Drumming prodigy and a key figure in contemporary jazz, Justin Tyson breaks free from his prestigious collaborations to unveil The Paper Doors, his debut solo album. Blending avant-garde jazz, experimental hip-hop, and minimalist textures, he crafts a bold and immersive sonic universe. A true rhythmic manifesto, this album stands as a defining work of 2025, showcasing the sensitivity and virtuosity of an artist in full ascent.
Album cover, “The Paper Doors” Justin Tyson
Justin Tyson is one of the most talented and innovative drummers on the contemporary jazz scene. After years of collaborating with jazz giants like Herbie Hancock, Terrace Martin, Esperanza Spalding, Thundercat, and Robert Glasper—with whom he won a Grammy Award for Black Radio III—he is finally making his mark under his own name. With The Paper Doors, a 21-track debut album released on February 28, 2025, Tyson takes another major step in his already impressive career. This record unveils a unique musical universe where rhythmic precision meets boundless creativity.
Justin Tyson Shatters Musical Boundaries
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Justin Tyson started playing drums at the age of three and has been perfecting his craft ever since. A former student of Berklee College of Music, he has been described by Drummerworld as a “master of rhythm and genre hybridization.” Known for his fluidity in navigating different musical styles, Tyson pushes boundaries once again with The Paper Doors. This album brilliantly fuses jazz, experimental hip-hop, and ambient music, creating sonic landscapes that are both ethereal and sharp-edged. A work that channels the depth of J Dilla while establishing itself as a cornerstone of contemporary jazz.
The Paper Doors: A Sonic Threshold Between Worlds
This album is a reflection on places—both physical and psychological spaces that shape us. The title, The Paper Doors , refers to these symbolic thresholds between different worlds, fragile and malleable doors that can either lead to a deeper reconnection with oneself or push us out of our comfort zones. The album is a passage through these thresholds, where each of its 21 tracks becomes an invitation to introspection. Through intricate rhythms and unexpected harmonies, Tyson challenges us to rethink our relationship with environment, memory, and identity.
The Paper Doors also stands out for its collaborations, including Esperanza Spalding, whose subtle, ethereal vocals elevate the album beyond a mere musical project—it becomes a multisensory experience, where music, voice, and silence blend to create an atmosphere of rare intensity. Tyson transcends genres with effortless fluidity, turning each track into a sensory journey and an exploration of the self.
From Jazz to the Beyond
This is not just another album in the jazz landscape—it’s a manifesto. A cry for freedom, a call to reinvent music, an invitation to explore how places, both internal and external, can redefine who we are. With The Paper Doors, Justin Tyson proves that jazz is not just about tradition or history, but an infinite playground where every keyboard note, every texture, and every silence can be reimagine.
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