| Jazz |
It begins quietly, almost ceremonially: a bowed double bass unfurls the opening moments of Fine-Feathered, its low register resonating like a narrator clearing his throat before telling a long, carefully considered story. From that instant on, the listener understands why, in the year 2026 of the 21st century, jazz, unlike so many other musical genres, continues not merely to survive, but to evolve, circulate, and matter.
While entire swaths of popular music fade as trends shift and algorithms move on, jazz persists because of projects like the Peter Paulsen Turksheadknot Quintet. This ensemble has fully internalized the language of bebop and post-bop, not as a museum exercise, but as a living grammar. The result is a striking album that bridges eras with assurance: a work that blends the craftsmanship of the past with a contemporary elegance of composition and arrangement that never feels academic or nostalgic. It is music that rewards close listening, offering both pleasure and instruction, an album capable of speaking to nearly every serious jazz listener.
At the center of the project stands bassist and composer Peter Paulsen, whose artistic vision anchors the record from beginning to end. Paulsen signs all of the album’s original compositions and also contributes a finely calibrated arrangement of a Thelonious Monk piece, handled with both reverence and quiet invention. The remaining tracks are either solo compositions or collaborations with Jonathan Ragonese, a composer, arranger, and saxophonist whose career places him firmly within the lineage of modern jazz. Ragonese has worked with artists such as Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine, Harold Mabern, Mickey Roker, Cecil Payne, Bobby Watson, Craig Handy, Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau, and Vincent Herring, among many others, experience that clearly informs the sophistication and balance of this recording.
The quintet format is used here with notable restraint and intelligence. Rather than competing for space, the musicians listen closely, shaping each piece with an architectural sense of form. That sensibility is most vividly revealed on Fine-Feathered, where Paulsen opens alone, bow in hand, drawing from the deep classical training shared by all members of the ensemble. The moment feels almost symphonic in intent, not in scale or volume, but in its sense of structure and long-range development. Throughout the album, this classical undercurrent quietly informs the writing, lending the music a sense of breadth and gravitas without ever overwhelming its jazz core.
The originality of Would’a… Could’a… Should’a… lies above all in its compositions: dense with meaning, precise in construction, and never excessive. These are pieces shaped by years of experience, by musicians who understand not only how to take risks, but when restraint speaks louder than virtuosity. Paulsen’s own biography offers a revealing key to the album’s level of craftsmanship. He currently serves as adjunct professor of double bass and jazz studies at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, is an active member of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, principal bassist of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, and formerly held the same position with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy. At the same time, he remains deeply engaged in the jazz world as a freelance bassist in the tri-state area, performing regularly with his own quintet and trio as well as with many of Philadelphia’s leading jazz musicians. That dual fluency, classical discipline and jazz improvisational freedom, runs through every bar of this record.
The album’s title, Would’a… Could’a… Should’a…, proves particularly apt. It invites the listener into the psychological terrain of seasoned musicians reflecting on choice, possibility, and consequence. These players speak with a single voice, yet leave room for ambiguity and nuance. What is most striking is their ability to blend genres with such natural elegance. The music reveals a deep musicological intelligence, but it never feels theoretical. Instead, it unfolds with subtlety, grace, and a collective sense of purpose that is increasingly rare.
In the broader jazz landscape of 2026, Would’a… Could’a… Should’a… stands as a reminder of why post-bop remains fertile ground for exploration. It is an album for listeners who value risk-taking and musical adventure, those willing to follow artists wherever serious inquiry leads. Suspended somewhere between jazz and classical music, poetry and romanticism, with a quietly progressive spirit running throughout, this is music that does not demand attention so much as earn it. The best response is simply to let go, and be carried along.
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, January 7th 2026
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Musicians :
Peter Paulsen – bass
Chris Hanning – drums
Ron Stabinsky – piano
Jonathan Ragonese – saxophones
John Swana – EVI (ElectricValveInstrument)
Track Listing :
1 Ask Me Now.. 5:51 Thelonius Monk, arr. P. Paulsen
2 More Importantly…How Are You? 6:16 Peter Paulsen
3 Fine-feathered 10:43 Peter Paulsen
4 Ball & Claw 5:33 Peter Paulsen
5 Twilight Curtain Call 7:33 Peter Paulsen
6 Take A Break 7:06 Peter Paulsen
7 Maker Of Birdhouses 5:21 Jonathan Ragonese
8 Inner Chambers 4:36 Peter Paulsen
Recorded/Mixed/Mastered by Paul Wickliffe at Skyline
Productions Studio
Cover art by Peter Paulsen