As we head into autumn, there is nothing quite like the energy, rhythms and overall vibe of ‘Nueva Timba’, just released on Blue Note from Cuban pianist and composer Harold López-Nussa . If you can get past the album artwork, which is a thing of beauty before needle meets vinyl, there’s a brief blink-and-you-missit opening track - Open. The electronics and a countdown over piano and vocals leads nicely into Bonito y Sabroso , brought right up to date since the original Benny Moré track of the 1950s. The exuberance of this ensemble is infectious from the opening bars. Alongside Harold López-Nussa (piano), Ruy Adrian López-Nussa (drums), Luques Curtis (bass) and Grégoire Maret (harmonica). Yes, pianist and drummer and brothers, but this doesn’t feel like nepotism, it’s just players with styles and techniques that work brilliantly together. But it is when López-Nussa launches into the extraordinary, brief and brilliant Gitarnerias  that we hear the pianist’s virtuosity. The arrangement of Ernesto Lecuona’s composition that’s nearly a century old is two minutes of musical beauty. Recorded at Paris’s iconic jazz club Le Duc des Lombards, Nueva Timba  seems very French, alongside the Cuban background of López-Nussa himself. Listen to Why  and you’re right there in the club. For López-Nussa, this is a very personal album. He says: “ Nueva Timba  tells the very real story of a man displaced: a young father finding his way in a new country while missing his homeland with heartrending intensity; all the while, he’s nursing other emotional wounds including the passing of his mother, and the compounding torment brings him to a state of despair. Slowly but surely, sunshine begins to poke through the clouds, and he discovers a path forward. Something like happiness returns to the horizon. Consider Nueva Tima  musical tears of joy.”

The title track on ‘Resistance is Futile’ creates a frenetic energy that ably demonstrates Peter Johnstone ’s capabilities on keyboards with an inspired focus on Hammond Organ. There’s a reason for his 2012 win as BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year and he has chosen to form his International Organ Quintet with an impressive line-up that is part of Scottish jazz’s meteoric rise in glory. Johnstone is joined from the US by Joe Locke (vibes) and by Scottish greats Tommy Smith (sax) and Alyn Cosker (drums). Coming together in 2023, the quartet offers blistering renditions of the leader’s compositions. He says: “I wanted to give Joe, Tommy and Alyn music that they would find interesting to play and that would allow them to open up and express themselves within each piece’s form. I also looked for a variety of moods and rhythms, so that we could capture the energy that these musicians bring to the group in spades as well as focusing on their more reflective side.” The groove continues with New Beginnings , where Johnstone’s organ, Smith’s sax and Locke’s vibes weave in and out of each other, belying the brevity of the quartet’s existence. By the time the album reaches the heart-rending ballad When You Were Born , there is a genuine futility in resistance. Johnstone’s composition and playing comes together and spreads across the ensemble, with both Smith’s sax and Locke’s vibes offering controlled but similarly heart-felt performances. Cosker’s drum opening to the final track on Resistance is Futile  sets the frantic tone for a tune that takes the quartet to the next level right up to the final ending. The Four Horsemen  has none of the apocalyptic sense that might be expected, but each of Johnstone’s quartet combines excellence that is both individual and collective.

The remarkable new album from the Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet  starts and finishes strong - from the title track ‘El Muki’ to their interpretation of Sting’s ‘Walking on the Moon’ this is an album that takes the listener through modern jazz that fuses traditional music and modern jazz. With a regular weekly residency at Lima’s Jazz Zone, this group is celebrating its 20th anniversary of consistently breaking new ground with El Muki. Led by Gabriel Alegría (trumpet), the sextet also includes Laura Andrea Leguía (tenor sax), Hugo Alcázar (drums), Mario Cuba (bass), Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón (percussion), Jocho Velásquez (guitar) and JF Maza (sax). The album’s title refers to a mythological Andean figure said to protect miners in the Peruvian highlands and the extension of that is the ensemble’s protection of real music, played by real people on real instruments. El Muki  takes the original compositions and runs away with them with a considered joy. With some tracks composed by Alegria (who also arranges the Sting track) and some by Leguía, there is a blend of traditional instruments such as cajón, cajita, and quijada with the more familiar jazz voicings. There is nothing apologetic about any of these tracks and Leguia’s fierce sax playing is matched by her writing. Tracks like Vista Panorámica (Bird’s Eye View) is both beautiful and disturbing - 5/4 will do that - and the sextet lilts through the rhythmic maze with dexterity. She says: “Motherhood changed everything - including the way I hear music. Coming back to composition for this album felt like reclaiming a part of myself.” Alegria says of this spectacular album: " El Muki  is about resistance and hope It’s a reminder that music is most powerful when it speaks from lived experience—when it comes from a place of humanity.”

I was amazed how many of the nominees for the Downbeat Magazine Critics' Poll 2025 had been featured on Harmonious World, so here's a list with links so you can check out their episodes. Artist of the year: James Brandon Lewis Christian McBride Group of the year: Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis Christian McBride's New Jawn Large Ensemble of the year: Maria Schneider Orchestra Christian McBride Big Band Arturo O'Farrill and the Latin Jazz Ensemble Trombonist of the year: Michael Daese Nick Finzer ( 2021 and 2022 ) Soprano saxophonist of the year: Jane Ira Bloom ( 2021 , 2021 with Allison Miller and 2025 ) Bass player of the year: Ron Carter Christian McBride Electric bass player of the year: Meshell Ndegeocello Christian McBride Drummer of the year: Brian Blake Allison Miller Composer of the year: Maria Schneider Christian McBride Arturo O'Farrill Arranger of the year: Darcy James Argue Christian McBride Arturo O'Farrill In the Rising Star section, there are even more of my guests and I'm proud to feature some of the artists of the future on Harmonious World. Soprano saxophonist: Sam Gendel Emma Rawicz Tenor saxophonist: Isaiah Collier Emma Rawicz Cecilie Strange Pianist: Marta Sanchez Tania Giannouli Keyboard player: Jacob Collier Matthew Whitaker Organist: Alexander Hawkins Matthew Whitaker Bass player: Brandon Lopez Daniel Casimir Electric bass player: Jorge Roeder Daniel Casimir Drummer: Ulysses Owens Jr Beyond Instrumentalist: Susan Alcorn Alina Bzezhinska Ben Rosenblum Female Vocalist: Kandace Springs Elina Duni Nicole Zuraitis Arranger: Anna Webber Allison Miller Ulysses Owens Jr

There are moments when music rises above the professional and reaches the ranks of extraordinary. There were several such moments at the Royal Albert Hall on 20 August when the Philharmonia Orchestra was joined by principal conductor Santtu-Matthias Rouvali and pianist Bruce Liu . The evening opened with Gabriela Ortiz’s Antropolis . As the audience filed into the stunning Royal Albert Hall, the timpani player (centre stage, just beneath the ubiquitous Proms bust of Sir Henry Wood) was quietly running through his part. When the piece started, it was obvious why - the music captures the sounds of Mexico’s clubs and you can’t do that without some incredible drumming. The timpani cadenzas were brilliant and the whole piece was the perfect choice to open a night at the Proms. Ortiz is the Featured Composer for the Philharmonia’s 2025/26 season and it was a delight to hear this Grammy-winner’s work. The fabulous programming continued as the orchestra shrank and a grand piano was wheeled into place for Bruce Liu’s Proms debut: the choice of Tchaikovsky’s rarely-performed Piano Concerto no 2 in G major was inspired. Not only was the piano playing truly sublime (Liu’s list of awards is topped by his 2021 First Prize at the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw) but the orchestral work was similarly inspired. The second movement was absolutely dominated by the solo work from leader of the orchestra Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay and principal cello Steffan Morris. There is still a dilemma about whether it is acceptable to applaud between movements and this was one place where the audience appeared to be simply bursting with the drive to clap loudly and wildly. Once Liu had completed his virtuoso demonstration with the Tchaikovsky and the audience had finally completed the extended applause, he moved from classical to jazz with Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag . Joined by double bassist Tim Gibbs and Santtu-Matthias Rouvali (swapping his conductor’s baton for drum brushes), this delightful trio proved their musical versatility with the perfect encore. During the interval, there was more moving around of orchestral seats and music stands, to allow for the Ravel orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition . There was particularly beautiful solo playing from Simon Haram (alto sax), and trumpets Jason Evans (principal), Robin Totterdell (no. 2 trumpet), Christian Barraclough (no. 3 trumpet) and Toby Street, with the whole Philharmonia performing beautifully. The BBC Proms once more delivered the new, the unusual and the more familiar to a capacity Royal Albert Hall.

One of the joys of reviewing jazz albums from around the world comes when artists contact me directly to share their release, and that is the case with pianist Ben Tweedt. ‘Life Cycle’ came out in June and I can only apologise for the delayed review. This is a great set of tunes. Doing some background research, I discovered that Ben won the 2019 American Jazz Pianist Competition at the Yamaha Artist Center in New York and he’s clearly honed his art since then. With influences from Herbie Hancock, Ahmada Jamal and Chick Corea, Tweedt is carving out his own style with this album. From the opening track - Back to School  - this feels truly like a personal exploration of life’s journey up to the final track - Lullaby - where, perhaps, the subject of the compositions has grown from a child into an adult. Life Cycle  is more than a piano trio album, with each musician allowed expressive space to weave melodies and improvisations around each other. Tweedt is joined by Justin Dawson (bass) and Tom Buckley (drums) in his compositions that include the dynamic Warrior Poet . Of all the tracks, this is the one that seems to evoke something of a military man with a pure soul, right at the heart of the album. Tweedt says: “The album’s title carries dual significance. It reflects both my own place within the great life cycle and the broader idea that everything - relationships, politics, nature - moves in cycles. Even my compositions mirror this, built around circular and swirling forms rather than linear structures.”

Taking British jazz to the States and absolutely nailing it, vocalist and diva Emma Smith celebrated the album launch of ‘Bitter Orange’ at the quintessential London jazz club Ronnie Scott’s. Not only has vocalist Emma Smith been touring recently in the USA, but she is also the first British act to be signed to Brooklyn label La Reserva Records. In a stunning, engaging show across four shows, Emma nailed the tunes and wowed the audience with her amazing band: Jamie Safir (piano), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Luke Tomlinson (drums). Whenever Emma performs, there is a sense of Performance (with a capital P) that started at Ronnie’s with a great version of The Frim-Fram Sauce  made famous by Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. This wonderful band filled Ronnie’s with enthusiasm and style, taking tracks from Bitter Orange  and presenting them with pizazz. Although Emma has a great voice, it’s her joie de vivre and sense of entertaining the audience that makes her every show feel like the best ever. There were standard tunes like You Go To My Head  (where the very British Emma beautifully got away with NOT rhyming “chance” and “romance”) and Funny Face , but some more unusual, like the stunning London Pride  and a delightfully rare rendition of the Disney surprise I’m in the Middle of a Muddle . Emma made each song her own. One of my favourite tracks on Bitter Orange  is the Smith and Safir original: What Took you so long?  It was even better live. My heart skipped when Emma took time to tell the story of her grandfather Chris, trombone player to the stars, before performing the Sinatra classic That’s Life . Chris senior (Emma’s dad is trumpeter Chris junior) was a huge influence on her and also on my musical journey: a special moment. You can read my review of Bitter Orange   here , and our podcast episode here ,  but you really need to check out Emma’s tour dates  to experience the show live. with Emma.

In a hall more used to classical music recitals and exam performances, Benslow Music Chief Executive Michael Duffy introduced an evening of jazz to a capacity audience. James Pearson, Paul Morgan. Jenny Howe, Simon Gardner and Bobby Worth at Benslow Trumpeter Paul Eshelby - himself an alumnus of the hugely prestigious BBC Radio Big Band - brought together an extraordinary band of world-class musicians for an evening of jazz at Hitchin’s Benslow Music. Joining him on the frontline was Simon Bates (sax and clarinet), who is Professor of saxophone for the Royal Marines and brings experience with everyone from Elvis Costello to Jamie Cullum and Lulu to Kylie. Meanwhile, the rhythm section was one of the best you’ll hear anywhere: James Pearson (piano) is musical director and house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s; his colleagues are Paul Morgan (bass) and Bobby Worth (drums), who both have impressive careers that each started in Bill Ashton’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Guest appearances came from vocalists Jenny Howe and Anton Browne, as well as incredible trumpeter Simon Gardner, who had also cut his teeth within NYJO. Even the interval was punctuated with great music with Wayne Martin (trumpet) and John Russell (guitar), who gave a sterling rendition of several tunes made famous by Frank Sinatra, including The Shadow of Your Smile, Nancy with the Laughing Face  and Witchcraft . Eshelby and Bates covered tracks such as ‘S Wonderful  like the professionals they are, with the fantastic trio behind them. After 40 (or 39, if you count the Covid-19 break) years of running the Big Band course at Benslow, Eshelby has nothing to prove and he was happy to welcome other musicians from this year’s course to the stage. Howe and Gardner wowed the audience with Teach Me Tonight, Love For Sale, Embraceable You and One Note Samba . Brit School vocal tutor Browne proved his credentials with range and soul on I Love Paris, Proud Mary  and a brilliant version of Mean To Me  with Howe, Gardner et al. When the rhythm section was left to their own devices on Lady Be Good , the audience was stunned into appreciative silence as these titans of British jazz proved that you can hear world class jazz in your local venue. What was the most incredible tour de force of the night was the unassuming standard Take the A Train . A tune that can be mundane and ordinary was anything but. Pearson’s solo, in particular, was something that many of us will talk about for years to come: I think everyone (pianist included) was deeply moved when the solo came to a brilliant finish. Paul Eshelby certainly has some impressive jazz-infested friends and if you see this gig come up in a concert hall or jazz club near you.

A few of my favourite places to listen to jazz (and other genres too, at most of them). Chelsea's 606 Club UK Check out one of my favourite venues - London's marvellous  606 Club Jazz Cafe Posk  in Hammersmith: a great, relaxed venue Fairly new on the scene is  Soul Mama  in East London Different venues, plus lots of music on offer at  Boisdale  in Belgravia and Canary Wharf Lots to see and hear at  Kings Place , right next to Kings Cross and St Pancras Don't forget  Ronnie Scott's , which has a range of jazz to suit all tastes Just a little further north in Soho is  Pizza Express  on Dean Street, which also has sister venues in Holborn and on the Kings Road One of my favourite clubs is Dalston's The Vortex Club A blatant plug for the fabulous  Club 85  in my home town of Hitchin. They've just launched a  GoFundMe appeal  to ensure that live music continues, so please take a look. Meanwhile, Luton's Bear Club continues to showcase the best in jazz, blues and alternative music In Milton Keynes, there's also the  Stables Theatre , which often features live music On the UK's south coast is Brighton's Verdict Jazz Club US [more to come - let me know your favourites, wherever they are in the world, and I'll check them out]

With her tremendous, joyous and powerful voice, Emma Smith bombards you delightfully until she knocks you sideways with a disarming ballad. On ‘Bitter Orange’, she demands our full attention with a sweet and colourful set of jazz arrangements. Bitter Orange  begins with a blisteringly brief introduction to Smith’s voice and style, if you need one, with Hey World, Here I am , rapidly followed by I’m The Greatest Star . Smith knows what she’s doing with curation as much as with singing, all beautifully arranged and produced by Jamie Safir. The band allows Smith to shine whether she’s staking her place on these opening tracks or moving on to the comedy of Frim Fram Sauce as she shares the musical stage: Jamie Safir (piano), Conor Chaplin (double bass), and Luke Tomlinson (drums). Throughout this album, Smith‘s personality shines through musically and lyrically in the choice of tracks that pay to homage to her vocal inspirations - there‘s more than a touch of Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald and the marvellous Dame Cleo Laine, who we sadly lost this month. Just listen to her wonderful version of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered . Smith appeared on Harmonious World in 2022 to discuss her debut album - Meshuga Baby  and Bitter Orange  is a more than satisfying follow-up. This collection welcomes her to the ultra-hip US based LA Reserve Records, with this album launch marking the label’s first British signing. The Noel Coward classic London Pride  allows her to pay tribute to her home, while embracing all that the United States has to offer. Where Smith and long-time collaborator Safir come into their own is the original composition What Took You So Long? : lyrically humorous and a musical tip of the hat to the great songwriters. I‘ve heard Smith sing with big bands and on several occasions performing songs written by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) founder Bill Ashton and she does like to tell a story. Emma Smith has a great story to tell in both the US and the UK - the only British finalist in the 2023 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and winning the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year. Our story actually began more than 40 years ago when her grandfather (trombonist Chris Smith) suggested I give NYJO a try and I then met her father (trumpeter Chris Smith). It‘s a small musical world. You can catch Emma Smith‘s London launch of Bitter Orange across four shows at Ronnie Scott’s on 6 and 7 August. Emma is justifiably confident in releasing this collection into the world: “This album is my space to play with the juxtaposition of bitter and sweet, humour and heartbreak. There’s camp ridiculousness and raw vulnerability - and somehow, all of that is me. Bitter Orange  is an intimate snapshot of my inner world - the glamour and the mess of a self-making woman, trying to be heard and make an impact in the world today, with a sound from yesterday.“

Out now is ‘Blue Sky Now’, a stunning collection of original songs, created and sung beautifully by Hannah Brine and produced by phenomenal guitarist and band leader Jamie McCredie. Each song on Blue Sky Now feels like a deep exploration of the singer’s soul, with Brine’s mellifluous voice clear and direct in bringing emotion into our ears. This is also an exceptional band behind the voice, with Jamie McCredie (guitar), Hamish Balfour and Jamie Safir (piano), Ian King (bass), Chris Draper (drums) and Freddie Gavita (trumpet), with a string section of Debs White and Dave Larkin (violin), Reiad Chibah (viola) and Julia Graham (cello). Brine created this collection of songs alongside accomplished lyricist and songwriter Michael Garvin, with writing and performing collaborations that allow the singer to still be at the fore. Hannah says: “This album is my life's work and I’ve been able to embrace the styles which have influenced me through my life, from listening to my mum’s Joni Mitchell records growing up, to my love of jazz and ultimately my love of songs. As a child growing up in the 90s, I always wanted to sing with Gary Barlow at a white baby grand - well I’ve performed with him on Strictly Come Dancing, and I’m sure some of his pop sensibility has rubbed off on me too. I write songs to connect to myself, and hopefully they will connect with others too. It's been a dream to work with Jamie and the team and I hope I’ve made my ‘Tapestry’. Though it is a life's work, I feel in some ways it's always the beginning." If you only listen to one track on this album, I would recommend the gentle This Little Ship - it’s a delightful example of Brine singing from the heart, with collaboration on the music from Jeff Franzel and on lyrics with Michael Garvin. It’s the perfect way to say farewell with affection. Blue Sky Now is a lovely album and if you have a chance to hear Brine in performance, it’s well worth it for an engaging and enchanting show, with songs that really feel like they mean something.

Discovering - and resolving - gaps in my musical knowledge is always a delight and this autumn will allow me to explore a celebration of Korean music across London between 1 October and 20 November. I’m particularly excited to hear a collaboration between string trio Hilgeum with innovative London singer Alice Zawadzki. The K-Music Festival 2025 will also provide many more collaborations between Korean and British musicians across all genres, with jazz-influenced chamber and orchestral works and a host of improvisation. Since 2013, London’s K-Music Festival has showcased the diversity and innovation of contemporary Korean music and I am looking forward to experiencing it this year for the first time. The people behind the K-Music Festival are Serious, who produce the EFG London Jazz Festival, this time working alongside the Korean Cultural Centre UK, featuring leading Korean and UK artists at major London venues including the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, and Kings Place. The opening concert - Wednesday 1 October at Kings Place - brings together Korean cellist and composer Okkyung Lee and UK-based electronic artist Mark Fell. They promise a performance shaped by extended techniques, abstract rhythms, visceral improvisation and electronic soundscapes. The following concerts include JAMBINAI together with conductor Robert Ames and the London Contemporary Orchestra, marking the first time a traditional Korean band has headlined the Barbican. Later in October, Korean string trio Hilgeum will make their London debut performing with British vocalist and composer Alice Zawadzki. Acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalists Park Jiha and Won Il each perform a show, while the quartet Gray by Silver will appear at the Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall, as part of the Late Night Jazz series. The final concert on Thursday 20 November at Barbican Hall brings a major commission: the world premiere of a new concerto by composer Dong-hoon Shin, written for pianist Seong-Jin Cho and performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. This performance is part of the LSO Futures series and marks a significant collaboration between two leading Korean artists in the field of contemporary classical music. There is a lot on offer for the K-Music Festival 2025 - get your tickets now .