Some previews of releases coming up in ‘26 highlight this edition of OMJ. European alto saxophonist Angelika Niescier has brought her bristly and fiery sound to the USA to work with New York musicians (her NY Trio has garnered much acclaim), and now she turns her collaborative self to Chicago, where the idea of playing with musicians from that city has been percolating since 2012. Mark this down: Niescier’s “Chicago Tapes” will be one of the best releases of 2026. Another Chicagoan, cellist Tomeka Reid, with whom Niescier has recorded and toured with, will be releasing “Dance Skip Hop” in February, and that will attract much attention. Two and a half hours of music won’t fit on an LP so very free jazz pianist Pat Thomas and the duo XT will be releasing their new album in three ways: one concert on LP, a second concert on CD, plus those two and three other tracks digitally. Mind-blowing music it is. The other preview comes from rock bassist Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers); he’s fronting a spirited jazz group for his debut into the genre, and he’s bringing along his first love, the trumpet. “A Plea” is out in January. One other excellent album comes from Norway’s Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & its artistic director Ole Morten Vågan. It’s the third killer album from Norway of late. There’s an overdue taste of guitarist Fred Frith that must be mentioned, and a sincere farewell to the brilliant drummer/percussionist Marilyn Mazur. Her music and concepts were unique, and she will always be known as the only woman to ever play in a Miles Davis group. R.I.P. Marilyn.
This is sort of the final show of 2025; there will be a New Year’s Eve/January 1 special next week, to be followed by the annual favourites show in January. Sincere thanks for listening to One Man’s Jazz in 2025, be it for a minute, an hour or weekly. Please do come back. We need an audience for this amazing music!
00:00 Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity * Great Intentions – Action Jazz * Bankebrett * Norway
07:11 Host speaks
10:48 Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Ole Morten Vågan * This Is Wuppertal! – Jazzland * The Far Out Suite * Norway
18:12 Thomas Stronen * Off Stillness – ECM * In Awe Of Stillness * Norway
25:55 Maximilian Hering Group * The Gathering – Self-released * Ojo De Madera * Spain
30:21 Host speaks
32:04 Tomeka Reid Quartet * Dance Skip Hop – Out Of Your Head * Dance Skip Hop * USA
42:11 Denman Maroney Quintet * Umwelt – Neuma * Isotrope * USA
48:34 Fred Frith & Maria Portugal * Matter – Intakt * Looking Up * England/Brazil
52:56 Host speaks
54:40 Pat Thomas & XT * Strata Act (Joy Contemporary) – We Jazz * Zurich One * England
1:11:17 The Monkious * No Straight With Chaser – JACC * Bemsha Swing * Portugal
1:16:41 Host speaks
1:18:21 Flea * A Plea – Nonesuch * A Plea * USA
1:25:57 Gebhard Ullmann’s Conference Call * New Conference Call – Hat Hut Ezzthetics * Salt And Pepper – For Jim * Germany
1:31:14 Shoko Nagai * Forbidden Flowers – Infrequent Seams * What Are The Hidden Things Of Life * Japan
1:37:49 Host speaks
1:41:10 Angelika Niescier * Chicago Tapes – Intakt * Samo (bqrt) * Poland
1:52:19 Vytis Naviskas * Rituals & Transformations – NoBusiness * In F * Lithuania
1:56:54 Host speaks
1:58:59 Marilyn Mazur Group * Flow – Clap Your Hands * Rebirth Graphic * Denmark