Joe Sanders’ Parallels is a voyage through the many dimensions of jazz, brought to life by the visionary bassist who refuses to stick to one path. A Midwest native with roots spanning California, New York, and Europe, Sanders has mastered the double bass and digital production alike, putting together traditions with innovations in a way that feels both of the past and decidedly modern.

His third headline release, Parallels, is a testament to this duality. It blends the electric energy of live performances with the immersive textures of studio productions. Sanders’ dream team - Seamus Blake, Logan Richardson, and Gregory Hutchinson - brings the east coast’s edge, while friends like Jure Pukl and Taylor Eigsti inject the west coast cool. Together, they create a sound that’s unpredictable yet of one vision, like parallel lines converging on an unseen horizon.

The album opens with “Dualities,” where Richardson’s fragmented melodies dart through a dynamic interplay between Sanders’ bass and Hutchinson’s drums. “Logan has this special sound - he exudes that Kansas City blues authenticity,” Sanders explains. Tracks like “Gran’ma” highlight Blake’s soulful tenor, paying tribute to Sanders’ grandmother, who first introduced him to music. On “J’ai,” Sanders and Hutchinson lock into a groove that swings with post-Ornette Coleman flair. “Greg and I share this super-tight groove kinship - it’s bouncy, joyful,” Sanders explains. The personal touches keep coming with “La Vie sur la Terre,” with Sanders’ young son playing melodica, adding an intimate, personal feel that few jazz records achieve.

But Parallels doesn’t skimp on the energy. “Amalfi” pairs an Italo-disco bassline with Pukl’s breezy sax, evoking sun-drenched coasts, while “Aligned” stacks electronic textures, with Sanders simultaneously on drums and acoustic bass. “It’s all about vibe,” he notes, “the intent and feeling, not just the complexity.” The album’s centerpiece, “Parallels,” strips it all down to Sanders alone - raw, unfiltered, and magnetic. Other highlights include “Orangeblue,” where layered bass guitars and electronics create a shimmering wall of sound, and “The Rise And Fall Of Pipokuhn,” featuring a choir of bowed basses.

With Parallels, Joe Sanders goes beyond the boundaries of jazz without losing its soul. “This record shows where I am and where I’m going,” he reflects. “It’s all my music - jazz, inside, outside - brought together in parallel. Growth is about learning and expressing capability, and I feel confident this is me at my fullest.”