For those unaware, Joe Fonda is one of the more indispensable and admired bassists working in creative music these days; he has an impeccable and impressive resume. Not many likely knew that his mentor is the esteemed master, Wadada Leo Smith.

They recorded only once together and that was close to 40 years ago, so time was right for a musical reunion. “Eyes On The Horizon” finds Fonda, trumpeter Smith, pianist Satoko Fujii and drummer Tiziano Tononi (the latter two also have strong ties to Fonda) playing brilliantly on what is definitely one of the finest albums of the year.

But wait, there are more like that: the first-time meetings of eminent Danish musicians – “Sound Flower” by saxophonist Jesper Zeuthen, percussionist Marilyn Mazur & bassist Anders Christiansen, or “Pulsar“ by bassist William Parker with two Rotterdam musicians – saxophonist Hugo Costa & drummer Philipp Ernsting, or two trios built around Portuguese saxophonist Jose Lencastre.

Fellow saxophonist from Portugal, Rodrigo Amado assembled his trio The Attic for “La Grande Crue” and added French pianist Eve Risser to change things up, while the Nano Brothers from Germany find their new “Ascend Flowers” nominated for the German Jazz Critics Award. There’s much more exciting music in this episode, so don’t pass it up!

1. Inspiration Opus #1 (for Wadada Leo Smith)
2. My Song Opus #2
3. We Need Members Opus #4 (for Wadada Leo Smith)
4. Like No Other (for Bobby Naughton)
5. Listen to Dr. Cornel West
6. Bright Light Opus #5 (for Wadada Leo Smith)
7. Eyes On The Horizon Opus #3 (for Wadada Leo Smith)

This impeccably sculpted, majestically impassioned new recording opens on the organically sculpted Inspiration Opus #1 (for Wadada Leo Smith) and the we get brought forth the decadently-hued My Song Opus #2 and the more statically jaunty We Need Members Opus #4 (again for Wadada Leo Smith).

Along next is the low slung, late night, smokey jazz club appeal of Like No Other (for Bobby Naughton) which is in turn followed by the resplendently opulent Listen to Dr. Cornel West, the album rounding out on the slightly sterner fare of Bright Light Opus #5, closing on the all-embracing title track Eyes On The Horizon Opus #3 (both for Wadada Leo Smith).

www.joefonda.com