Mondo Jazz

Here's a playlist curated with one ear in New York and the other wandering somewhere between Amsterdam, Seoul, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Milan, London and Stockholm. The playlist features Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet; Giovanni Falzone; Alden Hellmuth; Miles Okazaki; Anggie Obin [pictured]; James Brandon Lewis; Elina Duni, Rob Luft. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22658120/M...

These past two weeks have been an opportunity to leaf back through six months of listening and rediscover the tracks that turned out to have the longest shelf life—music that still feels as fresh and compelling now as when we first heard it. Here's the last installment. We'll get back to this in six months! Stay tuned. The playlist features André Fernandes; Jason Moran; María Grand; Youn Sun Nah;...

As we continue this mid-year retrospective, we keep focusing on the tunes that somehow refused to stay confined to the week they were released. The playlist features Chris Potter; Jasper Høiby; The Breaks; Dida Pelled; Immanuel Wilkins; Harry Skoler, Bill Frisell; Zeno De Rossi Trio [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22622439/Mondo-Jazz [from "Osawatomie Brown" to "Kathe...

We have pressed pause on our usual pursuit of the latest arrivals and instead revisited some of the sounds that made the first half of 2026 such a rewarding stretch for curious ears. The playlist features Seu Jorge; Ryan Blotnick; Michael Formanek; Ilaria Capalbo; Rosa Brunello; The Messthetics, James Brandon Lewis; Ben Wendel [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22622439/...

Halfway through 2026, Mondo Jazz pauses to celebrate some of the recordings that have brought the most pleasure, surprise and inspiration over the past six month. The playlist features Dominique Fils-Aimé; Craig Taborn; Meg Okura; Roberto Fonseca, Vincent Segal; Gary Versace; Ingrid Jensen [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22585987/Mondo-Jazz [from "The River" onwards]...

Which songs stayed with us after months of listening, reviewing and sharing new releases? Here's another batch for your sonic delight. The playlist features Lucy Mellenfield; Reverso, Ryan Keberle, Frank Woeste, Vincent Courtois; Luca Falomi, Anais Drago, Fausto Beccalossi; James Brandon Lewis [pictured]; and Dave Douglas. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22585987/Mondo-Jazz [from...

As summer gets underway, Mondo Jazz looks back at some of the music that made the first half of 2026 so memorable. The playlist features Adam O'Farrill; Ben Rosenblum; Marco Mezquida; Joel Lyssarides; Airelle Besson, Lionel Suarez; Brandon Seabrook; Elan Mehler; Billy Mohler [pictured]; Virginia MacDonald. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22585987/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Last Call at D...

A playlist about musical kinship: artists supporting, inspiring, and challenging one another as they bring their distinct voices to a web of interconnected projects. The playlist features New Jazz Underground [pictured]; Open Thread, Peggy Lee, Julien Wilson, Theo Carbo, Dylan van der Schyff; Kalia Vandever; Micah Thomas; Immanuel Wilkins. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22557269...

Engaging, socially engaged, and globally minded: a playlist of new releases from four - or more - corners of the world. The playlist features Zela Margossian [pictured]; David Ambrosio, Donny McCaslin, Ingrid Jensen, Bruce Barth, Victor Lewis; Rosa Brunello; Goran Kajfes, Avin Omar; Michel Petrucciani. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22557269/Mondo-Jazz [from "In Flight" to "Morn...

Seven projects, even lessons in creative transformation—from reimagined genres, traditions and freshly taped recording sessions to the spontaneous reinvention that unfolds whenever musicians meet in the moment. The playlist features The Breaks, Robert Walter, Eddie Roberts, Stanton Moore; Levi Harvey Trio; Ilaria Capalbo [pictured]; Steven Bernstein, Scotty Hard; Johanna Summer, Claire Huangci; Mi...

A cross-generational and cross-genre journey from raw soul and classic jazz storytelling to contemporary experimentation, tracing unexpected connections across today’s global jazz landscape. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22523732/Mondo-Jazz [from "Up For Soul" to "Ahiahi"]. Happy listening! Photo: Jimmy Katz.

Enjoy the fragrant aromas, vivid textures and evocative soundscapes of a handful of remarkable new albums that illustrate the richness of today's transnational jazz scene. The playlist features Shai Maestro; Nils Berg [pictured], Norrbotten Big Band; Michael Blake Chroma Nova; Mahan Mirarab; Luca Falomi, Anais Drago, Fausto Beccalossi; Julián Muro. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl...

From intimate reflection to expansive improvisation, here is a string of new albums connecting Jobim to Bartz, Olatunjii to Roach, Paris to London, through artists who balance compositional craft, exploratory spirit, and a commitment to jazz as a living art form. The playlist features Tyshawn Sorey, Ola Tunji, Fred Pasqua, Pierre de Bethmann, Your Brother's Keeper, Gary Bartz. Detailed playlist at...

From less-is-more to more-is-more—and all the shades of creativity in between—this playlist unfolds under the approving eye of Geri Allen, whose enduring legacy continues to resonate on both sides of the Atlantic. The playlist features Youn Sun Nah; Robinson Khoury; Hannah Marks; Evi Filippou [pictured], Robert Lucaciu; Fuchsthone Orchestra; Adam Schatz; Charles Kieny CrozPhonics.. Detailed playli...

Striking debuts, new chapters in established careers, and yet more surprises from relentlessly curious artists—this is a playlist designed to keep your ears on high alert. The playlist features David Sánchez; Virginia MacDonald (pictured); Biréli Lagrène; Alexander Hawkins; Marta Sánchez; Rachele Amore. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22489897/Mondo-Jazz [from "Lumbalú" to "Climb...

Here’s a little more music for curious ears, restless spirits, and anyone who finds algorithms far too predictable. The playlist features Simon Moullier [pictured]; Felice Clemente; Alexis Cuadrado; André Fernandes; Flea; Eleonora Strino; and Ocean Fanfare. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22489897/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Kritisk Stadie"]. Happy listening!

Here’s another weekly dispatch of compelling recent releases from across the ever-expanding jazz spectrum. The playlist features Chris Potter; Luke Norris; Tyrone Allen II; Alexis Marcelo [pictured]; Adam Rudolph, Kaoru Watanabe; and Nite Bjuti. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22456129/Mondo-Jazz [from "Sister Annie" onwards]. Happy listening!

A playlist full of delightful surprises, offering music lovers a welcome counterweight to the darker surprises the news keeps delivering. The playlist features Oan Kim; Guillaume Hazebrouck, James Noël; Felsenmeer; Gegè Telesforo; Matthew Stevens; Gabrielle Cavassa; and Jeff Parker [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22456129/Mondo-Jazz [from "Habanera" to "Like Swimwear"...

Enjoy a playlist dedicated to musicians who keep redrawing the musical map one surprising album at a time. The playlist features Seu Jorge [pictured], Maria Rita; Jamile, Vinicius Gomes, Joe Martin; Joe Lovano; Hilary Geddes; Matt Gold, Dustin Laurenzi; and Bobby Previte. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22456129/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Glide"]. Happy listening!

Paris–Bogotá; New York–Rome; São Paulo–Basel; Bern–New York; New York–São Paulo… this playlist feels like a masterclass in transatlantic cross-pollination, where ideas, rhythms, and musical identities travel as freely as the artists themselves. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22421891/Mondo-Jazz [from "La Llave Maestra" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Yaroslav Monchak

Jump into a time-traveling playlist that brings a spectacular 1984 recording by Carla Bley back to the future, at the end of a generations-bridging ride where emerging artists modernize tradition and elder statesmen pay homage to their heroes, or join forces with younger voices. The playlist features Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22421891/Mondo-Jazz [from "Everything's Cool, Ev...

Two remarkable emerging singers, Selma Savolainen and Sonia Spinello, bookend a playlist of recent and upcoming releases which range from the adventurous to the spiritual. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22421891/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Eterea"]. Happy listening!

Here is a playlist featuring artists working outside the spotlight, often ahead of the curve, across continents, across scenes. The playlist features Peter Erskine; Christoph Irniger, Marc Perrenoud; Dave Douglas; Angelika Niescier [pictured]; Vuyo Sotashe, Chris Pattishall; čnaq̓ǐy̓m̓i (lone eagle) & The Forest. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22280800/Mondo-Jazz [from "Gumbo ti...

The European and US jazz scenes in a dialogue full of elegance and surprises. The playlist features Louis Matute; Jens Düppe; Jon Irabagon; Hélène Duret [pictured]; Joel Lyssarides. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22280800/Mondo-Jazz [up to "In the Rice Fields at Dawn"]. Happy listening!

Recent and new releases in a playlist that crosses borders—whether cultural or musical—with a special focus on jazz renditions of popular music (from Dylan to Radiohead to Pavement). The playlist features Florian Pellissier; Javon Jackson [pictured]; Luciano Biondini, Michel Godard, Lucas Niggli; James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Reginald Veal, Ali Jackson; Shawn Lovato; and Naïssam Jalal. Detailed pl...