This week’s guide is by CF Smith and contributors Words By Shoaib, and Irfan Ayaan.
Welcome to your new Between The Cracks featuring six releases that are worthy of your attention. As always the team has put a few word togehter about each album. Read the mini-reviews, listen to the music and, most importantly, hit the buy/share link. Happy listening and have a lovely weekend
Albums
Tom Skinner – Kaleidoscopic Visions
Tom Skinner’s second solo venture showcases the rhythmic architect behind Sons of Kemet and The Smile in his most personal and compositionally ambitious work yet. This kaleidoscopic journey unfolds across two distinct sonic hemispheres, revealing Skinner’s evolution from improvisation-based exploration toward fully realised compositional statements. Side A presents entirely instrumental works performed by his trusted Bishara ensemble: Tom Herbert’s resonant acoustic bass, Kareem Dayes’s expressive cello, and the woodwind tapestry woven by Robert Stillman and Chelsea Carmichael. Portishead’s Adrian Utley contributes electric guitar textures on select tracks, adding another layer to Skinner’s expanding palette. “Margaret Anne,” a tender tribute to his mother’s abandoned piano career, demonstrates Skinner’s ability to transform personal history into universal musical narrative. The album’s second half ventures into vocal territory with striking collaborations. “The Maxim,” featuring Grammy-winner Meshell Ndegeocello, stretches across ten minutes of dubby, spacious meditation on mortality and time. The closing “See How They Run,” featuring London keyboardist Yaffra, presents jazz-inflected spoken word that highlights the breadth of Skinner’s artistic vision. Throughout, his drumming serves as both rhythmic foundation and melodic voice, confirming his status as one of London’s most vital musical architects. – IA
Sinsuke Fujieda Group – ABSTRACTION JAZZ MODE – Echoes from Fukushima
With their latest effort, the Sinsuke Fujieda Group prove that their debut full-length album was no fluke. ABSTRACTION JAZZ MODE – Echoes from Fukushima is billed as a spiritual continuation of their album, not in saxophone, but in the breath of bamboo clarinet and flute. In these four new tracks, a fresh wave of expression hits, blending abstraction, stillness, and motion into a harmonious tug-of-war. Led by saxophonist Sinsuke Fujieda, the sextet is completed by bassist Shigeru Kato, drummer Kensaku Ohsumi, pianist Shinichi Tsukamoto, violinist Fumiko Takeshita and percussionist Daisuke Alkhaly. The spiritual jazz style of their album remains, but this one also leans more heavily into African jazz. The hypnotic rhythms of ‘Jiva’ and the uplifting, propulsive groove of ‘Flying Steps’ are highlights, but don’t skip the other two cuts, as they are both sublime. This one comes highly recommended – don’t sleep. – CFS
Also check out ‘Fukushima’ by Shinsuke Fujieda Group.
Blue Earth Sound – Cicero Nights
With Cicero Nights, James Weir debuts his new project Blue Earth Sound, carving out a space that feels both cinematic and deeply rooted in Chicago’s soulful jazz lineage. Recorded with drummer Patch Romanowski and a rotating cast of collaborators, the album blends warm grooves, subtle horn arrangements, and an organic, lived-in feel that reflects Weir’s shift from indie-rock projects into the jazz world. It’s a record for twilight hours, reflective, unhurried, and rich with detail. Lead single ‘Mariposa’ captures that spirit perfectly. Built on bright piano lines and Will Miller’s tender trumpet, it drifts with pastoral ease while carrying a hint of melancholy beneath the surface. By contrast, ‘Half & Half’ leans into groove, its buoyant bass and breezy horns channelling Curtis Mayfield-esque Chicago soul with a modern swing. Both tracks underline the album’s balance of introspection and warmth, making it equally at home in headphones or soundtracking a golden-hour hang. Cicero Nights is a striking debut, immersive, soulful, and quietly confident, positioning Blue Earth Sound as a name to watch in contemporary jazz. – WBS
Greg Foat, Jihad Darwish & Moses Boyd – Opening Time
Opening Time brings together pianist Greg Foat, bassist Jihad Darwish, and drummer Moses Boyd in a classic trio setting that highlights the elegance and warmth of Foat’s compositions. Released via Blue Crystal, the album possesses a timeless quality, striking a balance between melodic sensitivity and rhythmic finesse. The title track, ‘Opening Time’, showcases the trio’s intuitive interplay, with Foat’s piano lines being both lyrical and exploratory. At the same Time, Boyd’s drumming adds subtle propulsion, and Darwish grounds the piece with a resonant, measured bass tone. ‘Redemption’, one of the album’s longest and most emotive cuts, stretches into a cinematic journey, moving through moments of quiet reflection before building toward a more spirited, expansive close. Throughout the record, there is an understated grace, each musician leaving just enough space for the others to shine. The result is music that feels intimate yet sophisticated, evoking both the late-night energy of a jazz club and a contemplative calm. Opening Time reaffirms Foat’s status as a master of mood-driven jazz, supported by two equally inspired collaborators. – WBS
Linda May Han Oh – Strange Heavens
Strange Heavens sees bassist Linda May Han Oh joining forces with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and drummer Tyshawn Sorey for a project that balances raw emotional intensity with delicate lyricism. Released via Biophilia Records, the album is both intimate and expansive, drawing from jazz traditions while bending them into uncharted territory. ‘Portal’ serves as an arresting opener, setting the tone with textured bass lines that frame Akinmusire’s searching trumpet. At the same Time, Sorey’s rhythmic pulses carve out an atmospheric space. It feels like a call to step beyond the familiar, into a sonic realm of vulnerability and depth. ‘Just Waiting’ brings the record to a contemplative close, weaving gentle melodic phrasing with subtle rhythmic shifts, allowing emotion to simmer beneath the surface until its final moments fade into quiet reflection. What stands out across all 12 tracks is the trio’s trust; each musician leaves room for silence, space, and sudden bursts of energy, crafting music that feels alive in the moment. A bold, immersive listen for those drawn to adventurous jazz. – WBS
Scree – August
August blooms as Scree’s most symphonic statement, expanding their dark jazz ruminations into previously unexplored orchestral territories. The core trio of Ryan El-Solh (guitar), Carmen Quill (bass), and Jason Burger (drums) invite an array of additional musicians, Ivan Arteaga on clarinet, Levon Henry on alto clarinet and tenor saxophone, Zosha Warpeha on violin, David Balatero on cello, Luke Bergman on pedal steel, and producer Ari Chersky on various instruments. This expanded line-up transforms their sound into something with seemingly infinite possibilities. Lethe opens with El-Solh’s reverb-soaked electric guitar creating tentative, slightly menacing atmospheres. Zikra unfolds as an ambitious suite recalling Ennio Morricone before exploding into wailing free-jazz improvisation. White Roses and Either Way showcase their gospel-inspired balladry, enhanced by horns and strings, while Me Me Me demonstrates their compositional sophistication. Season 2 begins with unusual violin, loops, and glockenspiel before the core trio arrives with lumbering yet tuneful sequences. TV Sometimes evolves into experimental Americana territory, evoking early-2000s Wilco through its combination of twangy guitar, pedal steel, and keyboards. The closing title track August sees El-Solh doubling on electric and acoustic guitars, creating emotional, anthemic depths. This is chamber jazz at its most cinematic and comforting. – IA
