S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T ::: 3 Songs with Liz Elensky

Season 3 of Blue-in-Green:RADIO's S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T series continues with the celebration of some of our favourite vocalists.  In support of our selections, we've plucked a snazzy 3-song round-up featuring a mish-mash of under-appreciated collaborations and under-the-radar remixes that may have passed listeners by.

An artist that we have been so keen to celebrate as part of this series is the incredible Liz Elensky.  As an invaluable and indelible contributor to Nick Woodmansey's Emanative project, Elensky's vocals have graced a fantastic array of tracks from 'Planet B', 'Eye Dive', 'Illusions' and 'When on Earth' as well as delivering their full-length album release in 2021's 'The Volume of the Light'.  With a unique and distinct style and approach to her music, Elensky has proved frighteningly adept at veering between 60s soul, spiritual jazz along with more dance-orientated soundscapes.  With a handful of solo singles to her name - including 'Distractions' and 'You're Everything' - Elensky would release music sparingly making anything people can find a compulsory purchase.

Here are three Liz Elensky tracks that no Liz Elensky collection should be without...

1. 'Love is All' by Marc Rapson featuring Liz Elensky (2021)

As Futuristica Music approach celebrations for their twentieth year this year, it seems apt to visit 'the complete edition' of Marc Rapson's 'Dark vs Light'.  As one of the label's prominent audio architects, the producer's genius was afforded a platform, initially, over two EPs that have since been packaged together.  An excellent release featuring instrumental gems, a brilliant ode to Jay Dee and a scene-stealing performance from Liz Elensky on 'Love is All'.  With Rapson having remixed tracks Emanative's 'Time' album, boasting Elensky's vocals of course, more between the two would have been wholly welcome but their chemistry has brilliantly been captured through the collaborations that we did get.

2. 'Love & Light' by Emanative & Liz Elensky featuring Dan Jose & Deoke (2021)

Liz Elensky has consistently proved an invaluable contributor when considering the phenomenal lineage of Emanative's music.  As a guest vocalist for a litany of Emanative songs and albums, their musical union was finally captured for their highly anticipated full-length release, 'The Volume of the Light'.  An album that was perhaps massively overdue, the album was every bit the treasure that was expected from the duo's long-time listeners.  In support of the title track that we've selected for this list, we'd also like to spotlight the wonderful accompanying remixes from Awkward Corners and M Linzatti.

3. 'A Walk in the Park' by MOMO. featuring Liz Elensky (2024)

Brazilian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Marcelo "MOMO" Frota delivered an undeniable treasure with his seventh full-length release, 'Gira', unveiled through Batov Records.  Having set out to create a notably groove-inspired record, Frota assembled a dream team of talent for the ten-track project featuring Emanative on drums, trombonist Rosie Turton, keyboardist Jessica Lauren and saxophonists Alabaster DePlume and Tamar Osborn.  Truly an incredible line-up who contribute massively to the album's musical gumbo of styles and genres, brilliantly fusing elements of Brazilian stylings with contemporary jazz and psychedelic soul to create some scintillating results.  As well as providing backing vocals on 'Beija-Flor' and 'Rio', the wonderful Liz Elensky delivers a star turn on the suitably meandering 'A Walk in the Park'.

S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T ::: 3 Songs with Raheem DeVaughn

Season 3 of Blue-in-Green:RADIO's S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T series continues with the celebration of some of our favourite vocalists.  In support of our selections, we've plucked a snazzy 3-song round-up featuring a mish-mash of under-appreciated collaborations and under-the-radar remixes that may have passed listeners by.

Tonight focuses on the music of the indelible "R&B hippie neo-soul rock star", Raheem DeVaughn.  Debuting through Jive Records for his first two album releases, 'The Love Experience' and 'Love Behind the Melody' (2008), DeVaughn asserted not just a signature sound but an incredible work ethic that saw him as a consistent performer and staple collaborator for artists including Kev Brown, Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, Guru, T-Pain, Ghostface Killah, among countless others.  With three Grammy nominations to his name and eleven solo albums, DeVaughn's established and distinctive sound that positions his inimitable voice alongside production that’s heavily inspired by old school aesthetics but still a showcase for a progressive and contemporary R&B sound.

Here are three Raheem DeVaughn tracks that no Raheem DeVaughn collection should be without...

1. 'I Would Die 4 U' by Raheem DeVaughn (2010)

The Prince classic originally housed on 'Purple Rain' gets a wonderful transformation from the infectious, hi-energy and synth-heavy number we all know and love.  With DeVaughn's cover available through his Bandcamp page, and dating back to 2010, we're treated to a near five-minute, more soulful and organic-sounding rendition with a live band in tow as well.  Easily a Raheem gem that may have slipped by a lot of people, this fantastic take on one of Prince's most beloved tracks is quite brilliantly reinterpreted.  It's a shame this version didn't make its way to any of DeVaughn's albums but it's one not to miss.

2. 'My Soul Ain't for Sale' by DJ Jazzy Jeff featuring Raheem DeVaughn (2007)

DJ Jazzy Jeff has a lengthy lineage of tracks alongside Raheem DeVaughn.  As one of the leading contributors for Jeff's debut solo full-length in 'The Magnificent' - with DeVaughn providing vocals for three of the album's tracks as well as jumping on the remix for 'For Da Love Of Da Game' - it was only fitting that the singer-songwriter would return for the follow-up album 'The Return of The Magnificent'.  Marking an excellent follow-up which paired Jeff alongside heavy-hitters including Method Man, CL Smooth and J-Live, it was the DeVaughn collaboration for 'My Soul Ain't for Sale' that was the album's definitive highlight.  Sampling Bobby Caldwell's 'What You Won't Do for Love' to fantastic effect, DeVaughn oozes charisma over fantastic production.

3. 'It's Your World' [Extended Mix] by Brian Jackson & Masters at Work featuring Raheem DeVaughn & J Ivy (2025)

The latest release from revered drummer Brian Jackson, due out on BBE Records this year, has boasted an incredible roll-out so far.  Preceded by two essential EPs, Jackson's too-good-to-be-true pairing alongside the Masters at Work duo of Kenny Dope and Louie Vega looks set to unveil one of the year's best releases.  Billed as a double-disc release and featuring nineteen tracks, Brian Jackson's 'Now More Than Ever' features an inspired guest list including Black Thought, Omar, Rahsaan Patterson and of course Raheem DeVaughn.  The album version of 'It's Your World' comes in at a whopping seven+ minutes but the single/extended mix clocks at an even more whopping eleven+ minutes so absolutely be sure to check for the extended version, particularly for the completists amongst you.

'The Art of Deep Connection' by Omar Ríos Meléndez and Alex Wilson

The late, great vibraphonist and bandleader Roy Ayers once said "The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers."

It's an inspired - and somewhat humble - assessment of music and of the artist's own place within the delivery of that message but fascinatingly the latest release from Alex Wilson and Omar Ríos Meléndez offers up the idea that in some cases the message itself may not be the most prevalent aspect of the project.  Sometimes the conversation - the real-time musical negotiation of thoughts and ideas - can serve as the basis for a project's over-arching meaning.

Through the release of the duo's debut album, 'The Art of Deep Connection', the music in this case may not be carrying the message as Ayers suggests but perhaps shaping or even constructing it as we delve deeper into the album's ten exquisite tracks.

Incredibly, 'The Art of Deep Connection' marks the first full-length release from pianist Alex Wilson and guitarist Omar Ríos Meléndez.  Having only first played together in 2021, the kinship they discovered for each other as performers was instant and thankfully embraced leading to the release of their first, hopefully of many, collaborative efforts.

And as far as collaborators within the Latin jazz tradition go, few can serve as accomplished or experienced as much as the Zurich-based Wilson.  With nine albums to his name, the pianist can further boast collaborations dating back to the 1990s with work alongside Courtney Pine, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masakela, Jocelyn Brown and Rodrigo y Gabriela.  Wilson's far-reaching affection for a variety of musical genres and styles is similarly echoed by Ríos Meléndez who also thrives within the fields of flamenco, jazz, fusion and Latin stylings.  Now based in London, Ríos Meléndez has graced stages across the world in a career spanning nearly two decades clocking up performances in the US, Colombia, Belgium, Costa Rica and his native Nicaragua. 

'The Art of Deep Connection' proves not only a scintillating exchange between Ríos Meléndez's guitar and Wilson's piano but also a project indicative of each's values and extensive musical make-up.  Featuring a mix of covers and newly-composed pieces, the album proves a definitively joyous experience: a suitably enlightened take on 'La Mora Limpia' kicks the album off in vibrant fashion, followed by arguably the album's brightest moment in the deeply infectious perspective on Luis Enrique's salsa gem, 'Yo No Sé Mañana'.  There's something of an added treat in that each artist affords themselves the luxury of a solo offering on the album -  'Bésame Mucho' for Wilson and 'Water Reflections' for Ríos Meléndez - both sublimely performed highlighting the proficiency of each artist in elegant fashion.

If we further consider Ayers' opening perspective that the musicians are merely conduits in delivering the message then 'The Art of Deep Connection' boldly proposes that perhaps the message can be born of the interaction itself.  While having something to say is undoubtedly a gift, having someone to say it with can be all the more meaningful.

New Music round-UP

'My Brain Feels So Good' by CommsBreakdown + Socool

We never seem to have long to wait before we find ourselves gushing over new music from Emily "Socool" Sobool.  Always seeming to cater to her prolific music-making tendencies, Socool unveils a fantastically imaginative collaboration with like-minded producer, Steve "CommsBreakdown" Ash in 'My Brain Feels So Good'.

As a writer, drum & bass artist, producer and, if the rumours are to be believed - "eater of chocolate" - Ash's CommsBreakdown moniker has only been functioning since 2024 but he has managed to release a vast array of music in that time spanning the electronic realms of drum & bass to ambient downtempo.

Ash's efforts surely make him a kindred spirit when considering the consistently high quality output of Socool's offerings over the last few years.  From an incredible and sublime full-length last year in 'To the Nines' to a vast array of nuanced and dreamy productions comprising collaborations, standalone singles, remixes and EPs.

Stemming from conversations between the two regarding the use of guitars within electronic music, a jam session by Ash strumming away became the catalyst for each artist to adapt the recordings into their own styles accordingly.  Serving as an inspired concept, the end-result gifts listeners two sensational mixes that give credence to the guitar in electronic music concept.

'Certain Sevens Vol 1' by The Night Service Commute

The incredible efforts of the enigmatic producer and DJ, Tommy Willetts, had previously made his formal introductions via his incredible project, 'In Transit', from 2023.  Released through the UK's Certain Sounds Records, the hip-hop-meets-jazz aesthetic of Willetts' nine-track opus garnered itself buckets of well-deserved praise and elevated his Night Service Commute alter-ego to enthusiastic listeners.  As part of Certain Sounds' new Certain Sevens series, the project is kicked off with an immaculate two-track release from Willetts, once again donning the Night Service Commute cowl.

Released as a limited edition lathe cut 7" vinyl, Willetts' hip-hop tendencies are given a broader scope here while still managing to effortlessly retain the jazz influence that endeared 'In Transit' to so many.

'Downfall', featuring Ash the Author, captures a moody golden era boom-bap soundscape that is divine while the spoken word delivery from Louie G for 'Halfspeed' makes itself fittingly at home against the haunting and mildly trippy production.  Brilliant.

'Keeping the Faith Alive in 2025' by The JoGo Project

Founded by Elijah Jamal Balbed, The JoGo Project continue with their relatively new partnership with Honest Lee's Growroom Productions.  Initially commemorating their union with the infectious feel-good anthem '(That) JoGo Groove' in 2024 - the featuring the esteemed trombone of Greg Boyer - Balbed and company would go on to round out 2025 with the truly incredible three-track release 'Keeping the Faith Alive in 2025'.  At the time though, listeners hadn't realised that the EP would become an evolving project with a further two tracks being included amidst the EP's expanded edition.

Through live performances and new music releases, Growroom have long had their finger on the pulse of funk & soul when it comes to Washington-based artists.  With a range of incredible music - often serving as a showcase for both new and established talent - JoGo's inclusion amidst the Growroom roster continues to deliver thrilling results.  From the all-out funk of 'The Real Project 2025' to the EP's new additions which include soul-drenched reinterpretations of soul music classics.  Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day' and Stevie Wonder's 'Creepin'' receive heartfelt renditions featuring lots of band solos and with an excellent lead vocal from Desiree Jordan.

'Blue Hour' by RETI

The debut full-length from singer, songwriter and violinist Reti Ann Niimann comes courtesy of the Estonian recording hub of Funk Embassy Records.  A label that showcases an intriguing array of powerhouse vocalists and bands that exude just the right doses of contemporary R&B elegantly mixed with 70s-era disco and early-80s soul.  Much like RETI's debut, it's a concoction that pays loving homage to a quintessential period in soul music's lineage but cleverly includes enough charisma and personality to showcase herself as an artist forging her own path.

Spearheaded by the lead single 'Shake' in early 2025, the nine tracks comprising 'Blue Hour' brilliantly present the whole album as events taking place during a single night out.  It's a great concept and while many would perhaps interpret the theme as an album full of dancefloor-centric, joyous numbers, 'Blue Hour' opens with a track charting the need for escapism.  It's a nuance that runs through much of 'Blue Hour' whereby up-tempo tracks are skilfully tinged with tales of heartbreak, loneliness and regret.  Boasting a fantastic vocal and some excellent production, courtesy of Martin Laksberg, RETI presents a definitive standout for Funk Embassy and a statement of intent for herself going forward.

S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T ::: 3 Songs with Leona Berlin

Season 3 of Blue-in-Green:RADIO's S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T series continues with the celebration of some of our favourite vocalists.  In support of our selections, we've plucked a snazzy 3-song round-up featuring a mish-mash of under-appreciated collaborations and under-the-radar remixes that may have passed listeners by.

Tonight focuses on the music of singer-songwriter, Leona Berlin.  With her debut full-length released in 2018, Berlin has continued to depict a bold and innovative vision of R&B and neo-soul.  With the independent releases of 'Change' (2021) and 'ELEVATE' (2025), Berlin's Berlin's music has consistently touted the benefits of individuality, self-awareness and self-confidence and the importance of those values as a starting point to move forward.  Whether it be earlier single releases including 'Cage', 'Feminine Energy' or more recent efforts with 'Jealousy', Berlin has consistently created statements of anthemic impact that continue to position her as the benchmark for today's R&B and neo-soul artists.

Here are three Leona Berlin tracks that no Leona Berlin collection should be without...

1. 'Floating Freely' by Magro featuring Leona Berlin (2019)

With Magro having served as a co-producer and drummer for each of Leona Berlin's three releases to date - and Berlin having guested on several Magro tracks over the years - the duo's music has been intrinsically intertwined since they each debuted.  While each of Leona's appearances on Magro releases are scene-stealing turns, for the purposes of this list, we'll turn your attention to the standalone single release, 'Floating Freely'.  It's a wonderful track that embraces a clear neo-soul aesthetic but still teases enough of the drummer/producer's more off-kilter and eclectic tendencies.

2. 'High Life' by Leona Berlin featuring Sedric Perry (2021)

Released as a standalone single in the run-up to Berlin's sophomore album 'Change', inexplicably this gem didn't find its way onto the actual album.  Featuring US vocalist Sedric Perry, the track further features an excellent video with Berlin's sister in the role of the waitress.  A wonderful track brilliantly capturing Berlin's penchant for warmly-produced, effervescent R&B/neo-soul soundscapes and an excellent pre-cursor to the styles indicative of 'Change' that would follow that year.

3. 'Thinking About You' by Leona Berlin featuring Replife & Casey Benjamin (2018)

Heading back to Berlin's self-titled debut album for this one which features an incredible dream team of US rapper Replife alongside the late, great saxophonist Casey Benjamin.  Leona Berlin has long been an artist that totally invests in the visuals of her music as her projects have progressed - third album 'ELEVATE' can nearly lay claim to having a video for nearly every one of the album's tracks which is incredibly ambitious.  The video for 'Thinking About You' certainly conveys one of her best as the track is accompanied by visuals depicting a notably trippy take of the city late at night.

'Pressure Heat Space & Time' by LaNote

The latest release from vocalist and producer Caroline "LaNote" Marks represents a milestone moment within her ongoing evolution as an artist.  And the word 'evolution' always seems like a pertinent term when assessing the artist's music releases to date.

From the hip-hop-meets-soul backdrop of the As Valet-produced 'Rebirth' to the eclectic beat-tape soundscape of 'The Nola Clarks Xprmt' to the deliciously trippy journey chartered throughout last year's 'Astronote Rainbow'.

Much like we had previously described 'Astronote Rainbow' as being a somewhat Alice in Wonderland excursion that draws our protagonist further into the rabbit hole, a broader assessment of LaNote's music, spanning the full range of her releases, could very much be considered along the same lines.  It's the definition of a bold and immersive evolutionary experience that listeners have been invited on since her debut release.

In 2026, LaNote's journey is commemorated through 'Pressure Heat Space & Time'; a nine-track project that finds the artist presenting a notably lush selection of nu-soul-inspired R&B compositions each boasting warm - almost intimate - production that LaNote snugly settles into.  With a vocal tailor-made for these dreamy backdrops, LaNote's smoky and laid-back style ushers the project into chillout territory while still managing to convey enough of LaNote's charm and charisma throughout.

As past projects have proven however, there is little, production-wise, that LaNote wouldn't be able to make her own - from hip-hop beat-tape stylings to more visceral electronic backdrops, LaNote's deft versatility always shines right through.

With past album releases through Futuristica Music, Laissedoudis Records and A Night on Canopy, 'Pressure Heat Space & Time' finds its home in the increasingly hallowed walls of Oioji Records.  With a fantastic year of releases in 2025 courtesy of Kistor Beating Drums, Gus La Tempête, As Valet and Claude Saturne, 2026 is spearheaded by this fantastic project which - in signature Oioji Records fashion - further boasts scene-stealing album artwork courtesy of Régine Lanoir.  

With a deliciously evocative title that suggests that the album itself is a product of a litany of extenuating circumstances - be them personal, societal or global - like a diamond, the album is also proof that from such extremities something incredible can subsequently be born as well.

S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T ::: 3 Songs with Esperanza Spalding

Season 3 of Blue-in-Green:RADIO's S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T series continues with the celebration of some of our favourite vocalists.  In support of our selections, we've plucked a snazzy 3-song round-up featuring a mish-mash of under-appreciated collaborations and under-the-radar remixes that may have passed listeners by.

Tonight focuses on the music of bassist, band leader and singer-songwriter, Esperanza Spalding.  Since her debut album release in 2006, the Grammy-winning artist has gone on to solidify herself as one of the genre's premier names in contemporary jazz.  Through releases on Heads UP and Concord, Spalding has amassed ten full-length albums as well as extensive collaborations with names including Wayne Shorter, Karriem Riggins and Nicholas Payton.  Always seeking to create music that draws from a deeper well of inspiration, Spalding's expansive catalogue freely flits between Latin jazz to funk-rock to R&B consistently displaying such mastery at each turn and proving her indelible worth to today's jazz landscape.

Here are three Esperanza Spalding tracks that no Esperanza Spalding collection should be without...

1. 'Why We Speak' by Robert Glasper featuring Esperanza Spalding & Q-Tip (2022)

The third of Robert Glasper's 'Black Radio' trilogy maintained the pianist's penchant for big name guests including Gregory Porter, Lalah Hathaway and Jennifer Hudson.  A wonderful entry into the series, 'Black Radio III' showcased some outstanding tracks perhaps best spearheaded by this gem which unites the colossal names of Glasper, Esperanza Spalding and Q-Tip.  A trio with a lengthy lineage between them - Q-Tip having produced on Spalding's 'Radio Music Society' album, Glasper having appeared on Tip's 'The Renaissance', and Glasper and Spalding having performed and recorded together on a multitude of tracks - 'Why We Speak' served as a dream collaboration that delivers in every way.

2. 'Freesia' by Nicholas Payton featuring Esperanza Spalding (2011)

Although the trumpeter Nicholas Payton boasts the distinction of featuring Spalding as a member of his trio - alongside drummer Karriem Riggins - for his album 'Triune' in 2025, he also had the pleasure of showcasing the vocalist on the track 'Freesia'.  Housed on Payton's album 'Bitches' from 2011, the album served as his foray into R&B with Payton himself tackling the bulk of the album's vocals but still managing to feature an incredible list of featured artists including Saunders Sermons, Cassandra Wilson, N'Dambi and Chinah Blac.  Spalding's appearance on 'Freesia' undoubtedly delivers a strong album highlight and provides another entry into the collaborators' extensive collection of music together.

3. 'Dawn' by Nubya Garcia featuring Esperanza Spalding (2024)

It's always been a continual joy to see how the London-based saxophonist Nubya Garcia continues to grow in prominence and distinction over the years.  Having established herself through releases on Jazz Re:freshed, as a member of spiritual jazz outfit Maisha and as a key collaborator alongside a litany of contemporary London talent including Moses Boyd and Joe Armon-Jones.  Garcia's star would shine particularly bright following her signing to Concord Jazz and the release of her full-length solo debut 'SOURCE ⧺ WE MOVE' in 2021.  Garcia's sophomore album release delivered some exceptional moments notably the collaboration with Esperanza Spalding on the track 'Dawn'.  A total dream collaboration you'd have been forgiven for thinking we'd never get to see.

'Rare Groove Spectrum, Vol. 3' by Lance Ferguson

The tirelessly prolific efforts of Lance Ferguson now find the New Zealand-born and Melbourne-based DJ, producer, musician and band leader unveil the third instalment of his Rare Groove Spectrum series through the hallowed walls of Tru Thoughts Records.

And any reference to Ferguson's music-making as 'tirelessly prolific' could never be seen as an overstatement - we'd all do well to keep a continually keen eye on Ferguson's ongoing musical adventures that take him from the bombastic funk & soul of The Bamboos to the spiritual jazz of Menagerie or the bossa-boogie-nu-cool of Rare Groove Spectrum.

An incredibly diverse and imaginative artist really able to cultivate any style and adapt to the sounds around him.

We fleetingly mentioned The Bamboos but theirs is also a musical contribution that should be heralded.  With over twenty years of releases and global performances with Ferguson at the helm, Australia's funk and soul luminaries serve as compulsory to the contemporary funk & soul landscape as much as the efforts of The Mighty Mocambos, The Budos Band or The New Mastersounds.

The Rare Groove Spectrum however has afforded Ferguson a compelling new musical adventure.  Spearheaded by the first in the series - unveiled in 2018 through label home at the time Freestyle Records - Ferguson set out to reimagine a series of classic funk, jazz and soul tracks, repackaging them within a groovy jazz-funk aesthetic.  It's a project that ultimately showcases a devoted affection for music stemming from seemingly disparate and unrelated realms.  From Azymuth to Anderson .Paak, the Rare Groove Spectrum to date continues to present Ferguson's unadulterated fandom through an audio smorgasbord of music and culture.

Ferguson had previously alluded to the Rare Groove perception of the songs as being conceived through the eyes of a DJ and reinterpreting songs as desired - fleshing certain songs out further while highlighting perhaps undersold aspects of the originals.  Perhaps Ferguson's years of spinning and collecting records would ultimately pave the way for the Rare Groove Spectrum series to come to fruition as so many of these boundary- and genre-less ideals are beautifully captured through Ferguson's unhindered vision.  

With a versatile selection of tracks covered included 'My Future' by Billie Eilish, Gene Harris' 'Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong' and Pyramid's 'Song for Bobby', the third instalment of the Ferguson's 'Rare Groove Spectrum is a project that lovingly wears its inspirations on its sleeve.  Each inclusion in the trilogy of full-lengths serve as small homages to Ferguson's own heroes – wonderfully recontextualising the music to produce a dynamic and versatile album with each go-round.

'Wavemakers' by Alex Ventling

'Wavemakers' marks the latest release from pianist and visual artist Alex Ventling whose sensational new album delivers a standout amongst his burgeoning catalogue.

New Zealand-born and Norway-based, Ventling's journey to date has taken him across the world with a minor pitstop in New York to attend the New York Film Academy, before ultimately side-stepping the prestigious Berklee College of Music for the Jazzcampus Basel where he completed his Masters in Jazz Piano and Music Pedagogy.

Ventling's commitment to his music and to his art has led to some outstanding moments within his comparatively young career.  Consistently keen to recontextualize his music in accordance with the litany of incredible collaborators that he is able to collaborate and make music with, Ventling has released duo projects alongside guitarist Hein Westgaard ('In Orbit', 2023) and drummer Phelan Burgoyne ('The View', 2024), led his Alex Ventling Trio from Norway to New Zealand in 2020 for an epic run of ten concert performances across two weeks, and of course we have Alex Ventling's quartet project, Alex & The Wavemakers.

Initially debuting in 2018 with their self-titled release, the quartet's original incarnation boasted the esteemed distinction of featuring vocalist and pianist Yumi Ito as part of the line-up.  Ito's presence serves as a real treat especially when considering the team-up with Ventling as something of an inspired combination in of itself.  And while the 2018 album was without doubt a fantastic project, the band's evolved state seven years later presents a line-up that affords a reimagining of the quartet's original sound allowing for expansive new narratives soundscapes to take shape.  Waving the flag for The Wavemakers for this go-round, and performing alongside Ventling on piano, is violinist Tuva Halse, vibraphonist Amund Stenøien and drummer August Glännestrand.  

It's a quartet with an entirely new context and one that soars within a lush collage of sound that navigates a masterfully charted course across the album's nine compositions.  Ventling and company boast an innate ability to create these beautiful pieces that present the rich elegance of neo-classical stylings while still serving as inspired celebrations of ambient and free jazz at the same time.  So much of the music throughout 'Wavemakers' boasts such visceral and vivid textures that it's actually no surprise that Ventling can lay claim to being an accomplished photographer as well: whether consciously or not, Ventling's music is almost conceived with these visual aspects in mind which are a tribute to the intimate and intricate nature of each musician's performance as individuals and as a cohesive quartet.

Vocalist Sissel Vera Pettersen guests on 'Omaha' and skilfully embeds her vocal into the comfort of the musicians around her, never trying to outdo them, and contributing to a wonderfully harmonious soundscapes as a result.

Within the context of Alex Ventling's ever-expanding catalogue of music, 'Wavemakers' stands as a confident and self-assured entry.  It's a project that manages to showcase a wide variety of Ventling influences and a project that does marvellous justice to everything that has brought the pianist and his team to this moment.