Written by Michael Bede Dunlop’s forthcoming album marks a major step forward for the UK-based artist who has been quietly building a reputation for melodic, narrative-driven jazz with a distinct sense of place. Due for release on 27 March, the full album arrives preceded by two singles that neatly capture its emotional range and musical DNA: “California Lullaby,” out today and featured on our “New Release” playlist, and “Bonny at Morn,” scheduled for 13 March. Together, they introduce a project that looks outward and inward at the same time, fusing Northumbrian folk colour and contemporary jazz into a coherent, personal statement.
Having already had a preview of the album, the choice for the first single “California Lullaby” makes sense as the track works as a kind of gateway into Dunlop’s sound world. It suggests openness and warmth in its very title, and the music follows suit: a song that leans into spacious harmony, patient melodic development and a gently propulsive groove.
If “California Lullaby” points to a sunlit, cinematic side of the project, the follow-up single “Bonny at Morn” reveals another strand: Dunlop’s engagement with traditional material and the emotional weight that can carry when filtered through a contemporary jazz lens. Drawing its name from the well-known Northumbrian folk song, the piece is less about straightforward arrangement and more about reimagining atmosphere and contour.
That balance between tradition and forward motion runs through the wider album, due on 27 March. Across the full set, Dunlop places original compositions and reworked material side by side, allowing each to illuminate the other. His writing favours strong, singable lines, often unfolding over grooves that feel grounded but not rigid, leaving plenty of room for interaction within the band. There is an emphasis on narrative arc: pieces that begin with clear motifs, gradually opening up into solos and textural shifts before resolving with a sense of emotional logic rather than simply returning to the head out of habit. It is jazz that values storytelling, both in the written material and in the way the improvisations are shaped.
The touring plans around the album reinforce that narrative focus. Rather than treating the live dates as a simple promotional obligation, Dunlop has built a run of shows designed to present the record as a complete experience – a suite of pieces that work as a journey in the room, not just as individual tracks on a playlist. Audiences can expect to hear “California Lullaby” and “Bonny at Morn” in their full band context, stretched and re-coloured by the energy of live playing, alongside the rest of the album material. In keeping with the ethos of the project, the concerts aim to feel intimate and conversational, even in larger spaces, with the music unfolding as a shared story between stage and audience.
The timing of the releases is clearly thought through. With “California Lullaby” landing today, listeners get an immediate point of entry into the project – a single that showcases the band’s sound and Dunlop’s melodic instincts while leaving plenty still to discover. “Bonny at Morn” follows on 13 March, acting as a bridge between the first single and the full album drop two weeks later. By leading with two quite different tracks, Dunlop signals the breadth of the record without fragmenting its identity; both pieces are unmistakably cut from the same cloth, even as they highlight contrasting moods.
Together with the 27 March release of the complete album, they mark the arrival of a bandleader and composer whose work feels both personal and outward-looking – a new voice that fits squarely within the contemporary European jazz landscape while tracing its own distinctive path.
Hear “California Lullaby” on the Jazz In Europe “New Jazz Releases” Spotify playlist.
Last modified: February 27, 2026
