Jason Moran plays at the Park Avenue Armory, but in a set of solo piano that has a much more intimate feel than you'd expect! Over the years, Moran's playing has just gotten more and more beautiful – a subtle masterpiece of sounds, tones, and these colors that are very painterly at times – really reaching beyond the styles he gave us at the start, and showing his continued growth as an overall artist, reaching far beyond simple jazz-based expression! There's some really breathtaking moments here – including a few tracks commissioned by the Chicago Symphony – and titles include "Reanimation", "Wind", "Big News/More News", "All Hammers & Chains", "Alicia", and "Magnet". CD

Over the years, pianist Jason Moran has been an artist who seems to explore sound as much as music – and that's definitely the case here, as he works in a trio with Mary Halvorson on guitar and Ron Miles on cornet – both musicians who really seem to share Moran's idea for an open, sonic approach to his work! There's moments here that are almost hard to define in terms of the sound production – not avant, just beautifully different – mixed with more conventional modes that remind us that all three players can also be wonderful in the warmer side of the spectrum too. Titles include "Red Sky Green", "Cupid", "Conspiracy Blue", "My Father's House", "They Come To Us Theme", and "Gangsterism In The Wind". CD

Three different works, all created for artist Joan Jonas, and each with a slightly different approach! Pianist Jason Moran has a creative relationship with Jonas that extends back longer than a decade – and over the course of these pieces, you can really hear their ideas develop – from an initial mix of the music of Moran and the text of Jonas, to some richer more textural passages that are almost like paintings in music, words, and sound all coming together at once! Moran plays some keyboards in addition to acoustic piano, Jonas handles a bit of percussion, and the set also features voice by two other performers too. The works are "The Shape The Scent The Feel Of Things", "Reanimation", and "They Come To Us Without A Word". CD

Here's a record that's very close to our hearts – as pianist Jason Moran works here with a core group that includes Chicago saxophone legend Ken Vandermark, some spoken bits from Chicago artist Theaster Gates, and work from the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band – the south side high school that also gave the world Chaka Khan, R Kelly, and Jesse Saunders! Make no mistake, the project is definitely in Moran's territory – very ambitious, and with this wider vision that he's developed so strongly in recent years – a righteous expression of ideas that were always there at the core, but which find full flowering here. Other artists on the set include singer Katie Ernest, bassist Taurus Mateen, and drummer Nasheet Waits – on titles that include "Big News", "Wabash Stomp", "South Side Digging", "Make Noise", "Shoulder To Shoulder", and "Face Fade". CD

A searing live performance from Jason Moran – one recorded during his annual residency during Thanksgiving week at the Village Vanguard – a spot where Jason's clearly able to open up and really bring something special to the table! The set has a mix of modes that sometimes doesn't always get such a showcase on other records by Moran – as he can be dark and exploratory at times, while also open up and swing at others – in his well-hewn trio with Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums – both great players, but fitted so well into this combo, they seem to rise above the usual as well! Titles include "Gangsterism At The Vanguard", "Winds", "For Jaki", "Between Nothingness & Infinity", "Wind Finale", "Thelonious", "Big News/More News", and "South Side Digging". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful duets between this richly creative pair – a stripped-down set that really showcases the warmth and intimacy of Charles Lloyd's reed styles in recent years – and one that also has Jason Moran warming up a bit more than usual too! Lloyd plays tenor and alto, both with a very rich tone – plus bass and alto flutes – and although Moran mostly plays piano, he also handles a bit of tambourine – maybe in a way that underscores the rhythmic elements that Jason brings to his work on a few tracks. The centerpiece of the album is the "Hagar Suite" – which has some of the evocative, exotic modes of other Lloyd recordings – and other titles include "God Only Knows", "Pretty Girl", "Mood Indigo", "Bess You Is My Woman Now", and "Pictogram". CD

A searing live performance from Jason Moran – one recorded during his annual residency during Thanksgiving week at the Village Vanguard – a spot where Jason's clearly able to open up and really bring something special to the table! The set has a mix of modes that sometimes doesn't always get such a showcase on other records by Moran – as he can be dark and exploratory at times, while also open up and swing at others – in his well-hewn trio with Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums – both great players, but fitted so well into this combo, they seem to rise above the usual as well! Titles include "Gangsterism At The Vanguard", "Winds", "For Jaki", "Between Nothingness & Infinity", "Wind Finale", "Thelonious", "Big News/More News", and "South Side Digging". CD

Alicia Hall Moran's a singer that's unlike anyone else we can think of – a vocalist with the skills to handle a complex classical repertoire, but very much dedicated to opening up a new sort of spirit in music – similar to the instrumental territory explored by pianist Jason Moran, who produced the set and plays on the record a bit too! Make no mistake, this isn't a Jason Moran project with vocals – because from the very first note, Alicia's unique sound and complex approach to the material ring out – in shifting settings that feature a bit of her own piano, some bass and cello, and guitar from either Brandon Ross, Thomas Flippin, or Mary Halvorson, depending on the track. Titles include "Shh", "Come Back Into My Life", "Believe Me", "Open Door", "Flow My Tears For Smokey Robinson", "Heavy Blue Muse", and a compelling reworking of the Ellington tune "I Like The Sunrise". CD

Beautiful work from Charles Lloyd – a set of compelling originals mixed with standards, both old and new, performed in a laidback style that really makes the most of his wonderful tone! Lloyd was a player who was great from the start – but in recent years, he seems to have even deepened his sound more strongly – finding notes on the saxophone that few others could match, in ways that are similar to the levels that Archie Shepp hit during his maturing years. The cooled-off setting of the album works perfectly to highlight this great side of Lloyd's talents – and backing is subtle, and handled by the trio of Jason Moran on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. Titles include "Caroline No", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Monk's Mood", "Mirror", "Ruby My Dear", "Lift Every Voice & Sing", "Desolation Song", and "Tagi". CD

The Blue Note debut of cornet player Ron Miles – a musician with a great sense of phrasing, and maybe some of the strongest sense of color we've ever heard come from the instrument in recent years! The group here, though, is really a strong part of that sense of tone – as the lineup features Bill Frisell delivering some delicious elements on guitar, and Jason Moran fleshing things out on piano – while drummer Brian Blade works with his strong sense of spaciousness, often letting the silences between his drumbeats do as much as the percussion itself. Bassist Thomas Morgan wraps the whole thing together from the bottom up – and Miles delivers a strong set of original compositions for the record – including "Queen Of The South", "Like Those Who Dream", "The Rumor", "Custodian Of The New", "This Old Man", "Blinder", "A Kind Word", and "Rainbow Sign". CD

Features Greg Osby on alto, Jason Moran on piano, Lonnie Plaxico and Calvin Jones on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. Tracks include "Six Of One", "Transparency", "Mentor's Prose", "Vixen's Vance", "Of Sound Mind", and "13th Floor". CD

The Blue Note debut of alto saxophonist Logan Richardson – an up-and-coming player you might know from a few previous records, or his work with Jason Moran, Gerald Clayton, or the Next Collective! This set may well surpass all those other projects, though – as Richardson's really emerging as a visionary in his own right – leading a creative quintet here that features strong piano and Fender Rhodes from Moran, guitars from Pat Metheny, and drums from Nasheet Waits – a lineup that might well intimidate a weaker player, but which really seems to set Richardson on fire! The presence of both Metheny and Moran is great – and gives the music this electric vibe that also retains an edge – one that makes for a nice counterpart to Logan's lines on alto, and which seems to underscore some of their darker qualities too. Production and performance are pretty straightforward, which is a further strength of the set – and titles are mostly originals – save for a version of Bruno Mars' "Locked Out Of Heaven". Original tracks include "Time", "Alone", "Imagine", "Creeper", "Mind Free", and "In Your Next Life". CD

An incredible album from Charles Lloyd – one that seems to return him to his spiritual flowering of the 60s – maybe just because the set begins with a searing long take of his classic "Dream Weaver"! But there's also a richness here that we don't always hear from Lloyd – and a sense of cohesion in his quartet that's completely wonderful – with some especially strong piano from Jason Moran, who may well have found his best musical home in years. Bassist Reuben Rogers is tremendous, too – full-voiced, and almost as powerful as Lloyd at times – and drummer Eric Harland really knows how to skirt between the many moods and sensitive moments of the players. In addition to "Dream Weaver", other titles include "Passin Thru", "Shiva Prayer", "Nu Blues"," How Can I Tell You", and "Tagore On The Delta". CD

Joe Lovano on tenor & soprano saxophone & flute, Greg Osby on alto & soprano saxophone, Cameron Brown on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums & Jason Moran on piano. CD

The Blue Note debut of cornet player Ron Miles – a musician with a great sense of phrasing, and maybe some of the strongest sense of color we've ever heard come from the instrument in recent years! The group here, though, is really a strong part of that sense of tone – as the lineup features Bill Frisell delivering some delicious elements on guitar, and Jason Moran fleshing things out on piano – while drummer Brian Blade works with his strong sense of spaciousness, often letting the silences between his drumbeats do as much as the percussion itself. Bassist Thomas Morgan wraps the whole thing together from the bottom up – and Miles delivers a strong set of original compositions for the record – including "Queen Of The South", "Like Those Who Dream", "The Rumor", "Custodian Of The New", "This Old Man", "Blinder", "A Kind Word", and "Rainbow Sign". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Stefon Harris – one of the boldest voices on vibes of his generation– with a sound that resonates strongly with older work by Bobby Hutcherson and Walt Dickerson! Like both of those players, Harris has a way of approaching the vibes that is freshly modern, yet also strongly rhythmic and swinging – a groove that comes out even on the more experimental numbers in the set, and which makes the album resonate with colors and tones that few others on the instrument can match. The overall sound here is marked by Greg Osby's presence in the group and his production – but thankfully, those elements are a bit underplayed – and other players on the record include Steve Turre on trombone and Jason Moran on piano. Titles include "Feline Blues", "There Is No Greater Love", "Of Things To Come", "Bass Vibes", "Collage", "The Alchemist", "Chorale", "Faded Beauty", and "After The Day Is Done". LP, Vinyl record album