Welcome to In Tune with WBMB, a weekly column in which a member of the station covers a new track from the underground. This week’s article is written by Alex Fernandez.
Did you know that as a CUNY student, you can receive special discounts to Jazz at Lincoln Center? Don’t let those opportunities go to waste, especially when some of the strongest talents are in the jazz scene right now. A month ago, New York City-founded trio New Jazz Underground performed at Dizzy’s Club in Lincoln Center.
Two weeks ago, they dropped their first single on their new label, Artwork Records. This week, WBMB highlights that very song: “Hold my Halo (Paint me Perfectly)”
New Jazz Underground was formed in 2020 when the trio were just students at The Juilliard School and began busking together in parks.
The three are exceptionally talented. Saxophonist and composer Abdias Armenteros holds The Zou Family Chair in Saxophone in the Jazz at Lincoln Center. Bassist and composer Sebastian Rios is a 2024 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award Winner.
Drummer TJ Reddick has performed with accomplished talents including Jon Batiste and Chick Corea. On top of that, the trio performed at historic jazz festivals, including Newport Jazz Festival.
The trio knows how to keep the listener engaged and expand their rhythms as the track goes on. “Hold my Halo (Paint me Perfectly)” begins with Armenteros’ emotional sax traveling with some powerful drum and bass playing.
The middle to latter half of the song brings some delightful improv, before Armenteros’ sax reaches a climax, ending it with Reddick washing over the listener with a meditative frenzy of cymbals.
The five-minute track feels like it can be played on repeat, and listeners can catch something new in the group’s playing style with each listen.
It’s clear from the first listen what makes New Jazz Underground so great: the authentic feeling behind the music. The trio play well and let themselves build on each other like a true unit.
Rios’ bass carries the song with a tight groove with a trust in Armenteros and Reddick to build and guide the melody from there. The track is so masterfully produced that each pluck from the bass can almost be heard.
This track is a great intro to the wonderful genre of jazz and how new bands are continuing to elevate the sound. Definitely stay tuned for what New Jazz Underground have to offer throughout the rest of 2026.
