John Butcher - Away, I Was (Relative Pitch, 2026)
John Butcher’s new solo album *Away, I Was* arrives on Relative Pitch Records as his nineteenth solo outing, compiling eight tracks recorded between 2008 and the present. The non‑chronological sequencing offers a fresh portrait of his current musical identity, emphasizing melodic invention alongside his trademark multiphonics. A standout moment is the transcription of Derek Bailey, underscoring Butcher’s compositional acumen. The record balances extended improvisations with concise pieces, showcasing varied recording techniques that keep the listening experience dynamic.
Linda Catlin Smith – The Complete Piano Solos: Volume 1: The Plains (Redshift Records, 2025)
Linda Catlin Smith’s solo piano anthology opens with *The Plains*, a minimalist work performed by longtime student Cheryl Duvall and released on Redshift Records in 2025. The review highlights the album’s balance of vastness and precision, noting Duvall’s confident, compassionate...
Kelsey Mines & Erin Rogers - Scratching at the Surface (Relative Pitch, 2025)
Relative Pitch released *Scratching at the Surface*, a free‑jazz collaboration between bassist Kelsey Mines and saxophonist Erin Rogers. Both musicians, fresh from solo projects on the same label, recorded the album after a live pairing in Brooklyn. The record blends...
Stephen Godsall - Tingling Skin, Buzzing Wires (Jazz`halo, 2026)
Stephen Godsall’s album *Tingling Skin, Buzzing Wires* repositions the banjo as a lead voice in modern jazz, pairing it with flugelhorn, sax, Wurlitzer piano and synths. The record showcases inventive rhythms, electronic echo effects, and genre‑blending compositions that push the...
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis - Deface the Currency (Impulse!, 2026)
The Messthetics teamed up with tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis to release their second album, *Deface the Currency*, recorded in just two days after a transatlantic tour. The seven‑track record expands the quartet’s blend of alternative rock, jazz‑rock, and free...
Liz Allbee - Breath Vessels (Ni Vu Ni Connu, 2025)
Liz Allbee’s new album *Breath Vessels* redefines folk by using self‑crafted instruments, sine waves and field recordings to imagine a collective sound of a fragmented future. The four‑track record eschews traditional folk tropes, replacing trumpet lines with glass‑jug resonators, tuning...
Peter Evans & Mike Pride - A Window, Basically (Relative Pitch, 2025)
Peter Evans teams up with drummer Mike Pride for the new album *A Window, Basically*, released on Relative Pitch in 2025. The duo abandons their previous punk‑jazz leanings for a fully improvised free‑jazz approach, delivering three contrasting tracks and three...