Featured

The very best jazz vocals of 2026

6 October 20261 Mins read
Dianne Reeves' contribution to Dedicated to You is substantial and compelling

10

Malene Mortensen & Christian Sands – Malene and Christian (Stunt Records) Album Review (2026)

9

Gretchen Parlato, The Wise Ones, Edition Records *****

8

Sara Colman and Rebecca Nash, Ribbons Vol. 1, Stoney Lane ****

7

Denise Donatelli, Take My Breath Away, Savant

6

Stacey Kent, A Time For Love, Naïve Records ****

5

Cécile McLorin Salvant Covers Cy Coleman, Stephen Sondheim & Billy Strayhorn on Her 1st Orchestral Album

4

Aubrey Johnson, The Lively Air, Greenleaf *****

3

Lizz Wright and Kenny Banks Sr, Nearness, Blues & Greens/Candid Records ****

2

Norma Winstone, Gilles Peterson Presents Norma Winstone Live at Maida Vale, BBE *****

1

Branford Marsalis Quartet & Dianne Reeves, Dedicated To You, Blue Note Records *****

MORE 2026 CHOICE NEW JAZZ

Joe Block hits the album of the week spot, a new podcast and Another Day is track of the weekJoe Block hits the album of the week spot, a new podcast and Another Day is track of the week28 September 2026marlbank
JD Allen, Söwt, Savant **** recommendedJD Allen, Söwt, Savant **** recommended4 October 2026marlbank
Lucy-Anne Daniels is a semi-finalist in the upcoming Herbie Hancock Institute jazz vocals contestLucy-Anne Daniels is a semi-finalist in the upcoming Herbie Hancock Institute jazz vocals contest11 September 2026marlbank
Salomea | Pizza Express Live Soho on 4 October 26 Previous post Salomea, Pizza Express Live, London ***

Welcome

Rolling - today's playlist is "wheel" themed. The common weal. A certain circle in the round - give it a spin

Recent reviews and more

Related Articles

Album of the WeekFeaturedReviewsTop new artistsTrack choice

Joe Block hits the album of the week spot, a new podcast and Another Day is track of the week

A piano player on the rise, the latest podcast and there's a...

By28 September 2026
Featured

List season approaches: I’ve got a blank space baby and I’ll write your name

Prepare yourself

By26 September 2026
Featured

Top Eurojazz

A French led Europe jazz best-of so far in 2026 to glance...

By20 September 2026
Featured

New Irish jazz releases dry up

Irish jazz artists choose to gig more than record. But is it...

By13 September 2026

Stephen began writing reviews for Turkish Daily News while living in Ankara in the early 1990s. Following a move to Poland, he worked as assistant editor on the English edition of Jazz Forum. In London where he lived for more than 25 years, he began a job as assistant editor at the Islington and later Mayfair based Jazz on CD, where he worked from 1993 to 1995. In Streatham, he became founder editor of Jazzwise in 1997, and worked there on staff for 15 years. His interview features have appeared in a range of publications including Jazz Express, The Wire, The Independent, Maxim and Downbeat. He has interviewed many leading figures in the jazz and broader music world including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny, Carmen Lundy, Grover Washington Jr, Marc Johnson, Charlie Watts, Jools Holland, Betty Carter, Colin Towns, Tomasz Stańko, Jack DeJohnette, Phil Collins, Nigel Kennedy, John Abercrombie, Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, Courtney Pine, Steve Williamson, Lady Blackbird, Gary Crosby, Ian Shaw, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler, Wynton Marsalis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Monty Alexander, Kandace Springs, Somi, Lionel Loueke and new stars like James Francies and Immanuel Wilkins to name just a few. Radio work has included voiced and scripted features for BBC Radio 3. In recent years work has been hard to come by on the dark end of the street on the road to nowhere. But Marlbank always keeps the dream alive.

Roam on! The light
we sought is shining still

- Matthew Arnold, 'Thyrsis' (1866)

Discover more from marlbank

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading