Growing up in an urban environment could lead to obliviousness to the natural world. Having grown up in a rural environment, saxophonist/composer Jeremy Udden was very aware of nature but living in metropolises made him seek nature’s touch in the city’s midst. Udden’s children have grown up in Brooklyn and he is frequently amazed at how attuned to nature his city kids are, just one of the intriguing juxtapositions he reflects in his new recording, Wishing Flower.

After five years with Avishai Cohen, Israeli pianist Shai Maestro struck out with his own trio – his eponymous first record was one of the bestselling jazz albums in France in 2012. Once again tightly linked in with the same team Jorge Roeder (double bass) and Ziv Ravitz (drums), Maestro offers a series of new compositions illustrating a rich and exciting musical universe.

Jokers… Once again, accordionist Vincent Peirani reshuffles the cards. As a good jazz musician, he likes to venture into unexplored territories. As a good music fan and a very good musician in general, he is curious, enthusiastic, and eager to make new discoveries and find new things to listen to or play. Jokers, his first album in trio, goes even further, and elsewhere.