FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Birch Grove Media Launches with Smirk’s Evocative Debut Album, Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz featuring Tyshawn Sorey & Matt Mitchell
BLAIRSTOWN, NJ – October 2025 – Birch Grove Media, an independent record label recently established in Northwest New Jersey, proudly announces its inaugural release: the much-anticipated album by Smirk, entitled Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz. This double LP is a hard-hitting collection of intense polytonal odd meter jazz tracks, and is set to launch in October 2025. It will also be available via digital download and streamed on all major platforms.
Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz introduces Smirk as a powerhouse voice in new music, with all compositions by the leader/trumpet player Alan Bjorklund. The eight-track album features the undeniable talent of Jeremy Viner on tenor sax, Travis Reuter on guitar, Matt Mitchell on synthesizer, Kim Cass on electric bass, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz uniquely combines modern electronic production with a traditional jazz sextet instrumentation, but make no mistake- these tracks are anything but traditional. Recorded by Grammy Award-winning engineer Josh Giunta at GSI Studios, every note has been meticulously crafted while maintaining each musician’s own voice.
“Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz features what is undoubtedly the single most heavy hitting lineup of musicians on the streets today, all of whom, along with Bjorklund himself, absolutely kill on this album. These master musicians truly bring this incredibly challenging and austere music to life in a way that probably no one else could. This is a high water mark for modern music as a whole.”
-Ryan Clackner (guitarist, owner of Moonlight Cypress Archetypes label)
The launch of Birch Grove Media and their first album marks a significant first for the expansion of intricate, modern, NYC-focused jazz into the Northwest region of New Jersey. Founded by Alan and Lindsay Bjorklund, the record label aims to champion unique artists who specialize in creative jazz and adjacent genres.
“We started Birch Grove Media to create our own ecosystem of an artist-first environment with nothing but the best talent in the NY tri-state area,” explains Lindsay Bjorklund. “Smirk perfectly embodies the kind of talent we want to represent—artists of the highest musicianship that shock audiences (in a good way). We believe Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz is the ideal introduction to who we are and the kind of music we are going to share and promote.”
Both physical and digital album formats are now available here: https:/www.birchgrove.io/catalog/bgm02001/. The physical is presented as a double LP (180 gram vinyl) in a gatefold jacket. There’s a vintage yet paradoxically modern aesthetic to its design, which includes a poster and a digital download card.
About Smirk: Formed in 2011 by bandleader / composer / trumpet player Alan Bjorklund, Smirk has performed at many Brooklyn and Manhattan venues. Smirk’s flavor of jazz focusses around groove, improvisation, odd meters, and extended through-composed polytonal layers. In addition to the musical complexities, the debut full-length album Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz embraces modern electronic music production techniques.
About Birch Grove Media: Birch Grove Media is an independent record label based in Blairstown, New Jersey. Founded in 2025, its mission is to cultivate, curate and promote unique artists. Birch Grove Media refuses to release music in the boring old jazz paradigm. Learn more at birchgrove.io.
Media Contact: Lindsay Bjorklund, Label Manager / press@birchgrove.io