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Drummer and bandleader Joe Syrian returns with his Motor City Jazz Octet on A Blue Time, released April 24 via Circle 9 Records — a follow-up to 2025’s Secret Message. “I like to think with 10 brains, not one,” Syrian says.

This is big band music rich in creativity, smooth as velvet, and pulsing with exotic rhythms, medium swing tunes and refreshing arrangements.

What ultimately makes A Blue Time so rewarding is the sense of joy and curiosity running through every performance.