Kyle Cox’s fifth studio album “WHO CARES” released on October 12th, 2023, is aptly named. Kyle’s journey as an artist has always been one of a refusal to conform. Now, nearly a decade removed from his entrance onto the scene of the folk-Americana fringes to an eventual full-fledged embrace of the modern jazz standard, Kyle continues to look at the trends and ask “who cares?” Don’t be fooled though. Effortless as his writing may seem, Kyle spent years relentlessly immersing himself into the genre, often while his two children took their mid-day naps, studying the chord structures and techniques of legends like John Coltrane, Bill Evans, the Mills Brothers, and Chet Baker. He began frequenting the local Nashville Rudy’s Jazz Room for inspiration, where he eventually nabbed his first residency, solidifying his position as a jazz up-and-comer in the sonically diverse and vibrant Music City. Kyle’s life as a touring musician led him to cross paths with some of Nashville’s finest players. Trumpeter and frequent collaborator Robert Gay and the newly welcomed pianist Will Padgett show their incredible care for the genre with effective melodic interludes and breezy improvised solos in between Kyle’s sincere, crooning baritone and light comping acoustic, while Brad Covington and Paul Defiglia fill out the rhythm section with a perfectly light touch. The result sends the listener to the smoky, dark Village Vanguard on a lonely, rainy New York City night in the West Village.