Nublues - Joel Ross (3) (2LP Vinyl)

Nublues by Joel Ross (3).

Vibraphonist Joel Ross has spent the past several years establishing himself as one of the most compelling voices to emerge on Blue Note Records, and "Nublues" finds him deepening a language that draws freely from the tradition while pushing restlessly forward. Spread across four sides of vinyl, the album stretches out with the kind of space that lets a working band breathe, letting melodies unfold and ideas circulate rather than rushing to resolve them.

The program opens with "Early," "Equinox," and "Mellowdee" on the first side, a sequence that sets the tone for everything that follows. From there the record moves through "Chant," "What Am I Waiting For?," and the meditative "Bach (God The Father In Eternity)," a title that hints at the wide reach of Ross's sensibility, one that can hold the sacred and the swinging in the same breath.

Side C carries the album's title piece, "Nublues," a track that gives the whole project its name and its center of gravity. Alongside it sit "Ya Know?" and "Evidence," the latter a nod to the deep well of jazz composition that Ross and his collaborators keep in constant conversation with their own writing. The blues, in Ross's hands, is less a fixed form than a feeling to be turned over and reexamined from every angle.

The final side belongs entirely to "Central Park West," given room to stand alone as the album's closing statement. Placing a single extended piece on its own side is a gesture that rewards patient listening, the kind of choice that suits a vibraphonist whose instrument thrives on shimmer, decay, and the quiet resonance between notes.

There is a small wrinkle in the pressing that collectors will appreciate: all tracks carry a ℗2024 UMG Recordings, Inc. Blue Note Records line except for the title track "Nublues" itself, which bears a ℗2023 UMG Recordings, Inc. Blue Note Records designation. It is a detail that speaks to the way this music came together over time, the title piece arriving a little ahead of the rest.

This copy includes a signed art card, a welcome addition for anyone building a shelf of contemporary Blue Note releases and looking for that extra personal touch from the artist. Between the generous sequencing, the thoughtful use of the four sides, and Ross's singular voice on the vibraphone, this is a record that suits both the dedicated jazz listener and the collector drawn to the modern chapter of a storied label. Bring it home, drop the needle on "Early," and let it play through to the last ringing tones of "Central Park West."

Pressing Details:
Includes a signed art card.

All tracks ℗2024 UMG Recordings, Inc. Blue Note Records
except nublues ℗2023 UMG Recordings, Inc. Blue Note Records

Track Listing:
A1. Early
A2. Equinox
A3. Mellowdee
B1. Chant
B2. What Am I Waiting For?
B3. Bach (God The Father In Eternity)
C1. Nublues
C2. Ya Know?
C3. Evidence
D. Central Park West

Artist: Joel Ross (3)

Format: 2LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: 00602458376647

Release Year: 2024

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)