Janel Leppin: Ensemble Volcanic Ash: Pluto In Aquarius

Janel Leppin's title choice for her 2026 Ensemble Volcanic Ash (EVA) recording gives a hint of what kind of music to expect. Pluto being in Aquarius is a momentous sign, one of change and tension, and lasts 20 years (we are currently in one such phase). The last time Pluto was in Aquarius was 1777 to 1798—during the American and French Revolutions. Whether you believe in the astronomy or not, the Pluto in Aquarius is certainly bursting with tension and changing rhythms as well as musical calls of revolution and innovation.

It starts somewhat sedately with "Mountain Pose," "Pluto in Aquarius" and "Hope Marathon" allowing all the players to show off their more melodic side. The song "Our Time" has an almost-pop sheen to it. And "Susan Was a Warrior" is a beautiful, moving tribute to Leppin's friend pedal-steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, who died in 2025.

Then there are songs like "The Collective" and "Old Guard," which are old-school free jazz, all the musicians bouncing off each other, and "We See Dark Money" with its ominous breakdown halfway through. "Jazz is Resistance" could pass for a late-period Sonic Youth cut with its crunchy guitars and brooding rhythm. The album ends with another tribute song, this one to the avant-rock band Deerhoof, known for their experimentations with sound.

Leppin shows a sharp ability to write compositions that accent the strengths of her band members and allows them to shine. Her quirky rhythms and exceptional melodies, mixed with the stellar improvisations of the band, make for powerful music. Even pared down from the septet she had in 2022, the band (currently a quintet of Larry Ferguson, Anthony Pirog, Brian Settles, Luke Stewart and Leppin) still give Leppin's compositions considerable energy and pack a wallop. Settles, having to take on a role that previously was handled by two saxophones, especially excels in elevating the intensity of the pieces. And Leppin has taken on a more aggressive sound with her instrument, sometimes challenging Pirog's electric guitar mayhem with a fuzz-saturated cello. Pluto in Aquarius is an album for contemporary times, to help us get through the next 20 years of tension and change.