released: october 10, 2025

genre: jazz

from: london, uk

label: 22a

a few thoughts: the london-based jazz group led by tenderlonious and aiden shepherd have been releasing incredible jazz albums for quite a few years now, establishing themselves as one of the most exciting jazz groups working today. legacy! is their new 10-track album, a sprawling jazz masterpiece that has layers of horn and flute lines added to the melodies on top of the original live takes they did at the beginning of this year. the results are stunning, with immersive and lush compositions that combine intense drumming and horn leads that create a sense of urgency in their music, such as on “walk to regio’s”, with its swirling horn leads and piano melodies, and the rumbling energy of “shadows”, as it meanders between intense drumming, piano and basslines throughout. “la niña” is another incredible moment that captures an infectious intensity to it that makes me wanna just let loose to the incredible and intricate drumming on the track. “the lighthouse” similarly has heavy and intense energy that meanders between intense horn and piano rhythms and infectious drumming throughout. “otto” is lush and gorgeous, and one of my favourites off the album, while “theme from legacy (pt. 1)”, “theme from legacy (pt. 2)” and “theme from legacy (pt. 3)”, interludes contain melodic, lush and more dynamic and riveting moments that bridge the other tracks together effortlessly. the last of the three tracks closes the album out with a bang. emphatic composition that captures this infectious intensity that is truly exemplary of their sound and chemistry as a band. they’ve really crafted and created an immersive and playful soundscape that is intricate and complex compositionally, and utterly mesmerising. they’ve really left a lasting impression on legacy! and it has helped shaped theirs as one of london’s most impactful and influential london-jazz groups.

the album: