Javier Nero - LYDIALIEBMAN.COM

Alkebulan
Release date: March 20, 2026
Label: Outside in Music

Dr. Javier Nero represents far more than merely being a face of the top tier of jazz trombone. A lauded composer, educator, and acclaimed bandleader, Dr. Nero's rapport has led him to perform sold-out sets at iconic venues such as Dizzy's Club, Blues Alley, and Keystone Korner, and has made him a staple performer with everyone from Steven Feifke, the 8-Bit Big Band to the U.S. Army Blues. Now, hot off the heels of his big band debut, Kemet (The Black Land), the Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra presents Alkebulan, a concept album that dives into Dr. Nero's diasporic roots while maintaining an optimistic outlook of cultural unity for the future.

The title of the album, “Alkebulan,” is derived from a contemporary anthropological theory of a unified, centralized ancient African society. In many ways linked to the spark that ignited Dr. Nero's inspiration on his previous album, Kemet, the idea of Alkebulan is one of a precolonial cultural vibrancy that underpins the entire continent of Africa. This idea of unity, brotherhood, and vivacity enraptures Dr. Nero and set his writer's pen ablaze. “This vision of an advanced ancient society where much of the knowledge is still lost or misunderstood to this day continues to invigorate my mind as an artist,” Dr. Nero says. Drawing from this idea of a pre-diasporic society, Dr. Nero set out to explore the ideas of unity and humanity across his own roots, expressions, and diasporic identity.

Dr. Nero notes that much of his fascination with and love for people, as expressed in his interest in the ideation of ancient civilization, came to a head in an entirely new way with the birth of his daughter, Zara Ayla Nero. Dr. Nero expresses profoundly that above and beyond all else, his daughter's birth became the centerfold that bound all his work together, and evoked a more romantic side in his writing, seen prominently on the namesake compositions, “Radiant Flower (Zara)” and “Ayla”.

Dr. Nero cites a variety of key influences in his stylings as a composer. Growing up playing in and being exposed to the wind ensemble genre, Dr. Nero finds himself drawn to the vast soundscapes created by these often military-centered wind and brass ensembles, particularly the sounds of Alfred Reed and Gustav Holst, and seeks to utilize these timbres in similar ways. Dr. Nero also notes his place in the timeline of technological development as an influence. “As a millennial, I grew up at a time when the internet and technology was rapidly growing and influencing our culture,” Dr. Nero says. “As a result, video game music has played an unmistakable role in how I hear music and think about storytelling through music.” Dr. Nero notes that the medium of video game music taps into a “childlike wonder” that is indiscriminate in its audience, and draws in listeners regardless of whether it is hyper complex or powerfully simple. Dr. Nero praises the approachability of this genre and seeks to implement many of these same elements throughout his music. “I want to push the envelope musically, but never at the expense of making listeners feel uninvited to the party,” he says. “Everyone should be able to find something to relate to in my music and participate in the experience, whether they come to it with any prior musical training or not.” Dr. Nero also pays specific attention to the role of some of his earliest jazz influences - Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn - on this album, citing their touch in evoking much of the lush texturing and emotive power throughout the selection of pieces. Lastly, Dr. Nero cites the role of later iconic jazz groups as quintessential influences on his writing style, notably those stylings of The Pat Metheny Group, The Brecker Brothers, and Bob Mintzer.

The album's title track, “Alkebulan,” was originally written in 2010 and is a project Dr. Nero has continually reworked. The version present on this album is a re-orchestrated edition that Dr. Nero sees as best exemplifying his amalgamation of styles. Containing jazz, classical, cinematic, and Afro-Latin inspired elements, “Alkebulan” follows a singable melody that traverses a complex environment of harmony and rhythm. Featuring solos by Warren Wolf and Sean Jones atop a solid rhythm section bedrock of Kyle Swan and Murph Aucamp, “Alkebulan” is a poignant highlight of the ensemble's capabilities.

The aforementioned “Radiant Flower (Zara)” and “Ayla” draw heavily from the techniques and influence of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington. Containing much more of the “traditional” big band sound, these heart-rending pieces capture both the deep love Dr. Nero feels for his daughter and the “beautiful chaos” that comes with having a newborn baby as life shifts to make way for a new child.

“Make It So” leans into the wide, sweeping aesthetic of the wind band to create sonic textures that Dr. Nero describes as “larger landscapes rather than tight sounds” with “anthemic style melodies.” This piece further ties into the themes of the album, using African-influenced rhythms placed atop modern jazz harmony.

A great part of this album's beauty is its inherent collaborative element which spans all nine tracks. The assembly of an aptly-titled jazz orchestra is no mean feat, and yet Dr. Nero has succeeded in uniting an ensemble of highly skilled musicians who are equal parts brilliant and selfless, each of whom stand out and step back when the time is right to make something profound. This album's big band cast comprises a powerhouse of: Daniel Andrews, Daniel Dickinson, Xavier Perez, Clay Pritchard, Lucas Pino and Dustin Mollick (woodwinds); Josh Kauffman, Chris Burbank, Graham Breedlove, Ken McGee, Noah Hocker, and Alec Aldred (trumpets/flugelhorns); Javier Nero, Luke Brimhall, Aaron Eckert, and Jake Craft (trombones); Adam Moezinia and Michael Kramer (guitars); James Collins and Alex Brown (piano); Kyle Swan (drums); Regan Brough (basses); Kyle Athayde (vibraphone); Danielle Wertz and Javier Nero (voice); and Murph Aucamp and Fran Vielma (percussion). The album also showcases a multitude of special guests: Randy Brecker and Sean Jones (trumpet/flugelhorn); Warren Wolf (vibraphone); Veronica Swift and Nicole Zuraitis (vocals); Shawn Purcell (guitar); and Nate Skinner (mallet station).

With Alkebulan, Dr. Nero successfully establishes himself and his orchestra as a force to be reckoned with. With a wealth of emotional depth, a myriad of stylistic variation, and a mastercrafted plan uniting the album thematically from start to finish, Alkebulan shows the trajectory of an artist set to grow ever greater and reach ever higher as he uses music to join, to invite, and to welcome audiences together.

Kemet: The Black Land
Release date: June 23, 2023
Label: Outside in Music

Trombonist, composer, arranger and educator Dr. Javier Nero issues his exuberant sophomore recording, Kemet: The Black Land featuring The Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra. The album meditates on Kemet, the ancient Egyptian, highly-advanced Black civilization. Mesmerized by the great society, which was the birthplace of higher education among bounteous pillars of western ideas and democracy, Nero presents his sweeping new enterprise in the spirit of the prosperous, and often historically overlooked, land of Kemet.

Nero was first made aware of Kemet by his two older brothers – the siblings found the idea of an advanced civilization of Black people compelling. This notion challenged the typical American narrative about African people, a conversation which all-too-often tends to be centered around the transatlantic slave trade. Through the recorded output on Kemet, Nero redirects listeners from myopic western conceptions to a more rich and glorious part of history, turning the page back many millennia and re-imagining a place where free-speech and collaboration were cardinal approaches to advancing life.

Like Nero’s 2020 debut, Freedom, which was lauded for its transcendence of cultural boundaries, Kemet augments similar themes, specifically the Kemetic decree that ideas and information should be shared freely. “The discipline of music, specifically jazz, prides itself in its amalgamation of diverse cultural elements to forge something new of beauty,” Nero exclaims.

Nero’s blending of styles on Kemet yields metamorphic tunes of conflict, freedom, yearning and contemplation. His fervent melodic refrains on trombone are augmented by core ensemble members: pianist Josh Richman, drummer Kyle Swan, and bassist William Ledbetter. Special guests include trumpeters Sean Jones and Randy Brecker, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, saxophonist Tim Green, and vocalist Christie Dashiell.

Nero espouses “When I think of Kemet, I envision luxurious landscapes of golden sand, immense structures, vegetation, rivers, and people, living, eating, and playing music harmoniously together. Kemet represents the beauty humanity is capable of through the free and uninhibited exchange of ideas and information. This album represents my family, my experience, and my musical influences. My African roots, my European roots, my Native roots, my Hispanic roots and a bit of that inexplicable human experience we all share. I now offer to you the summation of those experiences, in sound. I’ve combined some unique musical elements together on this album, and I hope they come out sounding golden to your ears.”

The music on Kemet: The Black Land uses many African rhythms combined with a very typical western harmonic structure and near-symphonic orchestration style. The composer was inspired by the lush sounds of a wind ensemble in his arrangement process. A common musical theme on this release is the use of the pentatonic scale. The scale itself is a through-line connecting many different cultures – the 5 note scale is found in the tribal or traditional music of Africa, Europe and Asia. Nero’s writing entwines elements of soul, folk and Americana into a sound that is strongly rooted within the jazz idiom.

Compositions such as “One Day”, “Time” and “Kemet” incorporate a trance-like minimalism that reflects that of African and Middle-Eastern music. “One Day”’s lyrics explore the duality of the great potential of our society if we decide to work together, versus what will become if we decide not to.

“Randy Brecker, and Sean Jones are both musicians I grew up listening to and transcribing. It was an honor to have them play on the album. I’ve taken quite a bit of influence over the years from the Brecker Brothers compositions and playing,” Nero indicates. Brecker lends his masterful melodicism to the composition “Nostalgic Haiku”.

Regarding Sean Jones, Nero remarks “[his] playing and music is inspiring in the same way. Sean’s sense of melody and harmony was a perfect fit for my music. I feel as if we are kindred spirits musically, and naturally paint with the same color palette so to speak. His natural style as a soloist was a perfect match for my compositions. You can hear that especially on my compositions “Discord”, “Kemet”, and “Jam #3”.”

The ensemble’s core group of drummer Kyle Swan, pianist Josh Richman and William Ledbetter lend their stunning interplay to Nero’s compositions – celebrating each nuance of his masterful songwriting. Nero notes “Kyle Swan was a key element in making this happen. He is another kindred musical spirit – Kyle made the band feel comfortable playing complex music while still exemplifying technical prowess and artistry on the drum set throughout the whole album.”

Kemet: The Black Land imbues a message of hope to all who listen, it is a sonic representation of what Kemet was and what the world could be – a place of harmony, and an exchange of ideas that lead toward commonality. The release firmly cements Nero’s stature as one of the prime composers, arrangers and instrumentalists of our time.

Freedom
Release date: August 7, 2020
Label: Outside in Music

“All music, but particularly jazz is the ultimate example of the beauty that can be created by learning from and appreciating disparate cultures. Jazz is the ultimate expression of freedom.”

- Javier Nero

Inspired by his multi-cultural ancestry, and amidst the current politically-fuelled times, trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator, Dr. Javier Nero has found himself ruminating upon the word “freedom” and what it means to him. Blending jazz with elements of folk, Americana and blues, this twelve-track collection of genre-spanning originals displays the bandleader’s desire to establish the greater good of humanity as the top priority in today’s socio-political spectrum. On Freedom, the NYC-based trombonist is joined by Tom Kelley (saxophones/flute), Melvin Butler (saxophones), Jean Caze (trumpet/flugelhorn), Tal Cohen (piano), Dion Kerr (bass) and Aaron Kimmel (drums). Javier is thrilled to also welcome special guests, Grammy Award-nominated pianist Shelly Berg, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, vocalist Lauren Desberg, guitarist Russ Spiegel, vibraphonist Kyle Athayde, and percussionist Murphy Aucamp. Ahead of the release of Freedom, track 8 “Discord” will be released as a single on June 23rd, followed by “Crystal Lake” on July 7th.

With the release of Freedom, Javier Nero strives to encourage human cooperation, through which individuality and identity can then be elevated. With ancestral roots of African, Western European, Native American, and Hispanic descent, Nero recognizes the importance of exploring and exhibiting one’s true, authentic personality. In a complex society that so often forces conformity to cultural norms, Javier reflects upon how challenging it can be to realise individual freedom and expression. Growing up in a middle-class white neighborhood in Washington State, the trombonist faced discrimination from both the black and white communities. To Javier, refusing to separate skin color from culture is the fuel of racism - rejecting to see human beings as nuanced individuals rather than as an amalgam of the intersection of the groups they belong to, will likely perpetuate a vicious unending cycle destined to repeat itself.

“We are all complex individuals that should not be ruled by what others think we should be, or think we should believe. I certainly do not believe my ancestors who fought for freedom and equality did so hoping to find themselves limited or forced to conform to myopic cultural norms, and social pressures on the other side of the battle.”

Freedom is a collection of original compositions written at various points during Javier’s career thus far. Composed just days after graduating from the Juilliard School, the title track is a triumphant and nostalgic opus which features a melody evocative of the Western-European tradition, and American patriotic music. The song melds elements of Americana, along with the blues, as well as African rhythms. Other standout tracks, written during his time at the NYC conservatory include “Just Let Go”, “Reality” and “Midnight Groove.” While at the University of Miami, obtaining his Master’s and Doctoral Degrees, Javier majored in composition/arranging. It was during this time that the composer took an in-depth look at the timbre and textures of the instruments created through orchestrational techniques. This study went on to yield an array of dynamic compositions including “Crystal Lake” and “I Tried So Hard.” Similar to “Just Let Go”, “I Tried So Hard” is an attempt to convey through music the feelings of hopelessness, anger and resentment that so often become apparent during the final days and in the wake of a relationship. Track 8, “Discord” in which the composer reflects upon the naivety of young love, is due out as the lead single from the album on June 23rd. To be released as a follow-up single on July 7th, “Crystal Lake” is a sonic representation of a beautiful lake in Miami, Florida. Reflecting on his time living upon the waterfront, Javier explains how this track attempts to capture both the beauty and mystery of the water.

Exploring the emotions, topics and sounds experienced by humanity, Javier Nero offers the music on Freedom to anyone who wishes to enjoy the beauty of human collaboration. This music is not reserved or intended for a person of any particular color, or for anyone that holds any particular political or philosophical stance. Javier believes that, “choosing sides is not choosing truth. Choosing black over white, or white over black, is not choosing truth. True freedom is being defined by each of our own unique, nuanced, and individual characteristics. True freedom is casting off the societal mold and being and expressing our true selves.”