Hello from Chicago. In the United States it is a holiday weekend. Or as I like to think of it, an extra day to listen to some great new recordings. Which is precisely what I have for you in New in Music This Week: September 4th.
My top pick is:
JAZZ: MOMENTISM – Jamie Safir – Chill Tone
Pianist/composer Safir has released an album of original music that showcases his chops as a musician and leader as well. Momentism is a great first impression.
Safir wrote 10 of Momentism’s songs. He co-wrote the 11th with Emma Smith. In other words, this is his vision throughout. It’s a vision that spans approximately a decade’s worth of composing.
Safir is gay. That frankly has no bearing on his music. But titles like Hirsute Pursuit (a clever rhyme for sure) and Black Star Sapphire (For Strayhorn) – one of my favorites – clue you in.
Safir clearly knows the musicians and the music that precedes him. Not just in the jazz world, but in other genres of music as well. He puts them all together to create what appears to be a deeply personal album.
Joining him on Momentism are Iain Ballamy on tenor sax, Conor Chaplin on bass and Luke Tomlinson on drums.
Though he’s appeared on other albums, in the words of Steve Allen, who wrote this big hit for Bobby Darin, this could be the start of something big.
I’m excited about Safir’s future. That’s why it’s my top pick this week.
Here are the other fine recordings that are New in Music This Week: September 4th:
CLASSICAL: CHOPIN & FAURÉ – Saehyun Kim – Warner Classics
This is a solid first album by pianist Saehyun Kim. The 19-year-old won the 2025 Long-Thibaud International Piano Competition in Paris and this album features music by composers who considered Paris their home.
The album opens with four works by Gabriel Fauré.
Of those four, I was most impressed with his delicate take on the composer’s Barcarolle No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 26.
The album is anchored by his performances of Chopin’s 12 Études, Op. 25. This is the most impressive part of his playing and the work itself allows a pianist to showcase speed, sensitivity, the ability to tackle complicated passages and lyricism. Kim navigates the challenges Chopin created most impressively.
He adds Chopin’s Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat Major, Op. 27 before concluding with Charles Trenet and Walter Eiger’s En avril à Paris. The last piece feels like the “encore” for an album that could easily serve as the foundation for a recital tour.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: LOVE SONGS & LULLABIES – Roxanna Panufnik – Signum Classics
This was my first exposure to British composer Panufnik. I was mesmerized by this collection that is, as the title proclaims, a selection of love songs and lullabies.
For seven of the 11 tracks, Panufnik has arranged traditional songs. The other four (When It’s Over Part I and II; When I Wake Up and When You Appear) are originals.
She’s joined by a multitude of artists to bring this beautiful music to life including cellist Matthew Barley, soprano Mary Bevan, the Brodsky Quartet, pianist Zeynep Özsuca, trombonist Peter Moore and many others.
Love Songs & Lullabies is a hypnotic album that is just what we need to take a nearly one-hour break from the madness in the world today.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: HER SYMPHONIC VOICE: LIVE IN CONCERT – Rutgers Symphony Orchestra / Ching-Chun Lai – Albany Records
Women composers whose work ranges from the late 19th century to our present day are performed with the ferocity and passion that they require by the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra.
Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman opens and is immediately followed by her For the Uncommon Woman. Two works by Chen Yi (Celebration and Tone Poem for Chamber Orchestra) follow.
Amy Beach’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 32 (Gaelic) continues the performance, but only the second and third movements are included here.
Gabriela Lena Frank’s Three Latin American Dances concludes the recording.
All of these are live recordings from various concerts the orchestra gave.
This terrific album is chock full of great performances of these works. I strongly encourage you to listen to Her Symphonic Voice. It’s a terrific break from the traditional repertoire and it is very well performed.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL – SAARIKOSKI SONGS – Kaija Saariaho / Anu Komsi / Marzi Nyman / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo – Ondine
I can’t get enough of the late Kaija Saariaho’s music. This intoxicating and rapturous album features the world premiere recordings of three of her works.
The album opens with Saarikoski Songs. The work takes five works by Finnish poet Pentti Saarikoski. Though the work had been recorded before, by the same vocalist Anu Komsi, this is the orchestral version. It’s beautifully sung and arranged.
Vista was inspired by the areas off the freeways in Southern California that are called vista points where you can take in the scenery around you. Having done the exact drive down the 5 Freeway towards San Diego, I can hear in this music exactly what that landscape looks like.
Organist Nyman and soprano Komsi complete the recording with Three Preludes. The text is derived from the Finnish translation of the Old Testament.
I mourn that Saariaho isn’t alive. Think of all the great music we’re missing out on. But recordings like this remind me of just how original and compelling a composer she was. Hopefully there will be more discoveries as satisfying as the three works on this album.
HYBRID CLASSICAL AND JAZZ: INSIDE OUT: PIANO MUSIC BY ALVIN SINGLETON – Jackie Leung – Albany Records
More discoveries for me with this album. I truly had only a passing awareness of American composer Singleton. I think I’ve heard one of his pieces before.
With Leung’s stunning album, I know why Singleton is difficult to pigeonhole. Which, in my book, makes him ever more interesting as a composer. Some of the work is clearly classical as traditionally defined. Other is more experimental. Some of it is jazz.
It is to Leung’s credit that she can navigate all this material so effectively and persuasively.
She is joined on one track by vibraphonist Ryan Scott for Greed Machine and pianist Erica Murase for the title track.
This was a great find and one I think gives anyone with an hour to spare a fascinating look into the mind, ear and soul of Singleton.
JAZZ: REPAVED – Jalen Baker – Cellar Music Group
Vibraphonist/composer Baker examines the upheaval happening to Houston’s 3rd Ward in the name of progress and gentrification. This powerful album speaks to the costs associated with repaving over the history and stories of that historic Black neighborhood.
In bringing his music to life he works with both a jazz quintet and a string quartet.
The quintet includes Alexandria DeWalt on flute; Paul Cornish on piano; Gabriel Godoy on bass and Gavin Moolchan on drums.
The string quartet features Tia Allen on viola; Chiara Jamila and Yoojin Park on violin and Reenat Pinchas on cello.
The thematic continuity of Baker’s compositions is evocatively illuminated by the playing of both ensembles of musicians.
You don’t need to know the history of the 3rd Ward to appreciate this music. The titles can lead you to do a little research and learn specifics about Baker’s references. But it isn’t necessary. It just makes the experiences infinitely more gratifying.
JAZZ: KURT ELLING & YELLOWJACKETS PLAY WEATHER REPORT: LIVE IN EUROPE – Kurt Elling + Yellowjackets – Big Shoulders Records
This album came in too late last Friday to include it. But I couldn’t ignore it either.
This two-disc set includes six songs associated with Weather Report that have new lyrics by Kurt Elling. These include two Wayne Shorter tunes, two by Jaco Pastorius and one each by Bob Mintzer and Joe Zawinul.
The Yellowjackets on this tour were Dane Alderson on fretless electric bass, Russell Ferrante on piano, Will Kennedy on drums and Bob Mintzer on saxophones.
All six tracks were recorded live while on tour in Europe and allow Elling to bring his own improvisational skills along with the lyrics he’s written to breathe new life into those songs.
There are three additional tracks in the form of studio recordings. They include The Elegant Ride (Elegant People) and Pallas’ Pallace (Palladium) that are part of the live tracks. A third Wayne Shorter tune, The Face in the Barroom Mirror. These are all performed by Alderson, Joey Calderazzo on piano, Marcus Finnie on drums and Mike Moreno on guitar.
Fans of all three artists will certainly enjoy this recording. The ways in which the amalgamation of Weather Report with Elling’s new lyrics come alive in this recording is beyond rewarding.
JAZZ: LINDA – Linda Sikhakhane – Blue Note
Another discovery: South African saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane. Though this is his fifth album, it’s the first I’ve heard. He is mighty impressive.
Sikhakhane wrote or co-wrote all nine tracks on LINDA. It’s a diverse collection of songs with an equally diverse approach to performing them. But throughout, Sikhakhane is on a spiritual journey -one that is arresting, contemplative and illuminating.
Joining him are Cameron Campbell on piano, Conway Campbell on bass and Kabelo Mokhatla on drums. Special guests include Phila Dlozi, Omagugu, Ovuyonke, Thabo Sikhakhane and ZuluBoy.
I plan to do a deeper dive in Sikhakhane’s music and check out some of these terrific musicians.
OPERA: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY – Mason Bates / Gene Scheer / Andrzej Filończyk / Miles Mykkanen / Edward Nelson / Sun-Ly Pierce / Metropolitan Opera Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Met Opera
This live recording from the Met Opera came out with no fanfare whatsoever. Had it not been for a social media post from tenor Miles Mykkanen, I wouldn’t have known about it. But I found out too late last Friday to include it.
I never saw the opera and didn’t have the advantage of a libretto to read while listening to it. Nonetheless, I was intrigued enough to continue through the entire recording and wish that I had seen it.
The playing and singing are terrific throughout. This recording left me wanting more information to make a truly informed opinion. Suffice to say if I made it all the way through the recording, there must be something compelling about it.
OPERA VOCALS: AMOUR: LES CHANSONS QUE J’AIME – Kirstin Chávez – Navona Records
Mezzo-soprano Chávez wasn’t known to me before this recording. She is called “the Carmen of a lifetime.” I haven’t seen every Carmen, certainly not hers, but she is quite impressive in this collection of songs she loves.
The composers whose work she performs here include Claude Debussy, Henri Duparc, Reynaldo Hahn, Franz Liszt and Camille Saint-Saëns. Of course, Bizet is here with the inclusion of Habanera from Carmen. All in all, there are 17 songs to enjoy.
Enjoy you will. She sings beautifully and is matched in beauty by her pianist Paolo André Gualdi.
VINYL REISSUES:
JAZZ: DIMENSION & EXTENSIONS – Sam Rivers – Blue Note Tone Poet
Critics have pointed to saxophonist Rivers’ album as an early avant-garde approach to music. If you listen to it, I think you’ll find that oversimplifies the music found on this 1967 album (that wasn’t released until 1986).
Rivers composed all six tracks here. He was joined on this recording by Donald Byrd on trumpet, Steve Ellington on drums; Cecil McBee on bass; Julian Priester on trombone and James Spaulding on alto sax and flute.
This is a highly regarded album that is a richly rewarding foreshadowing of where jazz music was going to go.
JAZZ: SONNY ROLLINS, VOL. 2 – Sonny Rollins– Blue Note Tone Poet
This album was originally released in 1957. Saxophonist Rollins wrote the first two tunes: Why Don’t I and Wail March. The next two tunes: Misterioso and Reflections were written by Thelonious Monk. The last two songs are You Stepped Out of a Dream and Poor Butterfly.
Joining Rollins were Art Blakey on drums; Paul Chambers on bass, Jay Jay Johnson on trombone and Horace Silver on piano. Monk plays piano on his two songs.
This is a great album and a worthwhile addition to any serious jazz fan’s collection.
Does the album art look familiar? Ask Joe Jackson.
That’s all for New in Music This Week: September 4th.
Enjoy your weekend!
Enjoy the music!
Main Photo: Part of the album art for Jamie Safir’s Momentism (Courtesy Chill Tone)