New Nostalgia: Record Release Show presented by WDCB

Chicago's New Nostalgia is a nine-piece horn ensemble founded in 2017 under saxophonist Neil Carson, who serves as composer and arranger. The group merges jazz sophistication with pop accessibility and rock energy into an unconventional sound. Their arrangements are both complex and memorable, executed by skilled musicians. They perform original pieces alongside reinterpretations of classic songs that engage experienced audiences and newcomers alike. Since their inception, the band has aimed to craft music for both intellect and emotion, combining jazz improvisation with the catchy melodies and direct emotional impact found in popular music. Their first live appearance at a Glenview coffeehouse launched a career that brought them to venues and festivals throughout the Midwest, including the Elkhart Jazz Festival, Blue Llama Jazz Club, and Logan Square Arts Fest. The band has won two awards from the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers and garnered positive reviews from DownBeat Magazine for their debut album, which was praised as a masterful example of power-polychord instrumental rock that embraces a rock style while featuring passionate improvisations. Their 2019 self-titled first studio record included genre-blending arrangements of famous 1980s pop songs, and their remote EP recorded during the pandemic, Frankenstein Sessions, displayed a harder rock sound. A second album was released in December 2025 with a tour scheduled for early 2026 across the Midwest. New Nostalgia continues to expand boundaries, demonstrating that intricate musicality and groove can coexist. Whether performing in an intimate venue or on a festival stage, they deliver a bold, innovative approach to instrumental music: intellectually demanding, emotionally moving, and consistently exciting.