Streamnotes: October 31, 2026

Most of these are short notes/reviews based on streaming records from Napster (formerly Rhapsody; other sources are noted in brackets). They are snap judgments, usually based on one or two plays, accumulated since my last post along these lines, back on September 25. Past reviews and more information are available here (26500+ records).

New Music

1-800-Mikey: In Yun (2026, Goner): Australian lo-fi bedroom pop group, principally Michael Barker, fourth album since 2022. B+(*) [bc]

Curly Castro: Yaphet (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): Underground rapper, from Philadelphia, part of the duo Shrapknel, solo debut 2013, last heard from in 2021, with Locust producing the beats, and many features, notably Margel the Sophant. [sp]

RJ Chesney: A Southern Man (2026, Man of Straw): Singer-songwriter born in Macon, raised in Biloxi, figures he knows better than others what makes a Southern Man, among which he counts Johnny Cash, Jimmy Carter, and MLK. B+(**) [sp]

Amalie Dahl's Dafnie & Lisa Ullén: Live at Kafé Hærverk (2025 [2026], Trost): Danish alto saxophonist, group named for a 2022 album, freebop with trumpet, trombone, bass, and drums, adding the Swedish pianist here. B+(**) [sp]

Mike Dana Jazz Orchestra: Farther (Still) (2025 [2026], Origin): Guitarist, studied at Berklee, taught at Fresno City College (1990-2018), since 2015 has been involved with Jazz Education Abroad, teaching in Lebanon and elsewhere. Has some reputation as a composer, but this appears to be his first album as leader. Big band, a bit short on brass, with two (of five) sax slots given to oboe and bassoon, but "special guests" added for solos: trumpeters Aaron Janik and Ingrid Jensen; saxophonists Eric Marienthal, Bob Mintzer and Tim Ries. B+(*) [cd]

Defcee & Steel Tipped Dove: We Will Be Brief (2026, Fused Arrow): Chicago rapper Adam Levin, several albums since 2018, with producer Joseph Fusaro. Brief indeed: 12 songs, 28:24. But packed with ideas, quips, and deft beats. A− [bc]

Daniel DeLorenzo: Can You Not (2026, self-released): Guitarist, has several albums on Bandcamp and Spotify since 2017, but I can't find a Discogs listing. Trio with bass (Theous Jones) and drums (Casey Toll). Seven songs, originals plus a noise-laced Schumann, 27:57. B+(**) [cd]

Dinosaur Jr.: Near There (2026, Jagjaguwar): Indie rock band, appeared on SST in the 1980s, this their 13th studio album, I was never much impressed by them, although I did like one J. Mascis solo album (Several Shades of Why), and one of Lou Barlow's Sebadoh albums (Barksdale). B+(*) [sp]

Marty Ehrlich: Open Air: The Complete Saxophone Quartet Compositions of Julius Hemphill (2025 [2026], Out of Your Head): Hemphill was an alto saxophonist (1940-95), from St. Louis, recorded some important albums in the 1970s, but by 1977 he was putting most of his effort into the World Saxophone Quartet, which has survived but never really replaced him. In recent years, there have been several attempts to revive his compositions, as well as releasing archival tapes. This is one of the most ambitious, with Allan Chase, Rob DeBellis, Brian Landrus, Andy Laster, Jeff Lederer, Lisa Parrott, and Jason Robinson joining Ehrlich. (There is also one "forgotten" track from 1997.) My problem here is the one that I've always had with WSQ and its competition: monophonic horns sound slow and stodgy, especially where the focus is on harmony. B+(**) [sp]

FaithNYC: Love Is a Wish Away (2024, Creation Youth): Singer-songwriter Felice Rosser, from Detroit, old enough to recall the 1967 riots, not sure when she moved to New York, but she released an album as Faith in 1997. Plays bass and sings, with Fin Hunt (drums) and Justin Adams (guitar/percussion/keyboards). With notions of funk and punk and dub for context, something that is not like anything else. B+(**) [sp]

Diego Figuerido: Horse Blues (2026, Arbors): Brazilian guitarist, quite a few albums since 2005, first appeared on this retro-swing label in a 2019 duo with Ken Peplowski, and has been a regular since then. With his brother Tacio Figueiredo on bass, plus keyboards (Gi Reis), harmonica (Uira Cabral), and drums (Anderson Matos). Sophisticated easy listening. B+(*) [sp]

Chad Fowler/Eri Yamamoto: Polkadots & Moonbeams (2024 [2026], Mahakala Music): Duets, alto sax/flute and piano, improv pieces, aside from a start with one Fowler wrote, and the title song at the end. B+(**) [bc]

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Kore Kara (2026, Libra): Fourth installment in this year's avant big band series, with one more still to come. Doesn't take off very fast, nor soar very far, although it does have some moments. B+(**) [cd]

Shelley Hirsch/Christian Weber/Alfred Vogel: Vanish (2024 [2026], Boomslang): Composer/vocalist/performance artist (b. 1952), a dozen albums and many side-credits since 1985, backed here by bass and drums. B+(**) [sp]

Katseye: Wild (2026, HYBE/Geffen, EP): "Global girl group," originally six singer-dancers from four countries but based in Los Angeles, modeled on K-pop — where HYBE is a big label, accounting for their initial sales advantage in South Korea. Third EP, down to five on the cover, but just four performed on their recent SNL feature. Five songs, 13:37, three released as singles so far ("Animal" the best). B+(**) [sp]

Miranda Lambert: Crisco (2026, Vanner): Tenth solo album since 2005, probably the best track record of any singer-songwriter in country music in that period, but seems like a major slip up, and not entirely for embracing the concept of "country disco," whatever that is supposed to be. [PS: "Sunset Marquis" is clearly disco, but not very good. "Crisco" is vaguely country, but also not very good. And for the record, I still cook one thing with Crisco: chicken and dumplings. My mother used to fry chicken in it, but even she gave it up.] B [sp]

Azar Lawrence: Turn the Music Up (2026, Trazar): Tenor saxophonist (also soprano), 1974 debut was an especially strong album, faded away in the 1980s but came back strong in 2007. Returns to his early songs here, pushing the "spiritual jazz" dimensions, even including "The Creator Has a Master Plan." B+(**) [cd]

Carla Marciano: Daydreaming: My Beloved Father Giovanni (2025 [2026], Challenge): Italian alto/sopranino saxophonist, from Salerno, several albums since Trane's Groove in 2002, an influence, backed by piano-bass-drums, supplemented by string orchestra on several tracks. B+(**) [cd]

Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves: Dedicated to You (2026, Blue Note): Presented as a John Coltrane tribute, the idea is to have Reeves sing the six songs from 1963's ballad album, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, backed by the saxophonist and his quartet: Joey Calderazzo (piano), Eric Revis (bass), and Justin Faulkner (drums), who add instrumentals, three as bonus tracks. The Coltrane/Hartman album has long struck me as one that should be great but isn't — although Coltrane's Ballads, from the same year, is so sublime you have to blame Hartman. Reeves is a superb singer, but that doesn't seem to help much here. Most modern saxophonists are indebted to Coltrane, and few more so than Marsalis. But why aim for his most anodyne gestures? B+(*) [sp]

Gretechen Parlato: The Wise Ones (2026, Edition): Jazz singer, from Los Angeles, father is a well-known bassist, and grandfather was a trumpet player; eighth album since 2005, writes some and also draws originals from Alan Hampton (bass) and Josh Mease (guitar), so the closest thing to a standard is a Stevie Wonder song arranged by Robert Glasper (one of three pianists). Rather pretty. B+(*) [sp]

Houston Person: From the Heart (2026, Arbors): Mainstream tenor saxophonist, started with Prestige in 1966, where he also did A&R, continuing with Joe Fields through the Muse and HighNote labels, so it's a surprise to see him show up on a different label (especially one that's been relatively quiet of late). With Eddie Allen (trumpet), John Di Martino (piano), James Chirillo (guitar), Sean Smith (bass), Vincent Ector (drums). Standards, nicely done, easy. B+(***) [sp]

Polyfillas: An Assortment of Punk Originals (2026, Dangerous): Punk band from Sunderland, in far northeast England (just southeast of Newcastle), principally Ava and Jamie Dangerous. First album, an EP (whence "Rude Boys of England") and several singles. Title suggests a formal exercise, more a love letter to history than the upswell of primal rage that drove punk in the 1970s. But now I'm old enough I not only don't mind, I applaud. A− [cd]

Julian Davis Reid and Circle of Trust: Mercy We Need (2026, Too Lost): Pianist from Chicago, also a theologian, has a previous album with this group, side projects like the JuJu Exchange, side credits with Isaiah Collier and Jamila Woods. Five songs feature Tramaine Parker (vocals), four Lenard Simpson (alto sax, one both). My appetite for the gospel vocals is pretty limited. B+(*) [cd]

Jamie Safir: Momentum (2026, Chill Tone): British pianist, first album as leader, several side credits back to 2017, mostly trio with bass (Conor Chaplin) and drums (Luke Tomlinson) playing originals, with Iain Ballamy (tenor sax) joining in on about half of the tracks, staying uncharacteristically mellow. B+(**) [cd]

Andy Sheppard: Salt Catchers (2025 [2026], ECM): Tenor saxophonist (also soprano), albums since 1987, especially with Carla Bley. Trio with Rita Marcotulli (piano) and Michel Benita (bass). B+(*) [sp]

Judi Silvano's Garden Winds: First Flight (2024 [2026], JSL): Singer, has a dozen albums since 1992, way too operatic for my taste, especially in this company: Haruma Fukazawa (flutes), Claire De Brunner (bassoon). B− [cd]

Bria Skonberg: Indigo (2025 [2026], Cellar): Canadian trumpet player and singer, ninth album since 2009. One original, the rest standards, from "Mood Indigo" through Sting, the most striking a Jacques Brel-Rod McKuen song, "If You Go Away." B+(***) [sp]

Skyzoo & Apollo Brown: Luxury Tax (2026, First Generation Rich/Escapism): Underground rapper Gregory Skyler Taylor, from New York, couple dozen albums since 2006, including a previous with Detroit producer Brown. B+(**) [sp]

Wadada Leo Smith: Constellations and Hemispheres (2017-22 [2025], Burning Ambulance Music): Trumpet player, five pieces (59:10) recorded over several years, the first track with piano (Sylvie Courvoisier) and drums (Marcus Gilmore), the others with more players, peaking out at 10 for the 22:05 centerpiece. B+(***) [sp]

Kevin Sun: Kevin Sun, II (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): Tenor saxophonist, immediately impressed with his 2018 Trio, demonstrating considerable chops as well as a command of history. By my reckoning, he followed that up with four more A− albums, then slipped into the range of very honorable mentions; meanwhile running a record label that regularly produces interesting releases by others. This year he's come up with two simultaneous quartet albums, both recorded on the same day, so the numbering is rather arbitrary. This one I found more engaging, perhaps because Christian Li's piano adds dimensions I didn't find in the first volume, or maybe just because the saxophonist seemed more engaged from the start. With Walter Stinson (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums). B+(***) [cd]

Kevin Sun: Kevin Sun, I (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): Quartet with Max Light (guitar), Walter Stinson (bass), and Jon Starks (drums), recorded the same day as II, presumably first, as it feels more tentative early on. B+(**) [cd]

Tinashe: Popstar (2026, Atlantic/Nice Life/Tinashe Music): Pop singer-songwriter, last name Kachingwe, father from Zimbabwe, born in Kentucky, grew up in Los Angeles, eighth album since 2014. B+(***) [sp]

Tres Hongos: More Chips (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Trio of Jacob Wick (trumpet), Marc Riordan (piano), and Frank Rosaly (drums), third album, widely spaced since 2012. B+(**) [sp]

Lex Walton: Ultimate Love Forever (2026, Sub Pop, EP): Singer-songwriter, some kind of noise-pop, cites Les Rallizes Dénudés as inspiration, Wikipedia cites a discography going back to 2018 but this is probably the first one with any real distribution, a short one at that (7 songs, 19:50), but gets your attention. B+(**) [sp]

Recent Reissues, Compilations, Vault Discoveries

Cameron Brown and Dannie's Calypso: Remembrance (2011 [2026], Sunnyside): Bassist, b. 1945 in Detroit, first albums in his Discogs list were: Massimo Urbani, Beaver Harris, and George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet; although his first side credits were with George Russell, and one quickly notices Archie Shepp, Mal Waldron, Dewey Redman, Dannie Richmond, and Sheila Jordan. The band name here is a tribute to Richmond, and song titles name Russell, Jordan, and Don Cherry, and the songs include material by Richmond, Redman, Cherry, and Jobim. Quintet: Lisa Parrott (alto/soprano/baritone sax), Jason Rigby (tenor/soprano sax), Russ Johnson (trumpet), and Tony Jefferson (drums). That roster suggests serious postbop, but the reality is raucous freebop, with a nod toward calypso. A− [sp]

Jon Waine: Second Skin (1975-1983) (1975-83 [2026], Corbett vs. Dempsey): New Jersey experimental/post-punk band, principally Brian McCormack (guitar) and William Pope (vocals, aka Pope.L, who "went on to have an illustrious career as a conceptual visual artist"). They produced one single in 1982 (per Discogs, "Do the Tic/Boogie Down the Congo," now "impossibly rare"). This gathers up 30 recordings, putting the more mature 1980-83 material on the first CD, with home recordings from 1975-81 filling out a second CD. Interesting sound here, some novel kind of fractured no wave funk, the closest analogue Pere Ubu (with nothing quite like David Thomas or Peter Laughner). This could have been edited down, but history is inevitably messy. B+(***) [bc]

John Larkin: Before Scatman: Early Sessions (1978 [2026], Iceberg, EP): Jazz pianist/singer (1942-99), grew up with a stuttering problem, which he overcame first by playing piano, then by scatting. He recorded five albums 1986-99, most as Scatman John. These four songs (23:13) came earlier. Surprisingly intense. B+(*) [sp]

Old Music

Lola Beltrán: Voz E Inspiracion (1975, Peerless): Mexican singer and actress (1932-96), specialized in ranchera and huapango music, many albums from 1954 on. Not hard to identify this is specifically (dramatically, even operatically) Mexican. B+(**) [yt]

Daniel DeLorenzo: Trio (2017, self-released): Guitarist, from North Carolina, first album, with Theous Jones (drums) and Able Jones (organ), plus extra guitar on two tracks (Doug Sours). Seven jazz standards, from "Work Song" to "Straight No Chaser," 38:02. B+(**) [bc]

Fine Young Cannibals: The Finest (1985-89 [1996], MCA): British ska-pop band, founded by David Steele and Andy Cox from the Beat, with Roland Gift as the singer (who also had a star turn in the Stephen Frears/Hanif Kureishi movie Sammy & Rosie Get Laid). They released two albums, reduced to 10 songs here, plus a soundtrack cut and three previously unreleaseds for bait. A− [sp]

Fine Young Cannibals: The Finest: The Rare and the Remixed (1985-89 [1996], MCA): Second disc adds three extra songs and five remixes, total 43:07, nothing essential or important or unlistenable. Just the extras, without trying to factor in the best-of: B+(*) [sp]

F.S.K.: International (1995 [1996], Sub-Up): German group, founded 1980 as Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle ("voluntary self-control"), went with initials around 1989. Kind of a folk-rock grounding, but more eclectic, perhaps even whimsical (not that it's easy to tell). B+(**) [sp]

Violeta Parra: Las Últimas Composiciones De Violeta Parra (1966, RCA): Chilean folk singer-songwriter (1917-67), collected songs from all over, but also wrote these, recorded simply with her guitar and percussion. B+(***) [sp]

Astor Piazzolla: Sinfonia De Tango (1955, Disques Vogue, EP): Argentinian tango composer, first album, 10-inches, 8 songs, 23:04, further credited to "su bandoneon y sus cuerdas" (strings, from Orchestre National De L'Opéra De Paris, along with Lalo Schifrin on piano. B+(**) [sp]

Scatman John: Scatman's World (1995, RCA): John Larkin, recorded a couple of previous albums under his own name, turned his stutter habit into a unique mix of rap, scat, and jaunty pop schtick. This album turned into a novelty hit, especially in Japan (where it sold 1.5 million). Features a utopian anthem, "World of Scatland." B+(*) [sp]

Idrissa Soumaoro & L'Eclipse De L'I.J.A.: Le Tioko-Tioko (1978, Eterna): From Mali, seems prototypical. B+(**) [sp]

Zuhura Swaleh/Matano Juma & Orchestra Morning Star: Karama Zijiri (1973, Pwani): Originally a cassette, split between the two singers, ladies first. While the band could be backing both, Juma's singles credit it, and my rough impression is that he gets the more polished support. Swaleh was born in 1947 in Nairobi, later moved to Mombasa, on the coast with a long history of Arab trade, where the local style is called taarab, and the influence is decidedly Arabic. (The Zanzibara series includes a volume subtitled L'âge d'or du taarab de Mombasa, with several recordings each — Swaleh's are credited to Zuhura & Party or Zuhura & Zein Musical Party; they also appear on Zanzibara 10: First Modern, Taarab Vibes From Mombasa & Tanga.) I know less about Juma, but he is also associated with taarab. B+(**) [yt]

Caetano Veloso: Bicho (1977, Philips): Brazilian singer-songwriter (b. 1942), one of the founders of the Tropicália movement in the late 1960s, and a major figure ever since, but someone I've sampled very lightly over the years. B+(***) [sp]

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Yellow Magic Orchestra (1978, Alfa): Japanese synthpop group, originally a one-shot project of bassist Haruomi Hosono, but developed into a band with drummer Yukihiro Takahashi and keyboard player Ryuichi Sakamoto. Nice beats album, but vocals eventually seep in, and clutter increases. B+(*) [sp]

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Solid State Survivor (1979, Alfa): Japanese electropop group, debut 1978, second album, continued until 1984, then reformed briefly in 1992, 2002, and 2007: Haruomi Hosono (bass/keyboards), Yukihiro Takahashi (vocals/drums), and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards), the best known for his solo career (d. 2023). Opens with instrumentals, lighter and quirkier than Kraftwerk or even Can, then breaks the vocal ice with an amusing "Day Tripper." B+(**) [sp]

Limited Sampling

Records I played parts of, but not enough to grade: -- means no interest, - not bad but not a prospect, + some chance, ++ likely prospect.

Grade (or other) Changes

Sometimes further listening leads me to change an initial grade, usually either because I move on to a real copy, or because someone else's review or list makes me want to check it again. Also some old albums extracted from further listening:

Rechecked with no grade change:

Additional Consumer News:

Grades on artists in the old music section.

Music Weeks

Music: Current count 36534 [36534] rated (+0), 149 [149] unrated (+0).

Excerpts from this month's Music Week posts:

Notes

Sources noted as follows:

• [cd] based on physical cd
• [cdr] based on an advance or promo cd or cdr
• [lp] based on physical lp (vinyl)
• [dvd] based on physical dvd (rated more for music than video)
• [bc] available at bandcamp.com
• [r] available at napster.com (formerly Rhapsody)
• [sc] available at soundcloud.com
• [sp] available at spotify.com
• [yt] available at youtube.com
• [os] some other stream source
• [dl] something I was able to download from the web; may be freely available, may be a bootleg someone made available, or may be a publicist promo

Grades are probably self-explanatory, aside from B+, which is subdivided 1-2-3 stars, because most records that come my way are pretty good, but they're not all that good.