Ralph Alessi: A Sun That Never Sets (ECM 2864)

Ralph AlessiA Sun That Never Sets Ralph Alessi trumpetJoseph Alessi tromboneMatt Mitchell pianoJohn Hébert double bassChes Smith drums, vibraphoneRecorded February 2025Oktaven Audio Studio, Mount Vernon, NYEngineer: Ryan StreberMixed by Manfred Eicher, Ralph Alessi, and Michael Hinreiner (engineer)Bavaria Musikstudios, MünchenCover design: Sascha KleisProduced by Ralph Alessi and Manfred EicherRelease date: July 3, 2026 On A Sun That Never Sets, Ralph Alessi expands the architecture of his quartet by adding a second horn: his brother Joseph, a trombonist best known for his work with the New York Philharmonic. Their shared history gives the music an immediate intimacy, but the album draws its energy from the differences between their voices. Joseph is more than a featured guest. His burnished tone changes the ensemble’s center of gravity and reveals new colors in Ralph’s compositions. The result is an album concerned with kinship, not only between brothers but also between freedom and…