Article Contributed by Jazz Promo Services
Published on 2026-04-05
Photo: Courtesy of Circle 9 Records
JOE SYRIAN MOTOR CITY JAZZ OCTET follows 2025’s jazz chart-topping Secret Message with A Blue Time, out April 24, 2026 via Circle 9 Records. Pre-order HERE.
Drummer and bandleader Joe Syrian returns with his Motor City Jazz Octet on A Blue Time, a wide-ranging and stylistically fluid collection that leans into both tradition and reinvention. The album includes interpretations of Duke Jordan’s “Jordu,” Tadd Dameron’s “A Blue Time,” Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Agua de Beber,” Kenny Dorham’s “Blue Bossa,” the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood,” and Peter Green’s “Black Magic Woman.”
As Syrian puts it, “we deviated a lot, taking some rock tunes and making them jazzy, and taking some jazz tunes and making them a little rockier.”
“I like to think with 10 brains, not one,” Syrian says. “I don’t dominate, I listen and encourage. It’s really a give and take.”
The lineup features pianist Adam Birnbaum, guitarist Paul Bollenback, trombonist Doug Beavers, alto and baritone saxophonist Carl Maraghi, tenor saxophonists Tim Ries and Dave Riekenberg (also on bass clarinet), and trumpeter/flugelhornist Nick Marchione. Bass duties are split between Lorin Cohen and Boris Kozlov, with appearances from vocalist Lucy Yeghiazaryan and percussionist Luisito Quintero. Beavers also serves as producer, with arrangements by Beavers, Birnbaum, John Fedchock, Brian Stark, Rich DeRosa, and David O’Rourke.
“Every guy in this band could be the leader,” Syrian says. “Being a leader, you just bring the pencils to the rehearsal or something. These guys lead themselves.”
Recorded across two sessions — May 16–19, 2023 at Trading 8s Studios in New Jersey and October 20–22, 2025 at Studio Mozart — A Blue Time pulls from both periods, balancing a broad palette of material. “We had a lot of tunes, you don’t want 10 bossas or something,” Syrian says. “So we just kind of balanced it.”
The album opens with “Jordu,” establishing the group squarely in the jazz tradition. Jobim’s “Agua de Beber” is reimagined with a rock pulse, while “Teach Me Tonight” showcases Lucy Yeghiazaryan’s commanding vocal presence. Adam Birnbaum’s arrangement of “Norwegian Wood” maintains the original 3/4 structure while transforming its feel into something distinctly jazz-forward.
“A lot of the Beatles tunes, their framework lets you go in a lot of different directions,” Syrian notes.
“Black Magic Woman,” arranged by Brian Stark, highlights Paul Bollenback’s electric guitar and brings a long-held idea of Syrian’s to life. “I had this thing for 20 years,” he says. “We were just about done, and we pulled it out.”
On “Charade,” arranged by Rich DeRosa, Syrian explores new rhythmic territory with a tom-tom-driven approach. “Very pretty, very beautiful,” he says. Meanwhile, Dorham’s “Blue Bossa” stays closer to its roots, leaning into a samba feel.
John Fedchock’s arrangement of “Nature Boy” introduces Afro-Cuban rhythms, while “Sway” features a standout trombone solo from Doug Beavers. “A lot of the Latin stuff is the same, only different,” Syrian reflects. “The rhythms kind of blur.”
The album closes with the title track, “A Blue Time,” arranged by David O’Rourke, bringing things back to a straight-ahead swing. “It just kind of takes us home to jazz,” Syrian says.
Ultimately, A Blue Time is about collaboration, chemistry, and trust. “These are the best musicians, they really play great,” Syrian says. “There’s none better. There’s others, but not anyone better. These guys are right up there—just first-rate music, good writing, good playing, and good people.”
