New Jazz Underground is an American trio redefining the modern jazz landscape. Praised by Christian McBride at the 2025 Newport Jazz Festival as “one of the hottest new groups in all of jazz right now,” the band—Sebastian Rios, Abdias Armenteros, and TJ Reddick—forged their sound during the pandemic, busking across New York City and captivating audiences online with viral living-room performances that reached millions on YouTube.
With releases like “Dying of Thirst,” “MF Doom Suite,” “Harlem to Havana,” and “cook/swing/work/relax,” the trio merges hard bop, hip-hop, and modern soul while honoring the roots of jazz. NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich described their music as “pushing at the corners of hard bop and hip-hop,” capturing their bold, boundary-breaking approach.
Each member brings a distinctive voice: bassist-composer Sebastian Rios, a protégé of Ron Carter, anchors the group’s sound; saxophonist-vocalist Abdias Armenteros is the youngest member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; and drummer TJ Reddick has performed with Chick Corea, Jon Batiste, and Wynton Marsalis. The trio has appeared at major venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, and Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, and at festivals from Newport to Montreal. Their debut album is slated for Spring 2026 on the Artwork Record Label.