Reclamation Band. Founded in Chicago and Led by Bassist Kevin Robert Martinez, Reclamation Band is modern jazz with an open rural backdrop. Its unique combination of composed and improvised elements evokes an array of moods and styles such as Americana, Avante-Garde and Blues. A number of things make this group’s sound unique. The first is the equal division between a guitar and two saxophone leads versus a rhythm section that includes Bass and Bass Clarinet along with drums. I’m a sucker for the Bass Clarinet sound and Kevin really understands how to leverage that sound in a way few other composers do. The second is that the group functions more as a versatile collective than as a fixed unit. Some configurations exchange a saxophone for a trumpet while others exclude guitar. Kevin took eight months off from the band before regrouping for a tour in support of their recent release These Roads, and the new material shines as a result. Featuring Kevin Martinez on Bass, Anthony Tadeo on Percussion, Dan Bruce on Guitar, Tony Spicer on Bass Clarinet, Chris Coles on Alto Saxophone and Tim McDonald on Tenor Saxophone, and from a July 19th, 2025 performance, Daniel Peck is your host for the Reclamation Band…Live at the Bop Stop.

With over 33 releases, two GRAMMY® Awards, two Latin GRAMMY® Award wins and over ½ billion streams to her credit, Eliane Elias has proven she is a master of the recording studio and the queen of Brazilian Jazz. Now, with the release of her fourth Candid Records release, AO VIVO (translates from Portuguese as “Live”) she captures the unmistakable elegance and exhilarating energy of a world-class artist sharing an authentic, exciting and high-level musical dialogue with a live audience. Recorded at the SFJAZZ Center in 2023, Eliane Elias joins Jesse “Chuy” Varela to talk about this exciting new album on The Sounds of Brazil segment.