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Curious Train of Thoughts
ESP Jazz Group
Label: Spider Recoreds
Released: 2026
Duration: 38 minut
Views: 9
Tracks
Stage Fright; The News; Dried Thyme; Curious Machine; Lucky's Intro; On The Train; Friday Night at Franca's; Risk
Personnel
ESP Jazz Group
band / ensemble / orchestra
Anthony Greene
saxophone
John Magnante
guitar
Matthew F. Vacanti
bass
Evan Duchene
drumsStein Rimehaug
keyboardsAlbum Description
E.S.P.’s Ninth Album Finds New Energy in a Distinctive Modern-Jazz Sound
Guitarist John Magnante and bassist Matthew Vacanti have been making music together for more than 25 years. They formed the jazz group E.S.P. in 1999, and their latest recording—their ninth full-length album—continues a tradition of creative independence: Magnante and Vacanti have composed most of the group’s music across its nine records.
The album brings renewed energy to E.S.P.’s adventurous sound, with saxophonist Anthony Greene and drummer Evan DuChene joining the group in 2016. Written and recorded over two years, the music reflects a band still learning, experimenting, and putting the art first.
Two tracks showcase the album’s stylistic range. Magnante’s “Curious Machine” is built around a shifting, multi-meter guitar pattern, drawing on the adventurous spirit of modern jazz guitar. Vacanti’s “On The Train,” meanwhile, takes inspiration from bassist and composer Carl Mayotte, offering a different perspective on the group’s sound. Together, the tracks illustrate E.S.P.’s refusal to settle into a single style.
E.S.P. has always worked between familiar categories: neither straight-ahead nor smooth jazz, but a personal blend of tradition, groove, and experimentation. Listeners drawn to Pat Metheny, Bob Reynolds, Kurt Rosenwinkel, or The Yellowjackets may find a compelling entry point in the band’s eclectic approach.
The group has recorded all nine albums at its own Spider Records studio in Baldwinsville, New York. That independent setting gives the musicians room to take the time they need to shape each recording. The new album also marks a first: using modern technology, they collaborated with longtime friend and former founding band member Stein Rimehaug who sent his keyboard tracks all the way from Norway.
After earning three awards for Best Jazz Recording of the Year, E.S.P. continues to follow its own path. The result is music that grooves and welcomes listeners in, while still pushing at the boundaries of the band’s sound. As Vacanti puts it: “It’s real jazz, you just won’t need a GPS to follow it!”
Album uploaded by Matthew F. Vacanti
