Forward-thinking cellist Tomeka Reid has long held the reputation as one of the masters of the instrument in the realm of challenging, creative jazz. More recently, she’s earned a rep as a composer and bandleader in the same realm, with her Tomeka Reid Quartet. It’s not just that she had assembled a group full of heavy hitters like Mary Halvorson (guitar), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and Jason Roebke (bass). It’s not also that she puts together the charts and arrangements that bring out the best of this talent. No, it’s that she employs a fresh approach for each album.
So while her last release 3+3 was a delightful dalliance with long-form composition, her upcoming one Dance! Skip! Hop! (out Feb 13, 2026) ended up being distinctive for its danceability. This is the Tomeka Reid Quartet, so we’re not talking about basic, four-on-floor grooves. They construct rhythms inspired from all over the world and smartly work them into the core of Reid’s compositions.
Thus, the second single from Dance! Skip! Hop! is both funky and cerebral (stream the whole song here). “Oo long” is named for a favorite tea, and after opening with a sly, syncopated pulse, it’s improv time. Reid goes first, attacking her cello with vigor, wringing all the juice from it. Right afterwards, Halvorson takes the reigns and lets loose with some fuzzed-out pyrotechnics not terribly unlike Sonny Sharrock or Power Tools-era Bill Frisell, but with that distinctive Halvorson flavor.
Pre-order/order Dance! Skip! Hop! (Out Of Your Head Records) from Bandcamp.
| Image | Artist | Title | Format | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Tomeka Reid Quartet | Old New | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Tomeka Reid Quartet | 3+3 | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Angelika Niescier, Tomeka Reid, Savannah Harris | Beyond Dragons | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Tomeka Reid, Joe Morris | Combinations | CD | Purchase Here |
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