Europe Jazz Media Chart - February 2026

Inger Hannisdal is one of Norway's most exciting violinists and composers. She has a degree in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean studies from Sciences Po in Paris, and Arabic music from Université Antonine in Lebanon. She released her debut album North South East West in 2022, where she combines Arabic and Norwegian folk music with jazz and contemporary music. On her new solo album, we get 10 great compositions, all of which are made by Hannisdal, with the exception of one, which contains a part that is associated with Omar Al-Batsh (1885-1950). The album is an excellent mix of Norwegian fiddle traditions and folk music from the Middle East, interspersed with a little creative contemporary music. Hannisdal has a unique ability for this particular combination. She is a brilliant violinist, whether she plays the regular fiddle or the Hardanger fiddle. And by "dubbing" herself in several layers, this becomes particularly original and beautiful.

After 25 years, Light is finally the new solo album from Danish trumpeter/composer Palle Mikkelborg. And it's turned out to be something really special. Except for two tracks, the pieces on the album were recorded entirely solo, with Mikkelborg playing not only trumpet and flugelhorn but also piano. It is, of course, no wonder that Mikkelborg withdrew from the live circuit a few years ago. Born in 1941, he was already well into his eighties, had been on stage for so many decades, and now wanted to record some new music in peace and quiet. A search with fellow countryman and celebrated guitarist Jakob Bro (with whom he collaborated on the Bro albums Returnings (from 2018 with Jon Christensen and Thomas Morgan) and Strands (from 2023 with Marilyn Mazur) through his boxes full of recorded cassettes and DATs yielded handfuls of music that he wanted to rework as solo pieces.

Singer, improviser and composer Vera Morais first gained recognition in a duo with saxophonist Hristo Goleminov and has since developed several other projects, notably the trio Novelo Vago. Based in Amsterdam, the singer presents a new project built around an unusual formation — three voices and two flutes — exploring an atypical instrumental configuration and a curious musical approach focused on sonic exploration and experimentation. Joining Vera Morais (voice, composition and text) are Līva Dumpe (voice), Sarah van Eijk (voice), Teresa Costa (flute and piccolo), and Ketija Ringa-Karahona (flute).

Nothing flashy here – but lots of sincere passion. Trumpeter Kasper Tranberg has had more than three decades to develop his voice as a professional musician. His tone is warm and soothing. A player with a great heart, who finds inspiration through a variety of music ranging from tin pan alley songs, to 1960s avantgarde, to Danish pop icons and more. And that also goes for his companions on this release: Nils Davidsen (b / cel) and Frands Rifbjerg (d). All three have a passion for the exploratory and unpredictable with emphasis on a melancholic, serene, and healing approach. And they know each other well from many previous constellations – thus the trio breathes as one, and they are excellent examples of the saying that sometimes less is more. Nobody’s Heart is personal, thoughtful and intricate.

An album that proves once again that unity exists precisely because of diversity, at all levels. (Georges Tonla Briquet)

Saxophonist Toms Rudzinskis is a solid asset in Latvian jazz. At the very end of 2024, Jersika Records released his album Interception, in which Rudzinskis embarked on a new quest for him – a combination of bop-style jazz with a string quartet. It is a return to more traditional jazz, as Toms had been fascinated by experimental big band and fusion music in recent years, but it justifies. The album features foreign friends – the great Japanese pianist Alex Koo and Italian double bassist Igor Spallati, plus, of course, Toms long-time friend, Latvian drummer Ivars Arutyunyan. The jazz chemistry is fully felt here and intercepts ones mind.

The New Global Ensemble is a project of rare distinction. Not only because it brings together musicians from different continents, but because they succeed in developing a shared musical language from their respective cultural roots – sustained by attentive listening, mutual respect, and a palpable sense of empathy. “Dream Walking” is far more than a conventional “world music” production. The music unfolds in wide arcs: from regional African traditions through contemporary improvisation and jazz to electronic sound textures and experimental forms. Saxophone, strings, gyil, mbira, voices, and live electronics interlock organically. Each of the participating musicians appears as a master of their instrument – yet the focus is not on the individual, but on the collective. There is no dominant leader; instead, the music is shaped by an egalitarian, shared interaction. The pieces evolve like individual chapters of a multilayered narrative. Each track opens up a new sonic space, a different atmosphere, its own rhythmic pulse. At times ritualistic and archaic, at others meditative, then again energetic and freely improvised. This diversity never feels arbitrary; rather, it forms a coherent whole that captivates from beginning to end. “Dream Walking” is an album for open ears and curious minds – for those who understand music not as a genre, but as a living dialogue between cultures. A multifaceted, intelligent, and deeply moving work that resonates long after the final notes have faded. We are truly impressed.