| Jazz |
Summary: Recorded in Belo Horizonte during a Fulbright residency, New Paths finds pianist Michael Eckroth blending the traditions of Minas Gerais with contemporary jazz fusion. Richly textured, inventive and performed by an outstanding ensemble, the album stands as a compelling meeting point between Brazilian musical heritage and modern jazz creativity.
Michael Eckroth’s New Paths Review: A Bold Fusion of Brazilian Traditions and Contemporary Jazz
From the opening moments of the title track, New Paths by pianist and composer Michael Eckroth announces itself as an album of unusual ambition. Layered rhythms, expansive harmonies and a strong sense of place immediately suggest a composer drawing from sources far beyond the traditional jazz vocabulary. The result is a recording that transforms its cultural influences into a sophisticated and deeply engaging fusion statement.
Recorded in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, New Paths emerged from Eckroth’s residency through the Fulbright Program. Drawing on the folk traditions of Congado, a cultural and religious expression rooted in the state of Minas Gerais, the album explores the intersection of these traditions with jazz improvisation, Brazilian popular music and Eckroth’s distinctive compositional voice.
The project brings together an impressive group of musicians, including bassist and co-producer Eneias Xavier, guitarist Magno Alexandre, drummer Cyrano Almeida, percussionist Talles Bibiano and a special guest whose presence alone commands attention: Minas Gerais guitar legend Toninho Horta.
In reality, however, New Paths is the product of a much broader collective effort. A remarkable cast of musicians contributes throughout the album, including the outstanding vocalist Daniel Visandani, who delivers one of the album’s most memorable performances on the fourth track. Projects of this scope rarely emerge overnight. Eckroth’s connection to Belo Horizonte stretches back to the late 1990s, when a university friend first introduced him to the city’s vibrant musical culture. When the opportunity arose to apply for a Fulbright fellowship, he saw it as a chance to formalize a musical dialogue with Minas Gerais that had been developing for decades.
The residency, spread across periods in 2023 and 2024, afforded Eckroth a luxury few contemporary musicians enjoy: dedicated time to compose every day. Between stays in Belo Horizonte, performances at venues such as Café com Letras and appearances at the Tabuleiro Jazz Festival, he gradually assembled the material that would become New Paths. During this period, the Minas Messengers project also began to take shape.
One of the reasons the album succeeds so convincingly is that it never feels hurried. Time remains one of the most valuable ingredients in any artistic endeavor, and its impact can be heard throughout these recordings. Every arrangement feels carefully crafted, yet never overworked. Each track reveals new details, unexpected turns and fresh musical conversations that sustain the listener’s attention from beginning to end.
Blending cultures in a way that elevates them rather than dilutes them is a rare achievement. It is seldom the work of a single artist and more often the result of exceptional musicians working toward a shared vision. That is certainly the case here. At its best, the album occasionally evokes the spirit of classic Weather Report, particularly in the way collective improvisation and rhythmic exploration are woven into the compositions. The comparison is less about imitation than about a similar commitment to expanding the possibilities of jazz through the integration of diverse musical traditions.
The third track places its African and Brazilian influences front and center, creating some of the album’s most compelling moments. The interplay between percussion, bass and guitar generates a rich rhythmic foundation, while Eckroth’s writing leaves ample room for the ensemble’s individual voices to emerge. These Afro diasporic textures create fertile ground for some of the record’s most inventive passages. In doing so, Eckroth and his collaborators establish the foundations of a contemporary fusion ensemble capable of developing a distinctive voice within the 21st-century jazz landscape.
While Eckroth’s previous work often explored broader Latin American traditions, New Paths turns its focus inward, toward the mountains and cultural heritage of Minas Gerais. The album deepens his engagement with Latin American music while opening a new chapter in territory that remains largely unexplored by contemporary jazz artists.
Even before hearing a note, the album’s striking cover art hints at a project driven by curiosity and discovery. Fortunately, the music more than fulfills that promise. For listeners searching for adventurous, sophisticated and genuinely creative jazz, New Paths stands as one of the more rewarding releases to emerge from the contemporary fusion scene.
It is an ambitious recording that honors tradition while looking firmly toward the future, offering a vision of jazz fusion that feels both timeless and distinctly modern.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, June 18th, 2026
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Musicians :
Piano, Keyboards, Synthesizers: Michael Eckroth
Acoustic and Electric Bass: Eneias Xavier
Acoustic and Electric Guitar (all, except Waltz for Feya and Canto I): Magno Alexandre
Acoustic and Electric Guitar (on Waltz for Feya and Canto I): Toninho Horta
Drumset and Percussion: Cyrano Almeida
Percussion, Voice (on Congado Novo): Talles Bibiano
Voice (Canto I): Sachal Vasandani
Voice (Congado Novo): Natália Coimbra
Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute (Canto I and New Paths): David Fernandez
Bass Flute/Flute (Cançao da Serra, Mood): Mauro Rodrigues
Clarinet (Cançao da Serra): Sergio Danilo
Soprano Saxophone (Cançao da Serra): Vinicius Mendes
Alto Saxophone (Cançao da Serra): Silas Prado
Tenor Saxophone (Cançao da Serra): Bernardo Fabris
Tenor Saxophone (Cançao da Serra) and Soprano Saxophone (Congado Novo): Breno Mendonça
Track Listing :
New Paths
Saideiras
Congado Novo
Canto I
Canto II
Cancao Da Serra
Inward Flow
Mood
Waltz For Feya
All engineered by Pedro Durães with the assistance of Alê Fonseca at New Doors Studio in Belo Horizonte, Brazil 2-4 August 2024, except Canto I and Waltz for Feya, engineered by Rafael Dutra at Acustico/Motor Estudio in Belo Horizonte 18 August 2024, vocal overdubs by Eneias Xavier, and Saxophone/ Flute/ Clarinet Overdubs by Sky Burke and David Fernandez at FIU studios, 3 December 2024.
Mixed and Mastered by Eneias Xavier
Cover Art by Derek Welte
Photos by Michael Eckroth
This recording was made possible by the Fulbright Scholar Program