Mondo Jazz

All good things come to an end, so here we are with the last part of our celebration of Stevie Wonder's 70th birthday in the key of jazz. In this final installment tributes by Geri Allen, Stephane Belmondo and Sylvain Luc, Urbie Green, Max Ionata and Dado Moroni, Abbey Lincoln, Steve Khan, the New West Guitar Group with Gretchen Parlato, Joshua Redman the SFJAZZ Collective, and Grover Washington,...

After a dive in renditions from the '70s during parts 1, here we mix things up with a combination of contemporary stunners, like the unique take of Alicia Hall Moran on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" or the incandescent rendition of "Too High" by Chris Hunter, with classics like Roland Kirk's version of "Ma Cherie Amour" or Toots Thielemans'"You've Got It Bad Girl". The cherry on the cake: Stevie's o...

Stevie Wonder has often infused his performances with compelling renditions of jazz standards like Miles' "All Blues" or Coltrane's "Giant Steps". In return, countless jazz musicians have looked at his Songbook and found in his compositions fertile grounds for their own explorations. In the second part of our "Stevie @70 special" we cherry-picked tributes to his genius by the likes of Ran Blake, C...

Stevie Wonder has more entries in the "Real Book" than any other pop musician, The Beatles included. It is not surprising therefore that his Songbook has been mined by hundreds of jazz musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock. To mark his 70th birthday we feature some of the best jazz renditions of his compositions. In this segment we f...

Second part of this week's review of new and upcoming releases with the great return of master arranger Pablo Ablanedo, the new single by Swedish saxophonist and flutist Otis Sandsjö, two new projects by the prolific oud and guitar player Gordon Grdina, and saxophones in solo, duo, trio and quartet settings. Happy listening! The playlist features Otis Sandsjö, Enzo Favata, Orchestra Nazionale dell...

This week we go through another delicious stash of new and upcoming releases, many of them launched on Bandcamp on 1 May for the 'waived fee' events the website is promoting every first Friday of the month to support musicians in the time of Covid19. The cherry on the stash? The much anticipated first single, sung by Nick Cave, from Hal Willner's last production, "Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of...

Here's is the second part of this week's exploration of new and upcoming releases, focusing on the new works of drummers Chad Taylor, with his trio and in the duo with James Brandon Lewis and Matt Wilson, the global jazz of the cult band Aka Moon and South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini... and some obliquely intriguing offerings by pianist Roberto Negro, the Onyx Collective and saxophonist Rud...

Plenty of European jazz on this week's show, with a special focus on the French scene and the mighty Convervatorium von Amsterdam Concert Big Band's new album. Also featured the great new releases by Aaron Parks and by Jason Palmer as well as the debut EP of the promising young quartet featuring Maya Keren, Camila Nebbia, Diana Arias, Lesley Mok. Happy listening! The playlist features also Reinier...

Second part of our weekly exploration of brand new releases, with a special focus on guitar-centric albums. The playlist features Rob Luft, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley, Brian Blade, John Scofield, Steve Swallow, Bill Stewart, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Gyan Riley, Thana Alexa, The Beat Freaks, George Burton, The Heliocentrics. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/e...

We may be in lock-down but outstanding jazz releases keep coming out as if nothing were of the COVID19 and the social distancing, bringing us much needed relief. One more reason to pay tribute to today's artists and to encourage everyone to support the music scene by purchasing music directly from the musicians and labels that make them. An hour of incredible collaborations, music for the dreamwor...

The final (for now) installment of this series dedicated to drummers features Rudy Royston, John Hollenbeck's Claudia Quintet +1, Ted Poor, Brian Blade Fellowship, TOTM - Tivoli of the Mind, Louis Moholo, Ginger Baker, Go: Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/10712210 (from Rudy Royston onwards). Photo credit: C. Andrew How...

More music featuring projects lead by drummers. Drums for civil rights, solos and duos, and poetry drumming. The playlist features Terri Lyne Carrington; Max Roach; Bill Bruford; Andrew Cyrille; Günter Sommer; Emanuele Maniscalco; Marilyn Mazur, Jan Garbarek; Matt Wilson; OK:KO; Christian Lillinger; Edward Ware. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/10712210 (up to E...

Second part of this drummer-special, focusing on power drummers and showing the continuity that connects Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa to Joey Baron and Jim Black, and a special focus on the live performative energy of Kresten Osgood and Makaya McCraven as well as the spiritual jazz of Tommaso Cappellato's latest album. Happy listening! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10606137/Mondo-...

As we hunker down amidst a terrifying pandemic what we need is to drum up our positive energy and attitude. So here's a special home edition of Mondo Jazz spotlighting projects led by creative drummers. Just another way to give drummers more than some! Stay home, socially distance, but musically connected. And don't forget to support musicians and the institutions that contribute to their outreach...

When he passed away Charlie Parker was not even 35 years old. The impact of his genius however has been ever-lasting. This week we continue our exploration of his influence on the generations of musicians that followed him, featuring their original take on his music as well as music composed to celebrate him. [For the first part of this Charlie Parker special go to: https://www.mixcloud.com/MondoJ...

100 years on, the music of Charlie Parker remains relevant and vital. This week we celebrate his foundational contribution to modern jazz by featuring renditions of his work by contemporary musicians who have drawn inspiration not only from his compositions but especially from his spirit as a forward-looking creative artist. Enjoy these reincarnations of Bird! Happy listening! The playlist featurs...

Second part of our weekly exploration of new releases showcasing new and upcoming gems with a special focus on musical forces of nature like Cuban violinist and singer Yilian Cañizares, and prolific British reedist Shabaka Hutchings (check out his South African forays with his Shabaka and the Ancestors and with Idiosyncratic guitarist Sibusile Xaba!). A special mention for Chris McCarty's Still Ti...

In our weekly exploration of new releases, here are beautiful albums featuring piano trios, adventurous guitarists, Miles Davis alumni, a tribute to John Coltrane and vocalists that explore electro-acoustic soundscapes. Happy listening! The playlist features Franck Amsallem, Marco Bardoscia, Lynne Arriale, Kenny Barron, Dave Holland, Dave Liebman, Ross Hammond, Isabelle Olivier, Rez Abbasi, Camill...

Anthony Braxton playing standards? Don Byron and Phillip Johnston playing the music of Raymond Scott? Nothing to be surprised about... as musicians have a more open mind than critics like to recognize. So here's the second part of this week's show focusing on retro-sounding jazz performed by forward-leaning musicians - a bit like the jazz equivalent of Blade Runner. For the first part go to https:...

Rigid categories are not what music should be about. This week we focus on music that some may file under "retro" but is performed by musicians that are often labelled "avant", it may not sound exactly how Count Basie and the Kansas City 7 would have played, but hey... it's 2020 and it debunks the notion that musicians that may like it skronky don't know how to swing. Case in point: Steven Bernste...

Second part of this week's ride through the new releases prairie with music by artists that cover a lot of ground, from Chicago Underground Quartet to Jesse Harris, from Valentina Ciardelli's take on Frank Zappa to Roger Kellaway' interpretation of Paul Desmond, and much more. For the first part go to: https://www.mixcloud.com/MondoJazz/irreversible-entanglements-goran-kajfes-soul-gnawa-other-new-...

This week's exploration of new and upcoming releases and releases features projects inspired by music from Benin and the Gnawa tradition of Morocco, hip-hop and electronica, as well as a tribute to Eddie Harris and the socially engaged music of Irreversible Entanglements. Happy listening! The playlist features Goran Kajfes, Majid Bekkas, Soul Gnawa, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Irreversible Entanglements,...

This week we focus on the art of the duo. A challenging format as one does neither have the complete freedom of a solo nor the support of a larger band. Yet, in the hands of the right artists, it can produce magical music. During the first hour we feature Geri Allen & Marcus Belgrave, Joe Henderson & Christian McBride, Fabrizio Bosso & Julian Oliver Mazzariello, Michael Blake & Kresten Osgood, Gün...

This week Mondo Jazz turns "100 episodes old". So we open with the uplifting "celebration" by South African pianist Bheki Mseleku before delving into what we like best, unearthing precious gems from around the world. During the first hour segment we feature another great stack of new releases, including the upcoming "The Fantastic Mrs. 10" by Tim Berne's Snakeoil and a special focus on the French...

We start 2020 where we left off in 2019, exploring great new releases. During the first hour we feature music ranging from the upcoming release of the Afrobeat ambassadors Antibalas, who are turning 20 this year, to a previously unreleased superb 1975 live performance by Pharoah Sanders. In the process we take a look at the vibrant Swedish scene with the music of Oddjob and its pianist Daniel Karl...