Best New Jazz In July 2026: Domi & JD Beck, Terri Lyne Carrington, Charles Lloyd and more

**Adam Maness** (0:19)
Welcome, everyone, to another edition of Fresh Spin Friday. My name is Adam Maness, and we're listening to some of the great music that was released in July, 2026 Nothing has been more anticipated in July than the sophomore effort from the dynamic, prodigious duo of Domi and JD Beck. Their first album, Not Tight, was kind of a sensation. I mean, they've been a sensation now for several years, but anytime they're putting out new music, it's very exciting. They take their time. And with this second album, which is on the Ape Shit slash Blue Note record label, they're doing things a little bit differently than they did on their debut, Not Tight. So, on Not Tight, they featured a lot of guest artists, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Anderson Paak, Herbie Hancock, lots of celebrities coming in to put their stamp of approval on these two young geniuses. But on this album, no features, and a couple of changes that you might hear. The first is that they're singing a lot more. So, you're going to hear a lot more vocals from Domi and JD Beck themselves singing some songs. I mean, actually, most of the album is that. And there's a lot of orchestral instrumentation on this. Actually, they went on to talk to Rick Beato and talked about this process. Very fascinating how they made this album. Actually, kind of painstaking when I was thinking about how they did it. But, you know, they're very thorough, they're very meticulous. Check out the opening track Epiphany, and it's all orchestral instruments, but it has a very Domi and JD Beck feel still.
So good, that little fall down. Again, these are not synthesizers. These are orchestral and woodwind instruments recorded one at a time.
So that's the opening track, that's definitely a statement. I mean, if you're looking for not tight, that's not that. But you're going to have some classic Domi and JD Beck, like the incredibly thick, intense grooves, the tightness of it, plus their vocals. This is Had Enough, the second track on the album. There it is. JD Beck has a lovely voice, actually.
You can hear the growth that they've had. I mean, we've known Domi and JD Beck since like 2018, 2019 is when they really burst on the scene. So it's fun watching them grow up before our eyes and watching their music evolve into something new. Next up, we have new music from the great drummer and composer Terry Lynn Carrington. This new album called Trip the Night Fantastic is an amazing collection of collaborations. There are so many incredible artists and musicians on this album. We don't have time to name them all because this was an album that is trying to capture the spirit of that collaboration through topics of social justice. And it's really, really beautiful. We're going to listen to the track called Solidarity Song. This is featuring Terry Lynn Carrington, Mickey Howard, Mark Rebo, Larry Goldings, Social Science and Aaron Parks. This is Solidarity Song.
It's 2026, y'all. It's time we bring back a few good protest songs. That's Solidarity Song. Solidarity Song, again, Terry Lynn Carrington, Mickey Howard, Mark Ruboe, Larry Golding, Social Science, Aaron Parks. Unbelievable. I love the lilting blues feel of that song. Yeah, I'm hooked on this album. Check it out. Again, Terry Lynn Carrington and Social Science, Trip The Night. Fantastic. Okay, next up, released on July 10th on the Blue Note album is a new release from a band called Fathers. Fathers features an all-star lineup of Kenny Beats, Kiefer, Cartoons and Nate Smith. That is an insane level of musicianship. And we're going to listen to the first track from their new self-titled album, Fathers. This is I Level. I mean, it's just got Kiefer's sprinkles all over it.
That is I-Level from Father's self-titled release on the Blue Note album, Blue Note record label. Very excited for this band. Love Nate Smith, of course. But Kiefer, who himself just got signed to Blue Note as a solo artist, very excited for everything Kiefer's going to make for Blue Note. That's a great collaboration between artist and label, I think, perfect fit. Next up is a new release, another Blue Note album featuring one of our favorites here, legendary tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd. And he's teamed up with two frequent collaborators of his, Zakir Hussain and drummer Eric Harland. And they made a new album called Sangam and Friends. And this is Tagore, live from Santa Barbara, California in 2014 This is meditative, reflective, gorgeous music, the entire album, and really worth your time to sit with in a quiet space.
The whole album just puts you in this state. Absolutely beautiful. Three master musicians at the top of their game. You know, Charles Lloyd has had one of the great back halves of any career, I guess back thirds of a career. He took some time off for a very long stretch. Of course, he had all the success in the late 60s and 70s, and then took a long stretch off where he was kind of out of the spotlight. But he's been back the last 15 years or so, 20 years maybe, in our lives. And just making some of the greatest music of his career. And it's just so inspiring to see. So, so inspiring. It's all fantastic. Next up, we have yet another Blue Note album, this time from South African pianist, Nduduzo Makatini. This is called The Myth We Choose. We're going to listen to a track now featuring Tando Zidi on the vocals, and this is called Tethered.