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THE JW VIBE
Music That Sticks To My Soul
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DAVID WOHL, Feels Like Happiness
In a genre where many solo piano albums arrive with a clearly defined concept or carefully framed intention, David Wohl’s Feels Like Happiness takes a quieter, more revealing path. Rather than announcing itself, the album unfolds naturally, inviting the listener into its world without pretense. The effect is subtle but profound: a body of work that feels less constructed than lived, less presented than shared. From the opening moments, there is no sense of striving, no need t
Jonathan Widran
6 days ago


APSTARA, One Minute Mantras I: Awakening
Over the past several years, with her releases Breath of Gratitude and Breathe III, Juliet Lyons has created a deeply personal body of work rooted in breath, healing and inner renewal—music shaped not only by her keen artistic instincts but by lived experience. With One Minute Mantras I: Awakening, she introduces a new creative identity, Apstara, and with it, a subtle but meaningful shift in focus. Where earlier projects often unfolded as expansive, emotionally immersive jour
Jonathan Widran
Apr 23


MAN ON LAND, Echo the Hills
On Echo the Hills, Boston-based trio Man on Land—pianist Brian Friedland, bassist Greg Loughman and drummer Austin McMahon—expand their deeply intuitive group language and aesthetic with the addition of soprano (and sopranino) saxophonist Lihi Haruvi, whose presence proves to be both a natural extension and a catalytic force. The result is a fluid, often shape-shifting modern jazz set that artfully balances atmosphere, lyricism and exploratory fire, with each piece unfolding
Jonathan Widran
Apr 23


ZACH SWEENEY, Age Gracefully
After decades building a multi-faceted life defined by service, family and business, Zach Sweeney returns to his first creative calling with Age Gracefully, a debut EP years in the making that draws on songs written across the span of his life—from high school and college through the present day. Rather than a sudden reinvention, the project feels like a long-deferred arrival, a richly textured, lyrically fascinating and deeply personal collection shaped by time, perspective
Jonathan Widran
Apr 22


Q&A WITH DAN WHEETMAN of MARLEY'S GHOST
Often associated with the Pacific Northwest but never confined to a single geographic identity, Marley’s Ghost has, over four decades, carved out a singular place in the American roots music landscape through its seamless blend of folk, country, bluegrass, gospel and beyond. Rather than being rooted in a single city, the band reflects the wide-open spirit of the American West itself—a collective shaped by decades of life and music-making across Washington, California, Montana
Jonathan Widran
Apr 17


KRISTEN MATHER de ANDRADE, SEM FIM
Kristen Mather de Andrade’s Sem Fim is an intricately textured and deeply personal statement that bridges her classical training, jazz sensibilities, and profound lifelong connection to Brazilian music. From the charming, lyrical and uber-whimsical horn splashed delight “Atraente” through the sensually elegant vocal-graced “So o Tempo,” the New York-based clarinetist, vocalist and producer brings all facets of her artistry into focus on this lush, orchestral project, creati
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


JASON KRUK, Beyond the Veil
With Beyond the Veil , the long awaited follow-up to his 2009 debut album Leaving Saturn , veteran drummer and composer Jason Kruk delivers an ambitious and wide-ranging fusion project that blends technical precision with a strong sense of musical storytelling. Drawing on his extensive background across jazz, funk and rock, Kruk assembles an elite ensemble—including guitarists Wayne Krantz and Adam Rogers and members of Snarky Puppy—to create a vibrant, all at once musically
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


PAUL KAHN, Willingness
Infused with a swirl of jazz whimsy blended with ambient spaciousness and heartfelt intent, veteran singer-songwriter Paul Kahn transforms a lifetime of lived experience into a warm, roots-infused collection that blends elements of jazz, Americana, blues and folk into a multi-hued, deeply personal statement. Produced by Catherine Russell, whose musical sensibility and collaborative presence are felt throughout, the album – a follow up to the 2024 re-release of his sole 1999 c
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


MARIE-PAULE FRANKE, Through the Cracks the Light Is Born
On Through the Cracks the Light Is Born , vocalist and composer Marie-Paule Franke offers a deeply expressive and thoughtfully crafted collection that bridges jazz, folk and poetic singer-songwriter traditions. Backed by a finely attuned New York-based quartet featuring saxophonist Amir Mankovski, pianist Dongfeng Liu, double bassist Marcos Varela and drummer Matthias Künzli, Franke presents seven heartfelt original songs that unfold with emotional nuance, lyrical depth, gen
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


TOMAS JANZON, Jazz Diary
Guitarist and composer Tomas Janzon’s Jazz Diary is a compelling reflection of a creative process rooted in spontaneity, discipline and quiet observation. Drawn from handwritten musical fragments developed over time – intriguingly, often at between 3 and 4 a.m. - the 11 track album of thoughtfully tuneful, richly soulful and rhythmically diverse compositions unfolds as a series of intimate yet exploratory trio performances featuring bassist Nedra Wheeler and drummers Tony A
Jonathan Widran
Apr 16


DAPHNE PARKER POWELL, The Death of Cool
Can cool actually die? Before diving into the richly layered, stylistically fluid terrain of The Death of Cool , it’s worth noting that Daphne Parker Powell isn’t simply introducing a new collection of songs—she’s delivering a statement shaped by resilience, introspection and a fearless willingness to strip away illusion. Creating and recording while undergoing treatment for breast cancer, the New Orleans-based singer/songwriter channels not hardship, but clarity and hard-won
Jonathan Widran
Apr 14


GALAN TRIO, Kinesis, Volume 3
When an ensemble builds an ongoing series around a single conceptual thread, their challenge with each subsequent recording is not simply to sustain that initial vision, but to deepen and develop it, allowing it to evolve in ways that feel organic rather than repetitive. With Kinesis, Volume 3 , the Athens-based Galan Trio does exactly that, expanding their ambitious exploration of “motion” into new sonic territories while preserving the restless, ever-shifting spirit that ha
Jonathan Widran
Apr 11
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