The Southern Suite is featured in Russell Perry's New Jazz Releases column on WTJU, the University of Virginia's noncommercial radio station, as part of his regular Monday roundup of new jazz arrivals. Perry frames the album as a debut suite of original compositions, backed by the resources of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Blue Engine label, with the album's own recording, production, and mixing credits led by Mason himself, alongside Wynton Marsalis as executive producer and Branford Marsalis as mix consultant.
Perry singles out Mason's ear for a catchy hook, hearing echoes of Horace Silver in "Final Voyage," and points to the tight, unison front line of Tony Glausi on trumpet and Chris Lewis on tenor saxophone as the setting that lets Mason's own piano solos shine, particularly on "Kid." He closes the entry with a clear vote of confidence: given Mason's technical command and Blue Engine's backing, Perry expects this won't be the last time listeners hear from him.
"Sean Mason is one we will be hearing from again." — WTJU
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN SUITE ALBUM
Released October 27, 2023, on Blue Engine Records (BE-0043) and later brought into the Taylor Christian Records catalog in January 2026, The Southern Suite is Sean Mason's debut album as a bandleader. The record features Mason on piano alongside Tony Glausi, Chris Lewis, Felix Moseholm, and Domo Branch, and moves through eight original compositions shaped by Mason's North Carolina roots and years in New York. The album reached No. 13 on JazzWeek and No. 4 on the NACC Jazz chart, with airplay on more than 310 stations internationally.
ABOUT WTJU
WTJU 91.1 FM is the University of Virginia's noncommercial radio station, broadcasting from Charlottesville and offering dedicated programming in jazz, blues, rock, folk, and classical music. Its jazz coverage is anchored by longtime contributor Russell Perry, who hosts the weekly program Jazz at 100 Now! and reviews several hundred new jazz releases a year in his Monday New Jazz Releases column on the station's website.
RESOURCES
Official Website: seanmason.net
Stream the Album: Listen on Spotify
Original Source: Read the feature on WTJU
