changing perspectives” is something that the composer and clarinetist Rebecca Trescher has always set out to do, but this is no easy task. On one hand, she has to remain immersed in the musical activity as it happens, while on the other she strives to always remain aware of external perspectives and other ways of hearing, asking herself: Is this actually working the way I imagined? What might still be missing, and what could give it a decisive touch or the necessary kick?
So the album title reflects pretty much what we might expect it to mean in terms of the artist's approach. But as I listened, I changed that perspective to the one of the listener. Each song is just different enough that it gave me a changing perspective of the artist and the music itself. This is what we might call "modern creative," experimental jazz, or even a mild form of avant garde. Or we could just dispense with labels altogether and listen to the music on its own terms, lest we lose track of the satisfaction that will come with hearing the changing perspectives.
All the musicianship on the album, from Trescher's clarinet (an instrument I don't easily cotton to, but love here) to the rest of her quartet and three additional guests, is always exemplary and beautifully integrated. Each time I listen to this, it moves up in my list of favorite 2025 albums.
Caity George - Caity George With Strings Year: 2025
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Saturday night delivered a glorious listen in the form of an introduction to Caity George. Now this is the type of jazz album where "with strings" becomes an asset! One of those great albums that presents all original material in traditional style, Mark Limacher's arrangements are utterly classic without being at all trite; they really are beautiful. What's more, they seem to be composed specifically to capture and display the classic tone and timbre of George's voice. George wrote all the lyrics herself and her vocals are straight when they need to be straight and, introduce just enough affect when appropriate. This is a wonderfully cosmopolitan album that I'm sure I would have at best yawned, and at worst scorned as a youth; but now, it's just straight up beautiful.
Steve Dyer - Multipolar Year: 2025
Style or Subgenre: Spiritual Jazz
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Spiritual jazz is alive and well in 2025!
South African multi-instrumentalist and composer uses Multipolar to express his sense of the oneness of humanity. The opening vocal intro could be considered either profound or hokey, but either way, the music that follows is nothing but stellar. The compositions are excellent, the presentation knows exactly when to crescendo and how to back off gracefully Interplay between musicians is absolutely seamless and whether or not humanity is one, this ensemble certainly is.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
