This year our seasonal Hanksgiving episodes celebrates a musician that is a cult figure in the world of saxophonists and fans of the Blue Note catalogue, saxophonist and composer Hank Mobley. The show features a mix of Hank Mobley's tunes and renditions of his work by peers that were attracted by his brand of jazz firmly grounded in the blues and R&B roots that he had mastered in the years that preceded his first engagement, with Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers. The playlist features Hank...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 136
For our seasonal Hanksgiving show, this year we pay tribute to Hank Mobley, both as a saxophonist and a composer, by playing music from his albums, which are a cornerstone of the Blue Note sound and catalogue, and renditions of his music by musicians that came after him. There's so much to love in Mobley's repertoire. Happy listening and happy Hanksgiving, so it may very well become your new favorite holiday, the jazz equivalent of Festivus for the rest of us jazz loving freaks! The playlist fea...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 136
We continue our exploration of bands and projects lead by female bass players which have become exponentially more prominent in the past two decades. Here is the fascinating music by musicians that debunk commonly held stereotypes related to the physicality of music, and develop a personal way to syntesize their countless sources of inspiration. The playlist features Marlene Rosenberg, Esperanza Spalding, Rosa Brunello, Hélène Labarrière, Hasse Poulsen, Donna Khalifé, Linda May Han Oh, Sélène Sa...
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 135
All around the world, there's a bassisterhood that is rapidly expanding and claiming its rigthful place on the jazz scene. This week we'll focus on the queens of the low-end and the fascinating bands and projects they lead. The playlist features Noriko Ueda, Giulia Valle, Silvia Bolognesi, Stefanie Kunckler, Heartland Trio, Mimi Jones [pictured], Caterina Palazzi, Meshell Ndegeocello, Sarah Murcia, Lisa Hoppe, Adi Meyerson, Federica Michisanti, Carmen Rothwell, Nicki Parrott, Rossano Sportiello....
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 135
The second part of this week's edition of Mondo Jazz revolves around the Chicago-Paris-Brussels triangle, with forays into New York, Los Angeles and Austin, to deliver great, much awaited, new releases by the Sun Ra Arkestra, The Grassy Knoll and The Awakening Orchestra. To put the wheels in motion, the high-octane music of Dan Rosenboom. That and much more... The playlist also features Thunderblender, Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood, Geof Bradfield, Ben Goldberg, Dana Hall, Orange Moon, Sé...
Nov 27, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 134
In this week's exploration of new and upcoming releases we explore a whole range of human interactions, from Matt Wilson's hugs to Kahil El'Zabar's jumps and shout, from Prince and Miles Davis going mano a mano to Bootsy Collins and Branford Maraslis proceeding arm in arm like true funkateeers, from Antoine Pierre following Miles' steps to Lionel Loueke doing the same with those of Herbie Hancock. And more... Happy listening! The playlist also features Michel Benita, Roberto Cecchetto, Thoine Th...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 134
One thing that Jazz and Circus have in common is that--unlike way too many things that we see in our daily lives--you can't fake them. You cannot pretend you're an expert among circus or jazz artists… If you are not … it'll show! And this authenticity may be one of the reasons why they seem so precious in this age of disposable fakeness. Here we continue our exploration of the connections between jazz and circuls with a dolly shot of circus acts, fire eaters, mimes, jugglers and many more. Enjoy...
Nov 22, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 133
Circus is like Jazz. They both require a great deal of originality and a capacity to improvise and be in the moment. They come out of a sense of artistic urgency and self-expression since they are not arts that people embrace to get rich. And they both demand incredible dedication and discipline. We explore the connections between these two art forms, focusing on jazz inspired by the circus world, composed for circus shows, or evoking-in a way or another-"The Greatest Show on Earth" Sit back, re...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 133
In the second part of this week's review of new and upcoming releases we focus on new projects by saxophonists Ben Wendel (as leader and sideman of Tom Guarna) and Nubya Garcia (revisiting Joe Henderson for the "Blue Note Re:imagined" project, and as member of Maisha. Also noteworthy the new project of drummers Cindy Blackman Santana (with a guitar dream-duo of Vernon Reid and Carlos Santana), and Antoine Berjeaut as well the new trio by Norwegian bassist Ellen Andrea Wang. To bring some acousti...
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 132
Another week devoted to new and upcoming releases with a special focus on the latest albums by Italian saxophonist Francesco Bearzatti and the members of his Tinissima 4et, trumpeter Giovanni Falzone, bassist Danilo Gallo and drummer Zeno De Rossi. To complete this all-European showcase, two quite different projects by British saxophonist Iain Ballamy, the resounding elegance of Renaud-Gabriel Pion, a lesson on how to 'play nature' by András Dés Rangers, the great debut of the Charlotte Greve Tr...
Nov 14, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 132
Elvis Costello with the Michael Leonhart Orchestra, Robert Wyatt with Mary Halvorson's Code Girl, Jesse Harris lending his pen to Camille Bertault or John Zorn and Petra Haden... that why we like blurred lines between genres! And so do Rosa Brunello, Nels Cline, Erik Friedlander with new releases that draw inspiration from a multitude of sources. And keep an eye on the French vibraphone player Simon Moullier who has just released a remarkable debut album. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.c...
Nov 11, 2020•59 min•Ep. 131
This week our playlist is bursting at the seams with great projects, several of which explore the renewed interest in what many like to call 'spiritual jazz', from Roberto Ottaviano to Dwight Trible's Cosmic Vibrations and Matthew Halsall out of the increasingly interesting Manchester jazz scene. The rest of the playlist alternates forward looking projects like the welcome return of Craig Taborn's Junk Magic, "Supersense" the multisensory project by Steph Richards with Jason Moran, or Torbjörn Z...
Nov 08, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 131
Although Sting is widely known for his solo career and for fronting The Police, his love for jazz has been a common thread throughout his career. His jazz sensibility became more prominent when he started his solo career with a band of young heavy-weights from the New York jazz scene of the time, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Darryl Johns and Omar Hakim. We continue our exploration of Sting's jazz projects and renditions of his jazz compositions by the likes of Lester Bowie, Pat Metheny, Es...
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 130
From his early years as a bass player in the trad Phoenix Jazzmen, the straight-ahead Newcastle Big Band, and the fusion quintet Last Exit, to his collaborations with idols like Gil Evans and Miles Davis, jazz has been a constant in Sting's artistic path. This week, we feature music from his jazzier projects as a leader or side-man, and jazz renditions of his compositions by jazz legends and up and coming masters. Happy listening! The playlist also features Gregory Porter; Espen Berg; Jazz Fanta...
Nov 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 130
A classical musical upbringing; a deep knowledge of contemporary classical masters; a career that rapidly saw him develop affinities and life-long collaborations with mainstream and forward-looking jazz musicians, both from the US and from abroad; equally at home with fusion, pop and rock. In sum, Kenny Kirkland epitomized that kind of musician that defies categorization which we tend to admire the most. Here is the second part of our celebration of this legacy. Happy listening! The playlist als...
Nov 01, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 129
On September 28th, 2020, Kenny Kirkland would have turned 65. This week we celebrate his legacy as leader, co-leader, as side-man invited to add power and sophistication to the bands he joined, and as composer, through renditions of his music by peers and contemporary musicians. Among these, pianist Noah Haidu has recently released the first-ever album entirely dedicated to the Kenny Kirkland songbook, which we feature here and in the second part of the show, which will be online in a few days. ...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 129
Django Bates celebrated his 60th birthday and 40th anniversary as a musician while marking Bird's centennial with adventurous and witty arrangements for the Norrbotten Big Band. That gives us a cue to look into more Scandinavian and large-ensemble music, following the adventures of Bates' bassist Petter Eldh, as part of the much awaited return of Lucia Cadotsch's Speak Low project in which he works side-by-side with Swedish saxophonist Otis Sandsjö who, in turn, can be found in Martin Perret's L...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 128
This week we hit the mother lode, with plenty of undiscovered, or re-discovered, jazz ore, in the form of unreleased live recordings of Joe Harriott and the re-release of "Windows of the Mind" by the skoonum player, and Ray Charles alum, Billy Brooks, respectively. Among the new gems projects of the acoustic (Roots Magic; Reijseger, Fraanje, Sylla [pictured]; Federica Michisanti), electro-acoustic (Rob Mazurek with the Exploding Star Orchestra; Dinosaur) and electric (Guillaume Perret; Mach 6) a...
Oct 25, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 128
From audiophile jazz labels, to definitive record stores and jazz kissaten-the outstanding jazz bars that provide a cozy place for jazz fans to congregate and share their love for jazz-Japan has traditionally been one of the most jazz-friendly countries in the world. Here is the second part of a special edition that pays tribute to some of Japan's own eclectic talents. Happy listening! The playlist features Fumio Yasuda, Theo Bleckmann, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Soil & Pimp Sessions, Yuk...
Oct 22, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 127
In addition to offering a safe haven and an enthusiastic audience for international jazz players, Japan has a vibrant local scene which features musicians that approach jazz without necessarily being encumbered by its tradition, and infuse it with their own cultural traditions and generally post-modern attitude. So let's dive into the fun and varied universe of Japanese jazz through the work of some of its most remarkable iconoclasts. The playlist features Suga Dairo, Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra [...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 127
For the second part of this week's exploration of new and upcoming releases we "Focus". As in... we compare and contrast the music from that iconic 'saxophone & strings' album by Stan Getz with the two more recent CDs-both entitled "Re Focus"-by Tim Garland and Silvayn Rifflet which Getz's 1961 masterpiece inspired. The latter was orchestrated by the great French bass player and arranger Fred Pallem who is about to release a fascinating project dedicated to fairy tales in the key of jazz, wh...
Oct 18, 2020•56 min•Ep. 126
Genre-bending, re-imaginings of masters past and present, and eclectic alliances of musicians from different scenes and background are at the heart of this week's roll-call of new and upcoming releases, with the latest albums by Jyoti (a.k.a. Georgia Anne Muldrow), and Hal Willner, deserving special attention. We wrap things up with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah infusing electric-era Miles' "Guinnevere" with the spirit of "Sketches of Spain". The playlist also features Butcher Brown, Ezra Collec...
Oct 15, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 126
This is the second part of our exploration of Michael Brecker's and Steven Bernstein's work as first-call musicians in the world of high-end pop productions. Their capacity to adapt to the demands of these productions while remaining true to their jazz roots has offered millions of listeners that might have looked at jazz with a grain of diffidence an opportunity to re-assess their skepticism. Brecker and Bernstein musicians that have played and keep playing a prime role in bringing new fans to ...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 125
This week we focus on Steven Bernstein and Michael Brecker, the quintessential jazz-hackers of the pop world. If you heard a compelling saxophone solo on a high-end pop or rock production, especially between the 1970s and 1990s, you could bet it was by Michael Brecker. Likewise, if you have been struck by an elegant yet quirky arrangement on a high-end pop or rock album from the past two decades, the odds were that it had been written by Steven Bernstein. In today's show we'll be alternating son...
Oct 11, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 125
As we continue our exploration of the best in new and upcoming jazz, this week we look into a unique project featuring the music of John Zorn and lyrics of Jesse Harris written with the unique voice of Petra Haden in mind, a special album that blends beautifully with the new releases by Bill Frisell, Jorge Roeder and Ron Miles, Jimmy Heath's musical testament, a Spinal-Tappy jazz take on the music of Black Sabbath and much more. The playlist features also Throttle Elevator Music, Logan Kane, Reg...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 124
Recently unearthed gems by Dudu Pukwana and Art Blakey, beautiful new albums by Eric Revis and Charles Tolliver, the Cuban roots of David Virelles and Aruán Ortiz, a peak in the Amsterdam and Berlin scenes through the music of Federico Calcagno and Reza Askari, respectively, and much more in this week's edition of Mondo Jazz dedicated to new and upcoming releases. The playlist features also Daniel Bingert, Chico Pinheiro, Rez Abbasi, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Nduduzo Makhathini and Gabriele...
Oct 04, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 124
This is the second part of our celebration of Pat Metheny's 66th birthday through an exploration of the best renditions of his work by other musicians. Metheny's signature compositional style inspired countless colleagues, even before he had released his own debut album. It's no surprise that more than four decades lager, the renditions of his work can be counted in the hundreds. I hope you'll enjoy those featured here by long time collaborators like Lyle Mays, Gary Burton, Charlie Haden, Brad M...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 123
This week we launch a series of episodes that, from time to time, we'll look at the work of contemporary jazz players as composers, rather than performers, from Tim Berne to Geri Allen, Bill Frisell, Carla Bley, John Zorn, Brad Mehldau and many more. We are starting this series with Pat Metheny, the author of countless unforgettable themes. The playlist features Bob Curnow, Kurt Elling, Cristiano Stocchetti, Kevin Mahogany, Billy Drummond, George Colligan, Orion Saxophone Quartet, Jason Vieaux, ...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 123
A Belgian vocalist that turns the Great American Songbook inside out, young Austrian creative minds, female guitar experimentalists, an all female ensemble and the band that brings the Allman Brothers spirit to Rahsaan Roland Kirk town... To find out more, I guess you'll have to click on the player and find out for yourself! Happy listening! The detailed playlist is available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11326394/Mondo-Jazz (from Ahl6 onwards). Ahl6, chuffDRONE, Dave Pietro, ARTEMIS, Lynn Cas...
Sep 24, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 122
It's time to get back to the new releases menu and its delicious assortment of modern jazz infused with timeless Miles Davis aromas, forward looking fare marked by traces of Tim Berne, as well as gargantuan ensembles for good measure. Bon appetit! The playlist features Daniel Bingert [pictured], Antoine Pierre, Nubya Garcia, Rudresh Mahanthappa, In Common: Walter Smith III, Matt Stevens, Tommaso Gambini, Andrea Keller Five Degree Below, Makaya McCraven, On Dog, Michael Formanek, Small Choices, T...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 121
