Tributaries, the debut release from the New England Jazz Collaborative (NEJC), is a bold and exhilarating statement from one of the most innovative new forces in contemporary large ensemble jazz. The album showcases six original works by member composers Jeremy Cohen, Darryl Harper, Matan Rubinstein, and Sam Spear. The compositions traverse an expansive musical landscape—from New Orleans-inspired collective improvisation and lyrical balladry to Third Stream experimentation, funk, and West African highlife.

The artist-led NEJC provides composers with access to a world class jazz orchestra capable of bringing ambitious new works to life. Rather than centering a single bandleader’s vision, the collaborative embraces a diversity of compositional voices and a repertoire-driven model that is as inclusive as it is innovative.

Performed by an exceptional ensemble of established and emerging musicians from the Greater Boston area and conducted by acclaimed composer and educator Ken Schaphorst, Tributaries reflects the richness of contemporary jazz while honoring New England’s storied legacy of musical innovation. The album’s title evokes the many influences, traditions, and personal histories that converge within the collaborative’s music, resulting in a recording that is adventurous, accessible, and deeply human—a vibrant portrait of jazz as a living, evolving art form.

New England Jazz Collaborative

NEJC is an artist-run nonprofit collective dedicated to expanding the audience for jazz and related genres by commissioning, presenting, and documenting new music by a diverse group of living composers. Its current members/composers include Jeremy Cohen, Darryl Harper, Matan Rubinstein, Sam Spear, Eric Hofbauer, Randy Pingrey, Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, Jason Robinson, Ellie Pruneau, Bob Nieske, Philip Ryan Goss, and Temidayo Balogun.

NEJC’s programs have been featured in The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and on WBUR’s Morning Edition, and have received support from the National Park Service, Eastern Bank, Cambridge Community Foundation, and Mass Cultural Council.