Zaccai Curtis channels the spirit of an era and the light of a new one on Sonoluminescence Vol. 1, out August 7, 2026 via TRRcollective
GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer Zaccai Curtis returns with Sonoluminescence Vol. 1, set for release on August 7, 2026 via TRRcollective. The record marks a distinct turn in Curtis’s artistic evolution which finds him evolving from the Afro-Cuban focus of his GRAMMY-winning Cubop Lives! into a wider sonic landscape, rooted in the textures and grooves of 1970s jazz and funk while pushing confidently into modern territory.
The title is drawn from a real physical phenomenon: sonoluminescence is the emission of light from sound waves passing through liquid. For Curtis, the metaphor speaks to the transformative power of music; the idea that sound, when it truly connects, can produce something luminous and felt. His intention for Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 is equally visceral: to create a record that functions as a traveling companion, something to put on during a long drive and let carry the mind somewhere else entirely.
The album draws from a rich palette of influences, among them Ahmad Jamal, Herbie Hancock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Idris Muhammad, Santana, War, Mandrill, and Roy Ayers. The music leans into pocket grooves and Afro-Caribbean rhythms while leaving room for extended improvisation and compositional storytelling. Curtis has a fondness for long-form pieces where the soloists have space to develop ideas fully, and the eight tracks on this album reflect that, with several pieces stretching well past the seven-minute mark.
One of the hallmarks of Curtis’s compositional approach on this record is his method of placing traditional Afro-Caribbean rhythmic concepts in unexpected parts of the ensemble. Cascara and montuno figures are relocated into the bass line, freeing the piano to focus on harmony and melody and the drums to function more openly around the groove. The result is music that is rhythmically intricate beneath the surface while remaining natural and grounded on top.
Curtis performs piano, Rhodes, Yamaha keyboards, and vocals throughout the album, and in several passages plays both piano and Rhodes simultaneously. With his right hand on the piano as a melodic voice alongside the tenor saxophone and his left on the Rhodes for texture and warmth, the combination gives the record a distinctive timbral quality.
The ensemble assembled for this project is notable. Craig Handy on tenor saxophone and flute is a cornerstone of the album’s identity. Curtis has long admired Handy’s compositional approach to improvisation so the record gives him full room to unfold, often across two solo sections within a single piece. Joe Dyson on drums anchors the music while Brevan Hampden on congas and percussion brings the Afro-Caribbean pulse that runs through the album’s core, instinctively knowing which rhythmic textures the music calls for. Luques Curtis, Zaccai’s brother and an original member of the ensemble from its earlier days and Mike Boone share bass duties throughout, each bringing their own distinct voice to the foundation. The album also features guest contributions from guitarist Aurelien Budynek, who has toured extensively with Curtis as part of Cindy Blackman Santana’s band, and vocalist Julie Acosta.
The eight tracks on the album span the full range of the ensemble’s capabilities. Some pieces reach back decades, such as “Last Call,” a staple of Curtis’s early Boston ensemble Insight, and “A Patient Resolve,” written in 2006, both of which have been shaped and deepened by years of performance. Others, like the funky, shape-shifting “Joust” and the groove-driven “Message,” capture the band at its most kinetic. Several compositions double as illustrations of the album’s rhythmic philosophy, where layered complexity underneath gives way to something that simply feels good on the surface. “Wellspring” is perhaps the clearest example, a melody that floats naturally above meter shifts that most listeners will never consciously register. The album closes with the title track, a slow, unhurried crescendo that delivers on the album’s central promise: to take the listener somewhere else entirely.
Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 arrives as the follow-up to Cubop Lives!, the album that earned Curtis his first GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 2025 ceremony. Where that record was a deeply researched act of homage and preservation, Sonoluminescence is an act of exploration. It opens a new chapter in Curtis’s body of work, one that finds him digging into a part of his musical identity that has not yet had its full expression on record.
Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 will be available on August 7, 2026 via TRRcollective
Track List:
- Joust (8:08)
- Last Call (9:03)
- A Patient Resolve (5:46)
- Message (10:48)
- I Want to Feel the Way You Move (9:32)
- Mayci’s Dream (6:27)
- Wellspring (7:20)
- Sonoluminescence (7:58)
Personnel:
Zaccai Curtis – Piano, Rhodes, Yamaha Keyboards, Vocals
Craig Handy – Tenor Sax & Flute
Joe Dyson – Drums
Brevan Hampden – Congas & Percussion
Luques Curtis – Bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 7)
Mike Boone – Bass (tracks 4, 5, 6, 8)
Aurelien Budynek – Guitars (track 4)
Julie Acosta – Vocals (track 8)