Mondo Jazz

We are back with another set-list chockful of exciting new and upcoming albums, from the cinematic atmospheres of the James Taylor Quartet and the mysterious Louis Fontane, to the explorations of Sam Gendel or Hailey Naiswanger's and Mia Garcia's OHMA; from the physchedelic journeys of Wax Machine and Kalaha, to the sounds of London's Total Refreshment Center courtesy of the Neue Grafik Ensemble a...

A few of the many accents through which today’s Lingua Franca, jazz, is spoken around the world. The playlist features Snarky Puppy; SNACKTIME; Black Jesus Experience; James Brandon Lewis feat. The Messthetics; Julia Hülsmann; Frank Kimbrough; Kansas Smitty’s; Jonathan Pinson. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/16263414/Mondo-Jazz (from "Bet" onwards). Happy listening!

This week we feature some great examples of how tradition continues to fuel modern jazz projects, and the many ways in which jazz incorporates elements from other musical traditions (from Korea to Spain) and genres (from the blues to rave music). The playlist features Bobby Previte, Charlie Hunter; Bobby Previte; J.D. Allen; Angles; Koma Saxo, Sofia Jernberg; Roxana Amed; The Comet Is Coming; Baum...

You know how scientists say that, statistically, every person has roughly six look-alikes around the world? Well the same seems to be true in the music world, where one can find quite a few songs that appear to be sound-alikes of other compositions we’re familiar with… This does not have to be necessarily the result of plagiarism but can often be the outcome of the fact that certain melodies can e...

Music geekery is at the heart of this week's edition. Over the years, time and time again I have come across songs that left me thinking… "Wait… there’s a melody in this chorus or this solo that really reminds me of another song… but I can’t quite put my finger on it…" And every time I’d play that song the same question would pop in my head at that same chorus or solo! I’m sure you’re all familiar...

A mystery project bearing the DNA of the late Hal Willner and Sun Ra, a project inspired by the poetry of that same Herman Poole Blount, tributes to Carla Bley and Lars Gullin, saxophonists on the rise, and a teenage sensation. The playlist features Meditations on Crime, King Khan, Sun Ra Arkestra; Miles Okazaki; Kurt Elling; Owl Trio; Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Ted Nash; Jeanne Michard; Chet Do...

It’s been another hot sweaty week… and so we decided to open today’s edition with some hot sweaty genre-defying music courtesy of Moon Hooch, Too Many Zooz and Meute, then we keep the simmer pretty steady, deep and beautiful.  The playlist features Moon Zooz; Too Many Zooz; MEUTE; Gunther Sommer, Lucaciu 3; Claire Michael; Sam Reider; Vadim Neselovskyi; Gard Nilssen; Elsa Nilsson; Sachal Vasandani...

From Africa to Brooklyn, and a few stops in between, a playlist replete with a diverse range of new and upcoming albums. The playlist features Kamil Piotrowicz; Sasha Berliner; Omri Ziegele; Camilla George; Tumi Mogorosi feat. Andile Yenana; Stan Killian; Theon Cross, Emre Ramazanoglu; Fussyduck; Subconscious Trio; Carmen Staaf, Allison Miller; Bennie Maupin, Adam Rudolph; Kirk Knuffke; John Yao....

Last week we took a look back at some of our favorite songs that were released in the first six months of the year. This week we’re back to our uncontrollably growing pile of beautiful new and upcoming albums. The playlist features Fred Pallem; OJKOS; Makaya McCraven; JoVia Armstrong; Moor Mother, Orion Sun, Jason Moran; Pablo Ablanedo; Shabaka; Francesco Bigoni, Mark Solborg, Emanuele Maniscalco;...

Here are some of the tunes that we have loved the most during these first six months of the year. Surely there are tens more of equal value, but this is not a scientific exercise… Rather–since jazz is all about living in the moment–we made our selections based on the strong, and lasting, impression that those tunes elicited when we first listened to them. The playlist features David Krakauer; Kahi...

Since 2022 has been barreling down at breakneck speed… it’s July already, which is actually the perfect moment to take stock of what the first half of the year had to offer to jazz fans. Please enjoy some of the tunes that have brought us most delight during the first six months of the year! The playlist features Pernille Bévort; Michael Leonhart; Daniel Villarreal; Benny Bock; Louis Matute; Jun M...

It’s just early July and there’s no denying that we’re already feeling the effects of climate change, with unusually high temperatures and extreme events like floods or severe thuderstorms. When it comes to music, however the downpour of new releases is a very welcome development… especially when they sound so delicious! The playlist features Mamud Band; Amanda Whiting; Marco Mezquida; David Virel...

Oscillating between the funky good times of yesterday (Oneness of Juju; Milt Ward) and today's grooves (Snacktime, Kneebody, Ray Anderson's Pocket Brass Band) this week's playlist confirms that good music is timeless, and quirky to boot (Amanda Ekery, Esthesis Quartet). Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/16104145/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Yo Cats"). Happy listening!

This week we focus on new and upcoming albums featuring emerging guitarists like Reinier Baas and Gilad Hekselman, electro-acoustic projects and more...  The playlist also features Johannes Wallmann; Bill O'Connell; Roxy Coss; Deadeye; Eric Harland; Antoine Berjeaut; Freakson; Mark Turner, Jason Palmer, Joe Martin, Jonathan Pinson. The detailed playlist is at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/16060706/...

An Hammond B-3onanza! Ronnie Foster is back, with a reissue of "Two-Headed Freap" and the first new album in almost four decades, "Reboot", and so is the Gentle Giant of Danish jazz drummer-turned-Hammond player Kresten Osgood. A compare and contrast between Gerald Clayton and Melissa Stylianou, Gene Bartoncini and Ike Sturm, as well the new gems by Ghost Horse and Liquid Saloon complete a playlis...

Bookended between the many sides of Larry Goldings [pictured] and Ingrid Laubrock the playlist features two new releases by drummer Zeno De Rossi, the sophomore release of Zoh Amba and the compelling new albums by Espen Berg and Jacob Garchik. The playlist features also John Scofield; Peter Bernstein; Bill Stewart; Pipe Dream; Andy Milne; Brandon López; and Tom Rainey. Detailed playlist at https:/...

Amazing debut albums by Daniel Villarreal and Anna Butterss [pictured], reissues or unearthed gems from masters of the past like Sun Ra or Byard Lancaster, homages to Pharaoh Sanders, the fascinating sonic explorations of JOYFULTALK and Flock are just some of our favorite things... and that's why we feature them in this week's show. We hope you like them too! The playlist also features Rosa Brunel...

Piano trios that show that, in the right hand, this formula has still a lot to say, musicians that walk down the trail blazed by Carla Bley and Paul Bley, chamber jazz and much more in this set. The playlist features Olga Reznichenko; Joona Toivanen; Louis Sclavis; Billy Drummond; Florian Arbenz, Tineke Postma, Joao Barradas; Lucian Ban; Álvaro Torres; Adam Larson; Chase Elodia. Detailed playlist...

David Binney's everywhere! Or so it seems judging by the amount of recent and upcoming release he's on. We sample three this week, together with the new concept album by Samora Pinderhughes and a few examples of how music and social commentary can bring about awesome albums, in a playlist that is at the East-Coast West-Coast junction. And, by the way, this week we celebrate episode 200! Thanks for...

Here's a set dedicated to the proposition that when you leave it to jazz musicians, cultural differences bring people together, not apart, as you'll be able to appreciate with projects that mix the cultural traditions, or the music-making understandings, to generate a certain "folklore without borders".  The playlist features Louis Matute; Tony Mora; Diego Rivera; Manel Fortia [pictured]; Hans Lüd...

This week we'll be test driving some of the most happening jazz rides we’ve found in our favorite dealerships, from the return of Flora Purim [pictured], to Steven Bernstein's heartfelt tribute to the late Henry Butler, and a special focus on pianists, like Yelena Eckemoff, Enrico Pieranunzi, Lynne Arriale and John Taylor. The playlist features also Chance Hayden; Josiel Konrad; Whatitdo Archive G...

The spotlight on emerging trombonist Kalia Vandever [pictured], Binker Golding midwestern fantasies, a version of "Bitches Brew" (the song) from before "Bitches Brew" (the album), and much more in this set. The playlist also features Ghost Funk Orchestra, Ben Pirani; Dr. John; Binker Golding; Alex Sipiagin; Joel Ross; Makiko Hirabayashi; Myra Melford; Miles Davis Detailed playlist at https://spini...

In this episode Guadelupe meets Nigeria; Japan & Italy meet Brazil; Germany meets South Korea; and many more transnational encounters from the Global Jazz Village. The playlist features Magic Malik; Michael Blake; Kansas Smitty's; David Murray, Brad Jones, Hamid Drake; Jun Miyake; Potsa Lotsa Xl, Youjin Sung; Yu Nishiyama; Tommaso Moretti, Ben Lamar Gay; Chiara Izzi, Andrea Rea. Detailed playlist...

In this segment we feature several projects of the restless Swedish bassist Petter Eldh, solo projects by guitar masters and a young piano virtuoso, interesting meeting points for forward looking jazz and strings, & more. The playlist features Koma Saxo, Sofja Jernberg; Kit Downes, Petter Eldh, James Maddren; Punkt. Vrt. Plastik; John Scofield; Biréli Lagrène; Elias Stemseder; Dave Meder, Miguel Z...

Modern piano rooted in the tradition, timeless playful tongue-in cheek elegance, and two tributes to the great Herbie Nichols in this set. The playlist features Mathis Picard, Savannah Harris; Deanna Witkowski; Isaiah J. Thompson; Cécile McLorin Salvant; Aki Takase, Daniel Erdmann; Dandy Dandie; Anna Webber; Ben Allison; Duck Baker, Roswell Rudd. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/1...