Chicago baritone Paul Marinaro delivers a stunning tribute to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with Mood Ellington — a bold, beautifully arranged double album brought to life with a nine-piece band and a 12-piece violin ensemble. Our latest review dives into the artistry, arrangements, and live performances at Studio5, where Marinaro proves once again why he remains one of Chicago’s most compelling jazz vocalists.

Markus Rutz, His latest album, Many Moons, is both an expansion and a reflection of his career, but with a significant difference: this is the first one where he left the recording booth to someone else and was just a musician among others.

Entre Amigos, Magpie Magpie  Entre Amigos Records, 2025 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Roy McGrath, tenor and soprano saxophones Hana...

Sharel Cassity Gratitude Sunnyside, 2025 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sharel Cassity, alto sax, clarinet Cyrus Chestnut, piano Christian...

The Shelley Yoelin/Gabriel Datcu Quintet. Rojo , Independent release, 2025. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Shelley Yoelin , tenor saxophone...

Chicago Jazz Orchestra, featuring Bobby Broom " More Amor: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery " CJO Music, 2025 By Jeff Cebulski ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2...

Within the panoply of Chicago jazz guitarists, Steve Knight has sagaciously crafted a following who appreciate his bright, straight-ahead forays into classic and world-savvy tunes.

Avishai Cohen, "Ashes to Gold", ECM, 2025 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Avishai Cohen: trumpet Yonathan Avisha: piano Barak Mori: bass...

Jazz Review - Supercharged with Dame’s performance personality, this new album provides a spirited and nuanced revisit to an exceptional dec

Jazz Review - Chicago Jazz "A Small Patch of Earth demonstrates Paul Dietrich’s compositional skills and highlights his more pastoral style"

After their alluring pop-up concert , I thought saxophonist Roy McGrath and his quartet were on the verge of something great.

Christian Dillingham’s Halcyon melds his jazz sensibilities with sophisticated musical pedigree, giving us something to revisit.

Kahil El'Zabar. Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit. Spiritmuse Records, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2   Kahil...

Bobby Lewis. No Expiration Date Cool Horn Records, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   On No Experation Date, the Indefatigable Bobby...

Twin Talk. Twin Talk Live Shifting Paradigm Records, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   Dustin Laurenzi, tenor saxophone Katie Ernst,...

Bamako*Chicago Soundsystem Nicole Mitchell FPE Records By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   Nicole Mitchell, flute Ballaké Sissoko, kora Fatim...

From Here Alyssa Allgood Next Records, 2024. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Generally considered, vocal jazz concept albums can be dominated...

Silent, Listening Fred Hersch ECM, 2024. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The title of pianist Fred Hersch’s second album for ECM, Silent,...

Sanyas Steve Turre Smoke Sessions Record, 2024. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Trombonist and conch shell blower Steve Turre (who appears...

The Almighty Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few Division 81 Records 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 The path that Chicago saxophonist and...

Petra van Nuis & Dennis Luxion From Me To You Petra van Nuis : Vocals Dennis Luxion : piano Review : Patrick Romanowski A duet in a...

Our Day John Dokes Swing Theory Entertainment, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 On his new album Our Day, Chicago’s smooth-as-silk...

Last Call Kabir Dalawari Shifting Paradigm Records, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 If you venture to Chicago drummer Kabir Dalawari’s...

The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow. Charles Lloyd Blue Note, 2024. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 After many years with the label ECM,...

Flex Trio's new album, “Facets of Form” is a wind up precision cooker from the new Chicago instrumental trio in their recording debut....

One For All Big George Smoke Sessions Records By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The NYC-based ensemble One For All has carried the post bop...

Andy Pratt’s “Trio,” is a starry, tender knockout. Pratt’s latest studio album is an intimate showcase displaying a handsome...

Chris Potter Eagle’s Point Edition Records, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Four jazz superstars gather for a recording session. What...

Julian Lage Speak to Me Blue Note, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 As a producer, Joe Henry has guided groups and individuals through...

Joel Ross nublues Blue Note, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Being in the midst of Black History Month, I think it’s important to note...

Vijay Iyer Compassion ECM, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 By Jeff Cebulski (Four-and-a-half stars) An early candidate for Album of...

Eddie Henderson Witness to History Smoke Sessions Records, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 The jazz trumpet player Dr. Eddie Henderson...

Lisa Hilton Coincidental Moment Ruby Slippers Production, 2023. By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 West coast pianist Lisa Hilton is a prolific...

Sam Robinson Third Time's a Charm Independent Release, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Throughout the first quarter of this 21st Century,...

Amanda Auteur Independent Release, 2024 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 The alto saxophonist Amanda Gardier, formerly of Indianapolis and...

Shawn Maxwell J Town Suite Cora Street Records, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 The western community of Joliet has, to me, the look...

Hundreds of artists present Christmas/Hanukkah recordings each year, so many that it is impossible to cover them sufficiently. Here are...

Paul Giallorenzo Play Delmark Records, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 When I was teaching general ed composition, I would play...

Zubin Edalji Four Windows Independently, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Being a fan of classic quintets, I wasn’t put off at all by...

As a person who loves jazz but isn’t a musician, I have learned that the bassist is often a vehicle for clarity and context when the...

John Wojciechowski Swing of the Pendulum Independent Release, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Saxophonist John Wojciechowski, one of...

Vince Guaraldi A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording, 50th Anniversary Special Edition. Lee Mendelson Film...

Joe Alterman "Big Mo & Little Joe: Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann" Joe Alterman Music, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pianist Joe...

Constantine Alexander Firetet Independent release 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 For as much as jazz continuously moves forward in...

Christian Dillingham Cascades Greenleaf Music 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have always believed that the more postmodern,...

George Freeman The Good Life High Note, 2023 By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 The most remarkable thing, to me, about the Freeman brothers,...

Paul Wertico Drums Without Boundaries, 2023. Da Vinci Publishing By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Conventional popular music, including jazz,...

Orrin Evans, The Red Door, 2023 Smoke Session Records By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 For all of his talents, pianist Orrin Evans remains...

Paul Marinaro Not Quite Yet, 2022. 122 Myrtle Records By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 If you think that Frank Sinatra’s In the Wee Small...

Accidental Melody is the accumulation of Joanie and Sparrow’s post-pandemic feelings, represented by often ironic or paradoxical bromides