Motéma News -July '26 - Stefon Harris, Django Festival Allstars, Jijye Lee, Volker Goetze/Flamenkora...

Dear Motéma Friends,

As summer heats up, we have a few exciting highlights to share: • "Echoes of the Lion", the third single from Stefon Harris + Blackout's anticipated LEGACY DANCES album is now streaming at #1 on Amazon's FRESH JAZZ and TIDAL's GROWN JAZZ. • Django Festival Allstars are set to tour 28 cities from August to May in celebration of EVOLUTION • Jihye Lee Orchestra was voted #2 Rising Star Large Ensemble of the Year in Downbeat. • Trumpeter/Producer Volker Goetze and his Flamenkora trio are featured in a new mini-doc exploring the cultural intricacies of fusing jazz, West African Mande music, and Spanish flamenco. Wishing you an inspiring summer!

Warmly,
Jana Herzen & Team Motéma

We are very honored to announce the upcoming release of Legacy Dances, the highly anticipated twelfth album from four-time GRAMMY®-nominated vibraphonist and composer Stefon Harris.

Dropping on August 28, 2026, this landmark project marks the 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking Blackout ensemble. With six powerful Harris originals and two historic covers, this remarkable album caps 20-years of groundbreaking collaboration between Blackout co-founders Stefon Harris, Terreon Gully, and electro-jazz pioneer Casey Benjamin.

READ FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

Composer/Conductor Jihye Lee, whose 2024 Motéma release Infinite Connections earned international acclaim and top awards in Korea and Germany, continues to make news.

This month her orchestra was voted #2 - Rising Star Large Ensemble of the Year in the annual Downbeat Critics Poll and was the subject of an extensive feature in Germany's Madame Magazine. All this follows sold-out appearances earlier this year with the NDR Big Band in Hamburg, the SHE Festival in Arkansas, The Jazz Gallery in NYC, and The Conrad in La Jolla.

Next up: Jihye premieres her commissioned work, "Universal Love," on August 1st at Carnegie Hall with NYO Jazz. The show also features Dee Dee Bridgewater. Tickets are available here.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to blend three distinct global music traditions into one seamless, mesmerizing sound?

In the beautifully shot mini-documentary "A Creative Journey with Volker Goetze and FLAMENKORA," you get a front-row seat to the magic. Watch as award-winning jazz trumpeter Volker Goetze, Senegalese kora master Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko, and flamenco guitar virtuoso Roberto Montiera discuss their unique creative process and the shared vision that brought their self- titled Motéma debut to life.

It is a fascinating look at how West African Mande music, fiery Spanish flamenco, and contemporary American jazz can communicate and harmonize in the name of cultural diversity and peace.