Luis Deniz – Alto Saxophone
Adam O’Farrill – Trumpet
Rafael Zaldivar – Piano
Julian Anderson-Bowes – Bass
Anthony Fung – Drums

Toronto-born jazz project JabFung, led by bassist Julian Anderson-Bowes and drummer Anthony Fung, returns with their second release, In Real Life. Following their acclaimed debut Epoch, this new recording serves as a defiant celebration of human presence and real-time collaboration in an increasingly digital, cynical world.

Recorded immediately following a spring tour, In Real Life captures a quintet at its most instinctual. The core group, featuring Cuban-Canadians Luis Deniz and Rafael Zaldivar, is expanded for the first time with the addition of celebrated Brooklyn-based trumpeter Adam O’Farrill.

The album’s eight tracks showcase a balanced, collaborative compositional partnership, with Fung contributing five pieces and Anderson-Bowes contributing three. The quintet’s chemistry is most evident in the deep and searching duets between Deniz and O’Farrill, reflecting a profound level of listening established over only two short days together. O’Farrill’s inclusion marks a meaningful reunion for the leaders, who share histories with the trumpeter dating back to their formative years in Monterey Youth Big Band and at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

The album’s visual identity, designed by artist Klara Vanzella Yang, mirrors the music’s central theme. The cover art – a holographic city set against a sparse natural backdrop – captures the tension of modern “connectivity” and the isolation that often hides within it.

jabfung.bandcamp.com

Release Date: Friday, June 5th 2026