Found in the Shuffle, part 2
A selection of albums & things on my radar right now
It’s been a while since I did a bit of a wrap up of miscellaneous things I’ve been listening to recently, so wanted to revisit it today with a handful of albums that have caught my ear. With these picks, I don’t limit myself to jazz but it will, of course, creep in from time to time!
In the comments, I’d love to hear what you all are listening to — especially any new releases that are resonating with you right now.
Jeremy Dutcher - Motewolonuwok (2023)
The multi-award winning indigenous (Tobique First Nation) Two-Spirit Jeremy Dutcher’s second studio album, ‘Motewolonuwok’ features songs in both Maliseet-Passamaquoddy and English, weaving jazz, neoclassical, and pop sensibilities to create a uniquely beautiful — yet at times, haunting — music experience. His win of the 2024 Polaris Music Prize for this second album made him the very first two-time winner.
If you enjoy this album, Jeremy’s debut album ‘Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa’ utilized archival recordings of his ancestors, effectively collaborating with them to create something new. This first album is sung entirely in Wolastoqey and won the 2018 Polaris Music Prize.
Moses Yoofee Trio - MYT (2025)
The Moses Yoofee Trio, hailing from Berlin, Germany, recently released their first full-length album, showcasing a fusion of jazz, R&B, hip-hop with drum & bass style drum breaks. This formula might seem a bit familiar since it definitely has similarities with the likes of Robert Glasper, Yussef Dayes, and Domi & JD Beck.
The song featured here, ‘BOND’ is one of my highlights from the album. I also enjoy ‘TILL TOMORROW’ quite a bit. Most of the tracks are relatively short and the album is cohesive as a whole. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next after this solid first release.
Elijah Fox - Ambient Works for the Highways of Los Angeles (2025)
In this follow up to his 2023 release ‘Wyoming (Piano Works)’, prolific pianist/keyboardist/producer Elijah Fox delivers another dose of what I refer to as ‘musical vignettes’ — short melodies and tunes that are cohesive throughout the album, but stand alone as little scenes.
While these short tracks might not be to everyone’s liking, this is an album I recommend listening to in full in one sitting. Elijah does a wonderful job of creating a mood and painting a picture with little time — much like a great short story writer.
Carla Bley - Sextet (1987)
Carla Bley was an important figure in the free & avant-garde jazz movements and even pioneered independent artist-owned record labels. While she isn’t incredibly well-known outside of jazz circles (free jazz isn’t exactly what one could call approachable or mass-appealing) she did release some more contemplative albums, such as ‘Sextet.’
This album is a mostly fairly low-key and is remarkably well-recorded. It shines on a good audio system, with excellent stereo mastering. ‘Lawns’ is probably my favorite track from the album, though the whole set is nice. While not exactly loved by critics (it’s quite a departure from a lot of her wilder work), I find this album to be a bit of an underrated gem.
Other things on my radar recently…
This painting, ‘Jailhouse Blues’ by Jack Tierney, now in my personal collection.
Publique: an animated short film anthology set in a bustling metropolis. The city is full of hundreds of characters, each the protagonist to their own story. Every film follows a different character, diving into their everyday lives and seeing the world through their eyes.
Aviologie, a shop offering hand-carved birds as home decor.
The Monk and Robot series from Becky Chambers.