★Leiter
Tether
In any band there is a constant push and pull. A state of tension and release between written music and improvisation, between leading and following. In the instinctive, unpredictable world of jazz, that push and pull can explode groups and compositions into entirely new forms, yet no matter how far each player might be stretched, there is always something connecting them back to each other and back to the tune. A tether.
For New York-based saxophonist and composer Alden Hellmuth, that innate se…
Mahku
Manizeh's debut album "Mahku" is a bold entry into the world of contemporary spiritual jazz. Co-produced by Leiter labelmate ganavya—who recently released the celebrated "Daughter of a Temple" and "Nilam"—and Leiter co-founder Felix Grimm, the album was recorded in early 2025 at the label’s renowned Funkhaus Studio in Berlin.
"Mahku" comprises eight chants, including a striking reimagining of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” sung by Manizeh’s daughter, Mahku Rimer. The album’s title, meaning “eclips…
Daughter of a Temple
For "Daughter of a Temple", ganavya invited over 30 artists from various disciplines to a ritual gathering in Houston. Consequently, the album features numerous contributors, including renowned musicians such as esperanza spalding, Vijay Iyer, Shabaka Hutchings, Immanuel Wilkins, and Peter Sellars. The results—an innovative and deeply moving blend of spiritual jazz and South Asian devotional music—were initially recorded by Ryan Renteria and then further edited and mixed by Nils Frahm at LEITER'…