Jazz on the Beach 216: Albums of the Year
Even in troubled times we're lucky to have great new music
It’s a special holiday edition of Jazz on the Beach, featuring just some of the artists and albums that have given me the most joy over the last year. There are no reissues or long lost undiscovered gems, just new releases, and I hope you enjoy this music as much as I do.
Thank you for subscribing to this weekly newsletter and listening to Jazz on the Beach and the biweekly Blues Beach. Wishing you a good, sweet, creative and successful year.
Domo Branch - Harlem Nights from Hand of Gifts (Albina Music Trust 31st October). Domo Branch - drums, Russell Hall - double bass, Tyler Henderson - piano, Abdias Armenterros - soprano saxophone.
.New Jazz Underground - Pray 4 Me from Dying of Thirst: The Kendrick Lamarr Suite (self released 8th February). Abdias Armenteros - tenor saxophone, Sebastian Rios - double bass, TJ Reddick - drums.
Sinsuke Fujieda Group - Fukushima from Fukushima (SoFa Records 30th April). Sinsuke Fujieda - tenor saxophone, Fumiko Takeshita - volin, Shinichi Tsukamoto - piano, Shigeru Kato - bass, Kensaku Ohsumi - drums, Daisuke Alkhaly - percussion.
Lophae - Family Tree from Perfect Strangers (self released 24th January). Greg Sanders - Guitar, Ben Brown - drums, Tom Herbert - bass, Sam Rapley - tenor saxophone, guest trumpeter - Yelfris Valdés.
Sultan Stevenson - El Roi from El Roi (Edition, 28th March). Sultan Stevenson - piano, Jacob Gryn- double bass, Joel Waters - drums, Soweto Kinch - tenor saxophone, Josh Short - trumpet.
Gilad Hekselman - Navanad from Downhill From Here (La Reserve 17th January). Gilad Hekselman - guitar, Larry Grenadier - double bass, Marcus Gilmore - drums.
Vanisha Gould - Demure from She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth (La Reserve October 2024). Vanisha Gould - vocal, Chris McCarthy - piano, John Sims - double bass, JK Kim - drums.
Jason Miles’ The Lisbon Electric 4Tet - Cactus from Jason Miles’ The Lisbon Electric 4Tet (self released 28th April). Jason Miles - keyboards, Vicky Marques - drums, Yami Aleolel - bass, Tiago Oliveira - guitar.
Theon Cross - Affirmations from Affirmations: Live at Blue Note New York (New Soil and Division 81 11th July). Theon Cross - tuba, Isaiah Collier - saxophone, Nikos Ziarkas - guitar, James Russell Sims - drums.
Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory - Wayward’s Return from Magnum Opus (Banger Factory 8th November). Mark Kavuma - trumpet, Noah Stoneman - piano, Mussinghi Brian Edwards - trumpet, Theo Erskine - alto/tenor saxophone, Jack Garside - double bass, Jack Thomas - drums.
Carl Allen - Happy Times from Tippin’ (Cellar Music January 10th). Carl Allen - drums, Christian McBride - double bass, Chris Potter - tenor saxophone.
Knats - One For Josh from Knats (Gearbox Records 28th March). Stan Woodward - bass, King David Ike Elechi - drums, Ferg Kilsby - trumpet, Cam Rossi - tenor saxophone, Sandro Shar - keyboards.
Lafayette Gilchrist’s New Volcanoes - Cut Through the Chase from Move with Love (Morphius Records 25th July). Lafayette Gilchrist - keyboards, Carl Filipiak - guitar, Leo Maxey - trumpet, Christian Hizon - trombone, Anthony ‘Blue’ Jenkins - bass, Shaquim Muldrow - tenor saxophone, Kevin Pinder - drums, Bashi Rose - percussion.
James Brandon Lewis Quartet - Ware from Abstraction Is Deliverance (Intakt Records 30th May). James Brandon Lewis - tenor saxophone, Aruán Ortiz - piano, Brad Jones - bass, Chad Taylor - drums.
Nadav Schneerson - Sheva from Sheva (Kavana Records 11th April). Nadav Schneerson - drums, Sam Warner - trumpet, Will Heaton - trombone, James Akers - tenor saxophone, Sultan Stevenson - piano, George Richardson - double bass.
Tyreek McDole - The Sun Song (Precious Energy) from Open Up Your Senses (Artwork 6th June). Tyreek McDole - vocal, Dylan Band - tenor saxophone, Caelan Cardello - piano, Rodney Whitaker - double bass, Justin Faulkner - drums, Logan Butler - guitar.
Lauren Scales, Mike Flanagan & Chris Grasso - Spanish Joint from Many Rivers (Truth Revolution Records Collective 8th August). Lauren Scales - vocal, Mike Flanagan - tenor saxophone, Chris Grasso - piano, Luques Curtis - double bass, Richie Barshay - drums.
Leon Anderson - PJ’s from Live at Snug Harbour (Outside in Music 4th April). Leon Anderson - drums, John Michael Bradford - trumpet, Ricardo Pascal - saxophone, Oscar Rossignoli - piano, Rodney Jordan - double bass.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz On The Beach #216 24th / 31st December 2025
Domo Branch - Harlem Nights
New Jazz Underground - Pray 4 Me
Sinsuke Fujieda Group - Fukushima
Lophae - Family Tree
Sultan Stevenson - El Roi
Gilad Hekselman - Navanad
Vanisha Gould - Demure
Jason Miles’ Lisbon Electric 4Tet - Cactus
Theon Cross - Affirmations
Mark Kavuma & the Banger Factory - Wayward’s Return
Carl Allen - Happy Times
Knats - One For Josh
Lafayette Gilchrist’s New Volcanoes - Cut Through the Chase
James Brandon Lewis Quartet - Ware
Nadav Schneerson - Sheva
Tyreek McDole - The Sun Song (Precious Energy)
Lauren Scales, Mike Flanagan & Chris Grasso - Spanish Joint
Leon Anderson - PJ’s
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Jazz On The Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
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This is great! So many new things to check out. Glad you're on the case. Let's hope for a healthy, saner 2026.
Thanks so much for including our Lophae music!