I put this mix together over new years and it feels like a reflection of what was and what's to come. There is a mix of some of my most played tracks of 2025, as well as some new unreleased and forthcoming bits from myself and friends. It's all bound by those Echo Train hallmarks of low end and cerebral ear candy. I hope it brings you all good fortune for the year to come :)
It’s the final Saturday Spring for 2025. George Henderson makes the trek into the studio to talk about his new feature A Song From Insane Times and the legend that is Andrew Fagan is our Demo God. fyi The lovely Rachel Ashby is doing The Saturday Spring for January. Karyn is back February 7th.
On his first Jazz Show for 2026, after opening with a classic mid-70's ECM opus from guitarist Ralph Towner, Def Jim offers a feast of Free Jazz and free-ish jazz to delight the auditory senses of those with open ears and perhaps a little courage. From seminal mid-80's works by legendary Detroit pioneers Griot Galaxy and friends (incidentally featured in the December 2025 edition of UK magazine The Wire) through drummer Gerry Hemingway's 90's European Quintet, an outstanding mid-noughties live cut from the second incarnation of David Liebman & Richie Beirach vehicle Quest to new and recent releases from veteran Chicago reedsman Henry Threadgill, Shaman-guitarist Tisziji Munoz and piano visionary Matthew Shipp, this Show has a tilt at freedom in all its guises. And then there's the tracks in between... all in all, true nourishment indeed for intrepid musical souls.
Another cracker of a Jazz Show from Def Jim, who only had access to a single functional studio CD player but nonetheless delivers selections from new releases by Tomeka Reid Quartet, Fred Hersch, Wolfgang Muthspiel and Joe Morris/Elliott Sharp (among others) plus a classic Oregon track from 1974 by way of tribute to the late guitarist Ralph Towner plus another instalment in his ongoing exploration of the 1970s-90s work of Chico Freeman and a bunch of other plusses besides. Essential listening for Jazz Heads of every stripe.
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