With For The Love Of It All, trumpeter and composer Brandon Woody steps onto the scene and stakes his claim to something bigger, something sacred. The album unfolds like a hymn, a mantra, and a love letter all at once. Backed by his band Upendo — Troy Long on piano and organ, Quincy Phillips on drums, and Michael Saunders on bass — and joined by special guests including vocalist Imani-Grace and synth wizard Vittorio Stropoli, Woody delivers six impressive originals that pulse with emotion and ceremony, a declaration of all that’s important about jazz.

The album’s opening track, “Never Gonna Run Away,” sets the tone with its quiet power. Drawing from gospel traditions and his own childhood memories, Woody builds a meditation on faith and endurance. Long’s shimmering piano, Grace’s ethereal vocals, and the rhythmic grounding of Phillips and Saunders forge a world of sound that feels both cosmic and like it’s inside of you. Woody’s trumpet doesn’t lead so much as it summons, a voice calling out not for attention, but for connection. That phrase, “never gonna run away,” isn’t just a lyric, it’s a life philosophy. For Woody, it’s a vow to remain present, no matter how turbulent the journey. That ethos echoes through every note of For The Love Of It All, an album defined not by virtuosity (though there’s plenty of that), but by its vulnerability, and its unwavering belief in the healing force of love.

Much more than a debut, For The Love Of It All is a communion. It channels past generations, stitching them together with what’s possible when it comes to melody and memory. It holds space for quiet revolutions – of the sound, the spirit, of how we relate to each other. It’s almost like Woody and band aren’t just playing, they’re testifying. Woody’s playing doesn’t just sound good… it feels like something you’ve been missing. At a time when so much feels uncertain, Brandon Woody offers a reminder that love - real, radical, enduring love - can still be the loudest voice in the room.