Casey Abrams

Casey Abrams brings a tactile, lived-in energy to jazz that strips away the genre's often-stuffy reputation. His sound is defined by the physical relationship between his raspy, Joe Cocker-esque growl and the resonant thrum of his upright bass. It is music that feels handmade, full of audible breaths, finger-slaps on strings, and a sense of improvisational joy that suggests he's having more fun than anyone else in the room.

What truly distinguishes Abrams is his ability to inject theatricality into sophisticated arrangements. He treats every song like a character study, whether he's reimagining a grunge classic as a swing tune or delivering a tender original. His use of the melodica and his penchant for scat-singing give his work a whimsical, bohemian edge that bridges the gap between 1950s Greenwich Village and modern indie-folk.

Start with his self-titled debut for a polished introduction to his songwriting, then move to 'Jazz' or 'Put a Spell on You' to hear his more raw, audiophile-grade recordings. These later works, often recorded with binaural techniques, capture the spatial intimacy of his performance, making it feel as though he's standing three feet away from your speakers.