Adrian Younge always has several projects on deck. In 2026 alone he produced and played on three releases from his and Ali Shaheed Muhammad’s Jazz Is Dead label, with one more coming. Further, his Linear Labs studio and label have issued three 2026 outings: the completely solo outing Younge, the EP Afro-Disco Makossa, and the forthcoming Proud of Me in collaboration with British singer/songwriter ALA.NI.
That’s a lot of work for one man, but Younge’s organic process makes it all possible. What’s more, he makes it look easy.
Afro-Disco Makossa was born from a single question: “What would a Ghanaian producer in ’76 have made if he set out to create an American disco record for his hometown?”…
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Chopping Mountain is the sixth long player from 
…The album has been newly remastered and cut directly from the analog master tapes.
Fans of blue-eyed soulman 
Completely unpretentious, approachable and free of affectation – yet possessing the glamour of a diva in the very best sense: in the 20 years since her ACT debut, Meet Me Around Midnight, Swedish singer, pianist and songwriter Ida Sand has become one of European soul-jazz’s most loved artists, without ever making a fuss about herself and always keeping the focus firmly on the music. Whether entirely on her own with just voice and piano, or on the biggest stages alongside Nils Landgren or the SWR Big Band, it is Ida Sand’s warmth and authenticity that touch her audiences. And, of course, her smoky, sonorous voice, recognisable from the very first note.
The last few years have been a whirlwind for Glasgow’s 
In the decades leading up to its release there had been loads and more loads of excellent collections of girl group and related music that originated in the U.K., but Strawberry Records’ 2026 collection 
Powerhouse vocalist, Grammy-nominated, ten-time BMA winner, singer-songwriter, and bassist Danielle Nicole returns with Fireflies, following her highly acclaimed 2024 album 
The opening commentary about Ruthie Foster’s new record brings this author back 20-plus years to SXSW to see Ruthie perform in a small alley in Austin before only 50 or so curious onlookers. She had the blues and gospel chops then. It was clear to me that her future was promising, though her folk-blues approach was fairly elementary at the time. We all know what has transpired for her – the BMA Koko Taylor Award in 2015, two Grammy nominations, and a Grammy win in 2025 for her album Mileage.
…Timeless, a new collection from NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, offers 10 previously unreleased recordings spanning the breadth of the Minneapolis legend’s career, from a 1978 home recording to a live take of a favorite B-side from one of his final concerts.
The inclusion of a couple Force-era demos on 2019’s 
After they released 
When Alabama Shakes sauntered in with the Southern groove of ‘Hold On’ in early 2012, the members were barely older than the boys and girls for which they named their debut. Sure, guitarist Heath Fogg was nearing 30, but 
Kindhearted singer-songwriter 
The 
Could there be a more appropriate album title this year? Sunshine,