Europe Jazz Media Chart October 2025

Krzysztof Komorek, Donos kulturalny:

RGG, ROBERT WIĘCKIEWICZ Planet LEM
Music Corner

Donos.home.blog

Krzysztof Komorek:

"The leading Polish trio RGG, together with the renowned actor Robert Więckiewicz, takes the listener on an improvised journey inspired by the novel "Solaris" by the outstanding Polish writer Stanisław Lem. The material is entirely improvised. This applies to both the music and the text – for each performance, Robert Więckiewicz chooses the excerpts to be presented and their sequence, although the narrative progression of the novel is always preserved. The text is not merely read – it is an outstanding acting performance that utilizes the novel's plotline. The literary story is accompanied by music, which is by no means merely an illustration for the text. Both layers complement, permeate, and harmonize with each other. The mutual synchronization between the actor and the musicians is truly impressive. Więckiewicz proves to be a fantastic improviser, and the trio skilfully responds, comments, and enhances the presented story of the novel."

Jan Granlie, salt-peanuts.eu:

MAGPIES Mischlevous Standards
Brötz Records

Jan Granlie:

"Brötz is known to some of us  as a venue for free-spirited music in Gothenburg. Now they also have started a record label, and the trio Magpies with the record Mischlevous Standards is their first release. This is a trio consisting of saxophonist Jonny Wartel, bassist Björn Pettersen and drummer Vegar Lauvdal. The music can be characterized as a form of newer chamber jazz, with close interaction in a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere, where you can sit back and enjoy what they do with 11 compositions from the best of American jazz history. A delicious trio release with updated versions of songs that have been played thousands of times before, but which have rarely been done as well and exciting as this trio is doing here. The music is not very far from what Henry Threadgill did with his AIR trio, but the music is original and personal throughout. A big and pleasant surprise, which I more than gladly recommend!"

Christine Stephan, JAZZTHETIK:

GEBHARD ULLMANN Hemisphere 4 - Kapitel Zwei
JazzHaus Musik

YOUTUBE
YOUTUBE

Viktor Bensusan, jazzdergisi.com:

EMMA SMITH Bitter Orange
LA Reserve Records

YOUTUBE
YOUTUBE
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Viktor Bensusan:

"Emma Smith is an extraordinary voice; her interpretations make the evergreens even greener..."

Nuno Catarino, jazz.pt:

ARUÁN ORTIZ Créole Renaissance
Intakt

Jazz.pt
BANDCAMP

Nuno Catarino:

"On his second solo album, Aruán Ortiz draws inspiration from the literary, cultural, and political movement Négritude: angular contemporary music in a political manifesto."

Henning Bolte, freelance:

HAND TO EARTH Nurru Wänja
Room40

BANDCAMP

Henning Bolte:

"Hand To Earth is the speaking group name of this pentad comprising the two Wägilak people from Northeast Arnhemland on the Oceania side of the Australian continent joined in their vocalizing music making by three musical people from Melbourne, Korean vocalist Sunny Kim, clarinetist Aviva Endean and trumpeter Peter Knight. 

The vocal sounds of Daniel Wilfred come from a deeper place, even far beyond the canto jondo of flamenco. It shows as an hard echo of life stories  and reveals as carved in stone in this transfomative context lending all its deeply elementary sides connected to the souls of his ancestors and the widths and secrets of the landscape. 

Contrary to the live performances which come out physically quite direct, on the album it surfaces gradually from spheric sonic undercurrents opening up, releasing the cumulating psychic and surrounded layers in full articulation. It’s voice. slapsticks, didgeridoo and bullroarer Daniel and David Wilfred use in their wordless narratives and conjurings. The other three musicians insert sensitively, expand with their own deep listening articulations. They vocalize themselves into an astonishing realm of grounded togetherness. 

The album’s music is abducing listeners to far out hemispheres populated by mysterious voices and seducing echos from remote spaces and grounds. At times it is morphing into surging theatre of sounds above a stamping the ground rhythm.  Remarkably sounds’ perspectives alternate between from bottom up to top down, which we know from the air-view of Aboriginal Art. At other moments everything gets wrapped in mysterious haze slowly vanishing and evoke associations to Jimi Henrix’ “Purple Haze” with its close similarity to North-American Pow-Wow."

Tony Dudley-Evans, UK Jazz News:

LUIGI GRASSO AND THE NDR BIGBAND
La Dimora dell'Atrove
LP345 Records

YOUTUBE 

Tony Dudley-Evans:

"Luigi Grasso is an Italian-born saxophonist – and older brother of guitarist Pasquale Grasso – who has been a member of the NDR Bigband in Hamburg since 2019.  His writing for the big band draws on various influences from jazz and classical music; it is rich and varied and creates excellent contexts for the featured soloists, trumpeter Percy Pursglove, flautist Fiete Felsch, clarinettist Julius Gawlik, trombonist Klaus Heidenreich, guitarist Sandra Hempel, pianist Florian Weber and drummer Jochen Ruckert.

The suite “La Dimora Dell'Atrove” consists of two themes and variations that reflect Grasso's personality, one is Heimweh, the German word for homesickness, and Fernweh, meaning wanderlust."

Lars Mossefinn, Dag og tid: 

EINMAL IMMER Einmal immer
Playdate Records

YOUTUBE

Patrik Sandberg, Orkesterjournalen: 

ODDJOB Atlas
Koyo

BANDCAMP

Patrik Sandberg:

"The longlived formation Oddjob with Per ”Ruskträsk” Johansson, Goran Kajfeš, Daniel Karlsson, Lars Skoglund and Viktor Skokic (new member) has now existed in 28 years. All members have long been central to the Swedish jazz scene. On their new record Atlas the group's characteristic, imaginative and creatively playful music-making is recognizable with the ethno-jazz and the prog-jazz in the mix."

Cim Meyer, All That ...:

GREG OSBY, ARNO KRIJGER & FLORIAN ARBENZ
Conversation #9 – Targeted
self-released

BANDCAMP
YOUTUBE

Cim Meyer:

"This brings Tony Williams’ Lifetime from around 1970 to mind – in particular Dutch Arno Krijger’s dense organ voicings remind of Larry Young’s psychedelic rock mountains. The project is the brainchild of Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz, who has recorded with American saxophonist Greg Osby several times before. The program consists of three originals and three standards delivered with swing, some dazzling risk taking but also peaceful contemplation. Post-bop meets rock meets now…"

Matthieu Jouan, citizenjazz.com:

DELPHINE DEAU Prepare for Dowland
Pégazz & l'Hélicon

BANDCAMP

Matthieu Jouan:

"As the album title suggests, the French pianist performs solo on a prepared piano, delivering subtle and modern interpretations of John Dowland's compositions. Her piano playing is confident and firmly mastered. This comes as no surprise for a musician who made her name with the Nefertiti Trio (and has been featured on the International Jazz Platform in Łódź). Delicate evocations of Renaissance harmonies and lute songs are enhanced by a new narrative that is sometimes noisy, unstructured or very rhythmic. The atmospheres created by the prepared piano are almost dreamlike. It's a beautiful concept and a magnificent album."

Axel Stinshoff, Jazz thing:

DINO SALUZZI El Viejo Caminante
ECM

Luca Vitali, Giornale della Musica:

SYLVIE COURVOISIER - WADADA LEO SMITH
Angel Falls
Intakt Records

BANDCAMP

Yves Tassin, JazzMania:

BRAM DE LOOZE, JOEY BARON, HANK ROBERTS
& THOMAS MORGAN Live at Brussels Jazz Festival 2025
Challenge Records

YOUTUBE

Yves Tassin:

"A landmark album in Bram De Looze's already rich discography."
(Jean-Pierre Goffin)

Jos Demol, jazzhalo.be:

SILVER RAT BAND Precious Love
Collectif du LION

BANDCAMP 
YOUTUBE

Jos Demol:

"The combination of four wind instruments, a drummer and a singer creates an explosive cocktail. Breakbeats galore, reverb, degenerate jazz and propulsive wind instruments set the tone. The highly personal lyrics (which can be read on the accompanying text sheet and alternate between French and English) are by singer and globetrotter Adrien Sezuba Rukira. They deal with everyday topics and are an indictment of the undermining of established values. These are not literary snippets but genuine “tranches de vie”, raw and confrontational, yet poetic and with a touch of hope. In “So Lost”, they even flirt with sacred choral singing and avant-garde pop!
A thoroughly urban project that they themselves describe as “urban brass”. Extremely danceable with an underlying message without pointing fingers. “Let's jazz & hip-hop”. "
(Georges Tonla Briquet)

Kaspars Zavileiskis, jazzin.lv:

LAURA POLENCE Ancient Plastic Butterfly
LP Records

SPOTIFY 

Kaspars Zavileiskis: 

"Laura Polence is a Latvian singer and composer living in the Netherlands, who works in both light experimental pop jazz and children's music. This is her second jazz album, in which Laura has collaborated with colleagues representing a wide jazz geography – Mexican singer Fuensanta and Italian singer Marta Arpini, Romanian violinist and guitarist George Dumitriu, Spanish cellist Pau Sola Masafrets, Belgian bassist Lennart Heyndels and Dutch drummer Onno Govaert. Ancient Plastic Butterfly is a sparkling album of songs in which Polence musically reflects on both her childhood memories and the overall emotional motley of this world, weaving references to folk music elements into the sound world she created. An album that demands the listener's attention and an open mind, and most likely provides an uplifting mood. As befits butterflies."

Christof Thurnherr, Jazz’n'More:

FUNKWRENCH BLUES Mischief in the Musitorium
Need to Know Music

BANDCAMP

Jacek Brun, www.jazz-fun.de:

YUMI ITO Lonely Island
Enja

jazz-fun.de
YOUTUBE

Jacek Brun:

"Yumi Ito once again captivates with her unique voice. The power and purity of her singing are simply overwhelming, and on her new solo album she demonstrates this in an impressive way. Just voice and piano – and yet she creates a sound world marked by great intensity and emotional depth.
Not only as a singer, but also as a pianist, Yumi Ito convinces across the board. Her playing is full of finesse, subtle nuances, and sensitive solos. Combined with her improvised vocalises, the result is music that feels timeless and radiates tremendous expressive power. You can clearly sense that this is an artist who masters both forms of expression completely and merges them into one.
The impressive compositions, memorable melodies, and expressive lyrics complete the work. Also worth highlighting is the high-quality presentation of the album: an extensive booklet, a lavishly designed large gatefold sleeve, photographs, and all the song lyrics. Lonely Island is an extraordinary album that excites in every respect – we are simply enthralled!"

Bega Villalobos, In&OutJazzMagazine:

ARUÁN ORTIZ Créole Renaissanse – Piano Solo
Intakt

BANDCAMP
Inandout-jazz.es

Bega Villalobos:

"Aruán Ortiz's fourth all-piano album combines intellectual depth with an explosive outpouring of creativity and emotion, and represents a further step in his quest to expand his expressive, creative, and compositional language with the firm imprint of Cuba's musical heritage and the rhythmic pulse of African origin, using the vocabulary of contemporary classical music and free improvisation."

Mike Flynn, Jazzwise: 

TOM SKINNER Kaleidoscopic Visions
Brownswood / International Anthem

BANDCAMP

Paweł Brodowski, Jazz Forum:

PIOTR WOJTASIK Inscape
Indygo Records

YOUTUBE

Paweł Brodowski:

"Inscape is the newest album by the Polish ace trumpter Piotr Wojtasik. Recorded in 2024 in Van Gelder Studio, New Jersey, it was released last spring, and followed by a concert tour of the stellar collective with the like-minded musicians who appeared on the record: Mark Shim on tenor sax, Greg Murphy on piano, Alvester Garnett on drums, and the New York-based Dutch bass player Joris Teepe. 
Piotr Wojtasik’s original compositions represent a stylistic spectrum which he has explored over his four-decade career – post-Coltrane modal jazz, echoes of Miles, and more contemporary solutions. An accomplished virtruoso, he remained for a long time in the shadow of Tomasz Stańko, pursuing his own trail that is rooted in hard bop of Clifford Browna and Lee Morgan, influenced by free jazz of Don Cherry and Booker Little, and updated with newer developments. Piotr Wojtasik has sought to collaborate with top American musician such as Billy Harper, Gary Bartz, Dave Liebman, Victor Lewis, George Cables, Kirk Lightsey, and many others. A musician of honesty and integrity, he plays with fire and raw intensity, and with devotion which brings him closer to today’s spiritual jazz. 
“Inscape,” the title of this album, can be understood as “seeking the truth inside,” which is reflected in this soul-stirring music – strong melodies, uplifting riffs, inspired solos by all musicians, and irrisistible grooves."