ADAM HOLZMAN, Truth Decay (2017). Is it jazz? Is it fusion? Is it prog? Yes. Yes, it is. A keyboardist who can play it all does just that. My experience with Adam came via Miles Davis and Steven Wilson. Needless to say, when I saw a new solo project at the time, I was all over it. It was worth the effort. With a nice roster of musicians to assist him, Adam moves his voice from style to style without breaking a sweat. It’s always nice to hear what a musician is capable of when left to his own devices.

HIROMI, Move (2012). There are powerhouse trios and there are powerhouse trios. This is the latter. Hiromi Uehara (piano), Anthony Jackson (bass), and Simon Phillips (drums) lay waste to the soundscapes before them and have an absolute blast while they do it. You owe it to yourself to watch these guys play the title track live. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much while watching a group burn a stage down.

OVRFWRD, There Are No Ordinary Moments (2023). A Minnesota-based quartet brings us modern progressive rock by way of the genre’s Golden Era (‘69 to ‘74) with a sprinkle of the blues and a side order of metal. The album’s title is quite appropriate, as none of this music is predictable. The band takes the sound wherever it wants to go, regardless of influence. In a word, this music is fearless.

https://ovrfwrd.bandcamp.com/album/there-are-no-ordinary-moments-2024

PETER ERSKINE & THE JAM MUSIC LAB ALL-STARS, Vienna to Hollywood (2025). Legendary drummer Peter Erskine pays tribute the to composers E.W. Korngold and Max Steiner and their contributions to the earliest film scores like King Kong and The Adventures of Robin Hood, backed by an air-tight chamber orchestra that sounds eager to go along for the ride. There is much familiarity to be found in the album’s pieces, with fresh arrangements to make all the songs sound brand new. Erskine has hit on something here. I, for one, would not find a volume two the least bit objectionable.

https://originarts.com/

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If you would like to have your music reviewed, contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com