BeatCaffeine’s Weekly Record Rundown March 26, 2026
This week’s BeatCaffeine Record Rundown spotlights a brilliant new album from Ontario’s Atlantis Jazz Ensemble, the latest EP from Brian Jackson and Masters at Work, and striking debut releases from two boundary-pushing duos: Brazilian drummers Antonio Neves and Thiaguinho Silva, and London’s experimental Ethio-jazz outfit ZENA.
Atlantis Jazz Ensemble — ‘Mystic Suite’
(Marlow Records)
Ontario-based collective Atlantis Jazz Ensemble complete the group’s incredible album trilogy that includes Oceanic Suite (2016) and Celestial Suite (2023), with a brilliant new full-length, titled Mystic Suite. Inspired by Greek mythology and Hades’ supernatural realm, this 8-track recording fuses together spiritual jazz, modal explorations, and Afro‑Latin rhythms that incorporate everything from warm Fender Rhodes grooves, Coltrane‑shaded horns, percussion-heavy Afro sounds, bossa and highlife influences, and more. On this session, the core quintet is joined by tenor saxophonist Petr Cancura, an alum of bassist Cecil McBee’s group, as well as versatile percussionist Marielle Rivard, best known for her work as member of the Souljazz Orchestra. Echoing the 1970s spiritual jazz of Strata‑East and Tribe while channeling the urgency of today’s underground, the album unfolds as a continuous, face‑to‑face ensemble conversation, searching for meaning in an age of turmoil. Definitely one of the best jazz albums of 2026!
Neves E Silva — ‘Ladeiras De Santa Teresa’
(Far Out Recordings)
Rio jazz maverick Antonio Neves and carioca percussion master Thiaguinho Silva join forces for their full-length album Ladeiras De Santa Teresa on Far Out Recordings. The incredible 6-track groove-oriented recording is a rare Brazilian jazz offering built around two drummers. Centered on trad‑samba roots, blazing brass, and surging piano, it feels both raw and expansively cinematic. The standout “Das Neves” and the vocal flair of rapper Joca on “Viagem de Trem” deepen the palette, while the record’s winding rhythmic paths evoke Santa Teresa’s steep hills, the city’s bustling energy, and the neighborhood’s jazz–samba history.
Brian Jackson & Masters At Work — ‘EP 2‘
(BBE Music)
The second collaborative EP from Brian Jackson and Masters At Work’s Now More Than Ever project is a deep dive into extended, future‑soul reworks of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson’s classic catalogue. Centered on an incredible new jazzy house rendition of “Racetrack in France,” featuring legends Josh Milan, J. Ivy, and Moodymann, the 6-track recording also includes expansive versions of “Moonshine,” “Lady Day and John Coltrane,” and “Home Is Where the Hatred Is,” alongside the brand‑new title track. Definitely a must-own release, that brilliantly moves the past well into the future.
ZENA — ‘Temesgen’
(Brownswood Recordings)
London-based ethio-jazz duo ZENA released their highly-anticipated debut EP, Temesgen on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label. Anchored by the hypnotic lead single “My Love Your Love,” the six-track recording blends psychedelic funk, dub, and jazz fusion, interwoven with the rhythmic and melodic language of Ethiopian Raya and Lasta music. Built through improvisation, this is a forward-thinking and reimagined approach to ethio-jazz shaped by heritage and gratitude through a distinctly modern London lens.
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