Riveting saxophone solos taking us into the stratosphere, eclectic vocalists, legendary drummers and more, including the otherwordly beauty that Ha-Yang Kim and Ayesha Brooks add to the already striking compositions of Wayne Horvitz, and the compelling sophomore release by bassist Ilaria Capalbo. The playlist also features The Baylor Project; Danilo Blaiotta; Nate Smith; Michela Lombardi; Sky Creature; Simone Prattico; Guillaume de Chassy; Louis Hayes; Art Blakey. Detailed playlist at https://sp...
Dec 17, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 180
A lil' dive in the 1970's world of soul- or funk-tinged jazz, then some adventurous large ensembles; a focus on Scandinavian artists and the first single from Immanuel Wilkins' sophomore release, for a set with lots of interesting facets. The playlist features also Sarah Vaughan; Julien Lourau; Artifacts; Jazz Station Big Band; Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Ole Morten Vågan; Remy Le Boeuf; Petter Eldh; and Koma Saxo. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14766743/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Emana...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 180
This year our seasonal Hanksgiving episode celebrates a musician of sumptuous elegance and sophisticated narrative and harmonic feel like pianist Hank Jones. As usual, we play a mix of albums that feature him as a leader, co-leader or side-man and renditions of his work by other musicians. The playlist also features Ella Fitzgerald; Johnny Hartman; Abbey Lincoln; Donald Byrd; Warren Vaché; Thad Jones; Leo Parker; Rich Perry; Stan Getz; Coleman Hawkins; Guy Laffitte; Shai Maestro; Charlie Haden D...
Dec 10, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 179
For our seasonal Hanksgiving show, this year we pay tribute to Hank Jones, both as a saxophonist and a composer, by playing music from his albums as a leader and sideman, and renditions of his music by musicians that came after him. The collaboration with Malian master musician Cheick Tidian Seck kicks off a playlist which includes albums ranging from leader projects and solo work, to collaborations with some of the top Miles Davis alumni or with an avant-gardist with deep standard roots like An...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 179
From Nikara Warren to Makaya McCraven; from Melanie Charles to Brandee Younger; from BADBADNOTGOOD to Ill Considered... a playlist replete with some of the most happening projects of the moment. The playlist features also corto.alto; Henry Cole & Villa Locura; Chip Wickham; Eivind Aarset. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/14601032 (from "Black Rhythm Happening" onward). Happy listening!
Dec 03, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 178
Enjoy a playlist which starts with Larry Goldings getting scary and ends with Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass confirming they're out of the ordinary. The playlist also features Scary Goldings; Isaiah J. Thompson; John Taylor; Guano Padano; Rope feat. Petra Haden; Camille Bertault & John Finbury; The SWR Big Band, Chris Potter; Thomas Curbillon. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/14601032 (up to "Cakewalk"). Happy listening!
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 178
Paolo Angeli's Grammy nominated multi-stringed solo adventures, the many sides of French cellist Vincent Courtois and much more in this playlist. The playlist also features Ed Palermo; H ZETTRIO; Red Kite; Michael Feinberg; Steven Bernstein; Samuel Blaser; Mark Lockheart; Reverso; Bill Carrothers Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14528850/Mondo-Jazz (from "Spacewalk" onward). Happy listening! Photo credit: Honza Walda Valik
Nov 19, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 177
Tune in and discover Cécile McLorin Salvant's new direction, Itai Kriss's demonstration that Middle-Eastern and Carribbean music were always meant to work together, and much more ... The playlist also features Sammy Miller; David Tixier; De Beren Gieren; Romero Lubambo & Rafael Piccolotto Chamber Orchestra; Fredrik Nordström; Mareike Wiening; Marcin Wasilewski; Martin Wind. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14528850/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Solitude"). Happy listening!
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 177
We open with tributes to three artists that passed in the past few days, Alan Hawkshaw, Leslie Bricusse and Franco Cerri, before delving in new releases ranging from the straight-ahead hard-hitting energy of Pete Rodriguez to the sound (and silence) explorations of Ayumi Tanaka and her Trio. The playlist also features Brian Bennett; Alicia Hall Moran; Helen Merrill, Gordon Beck; Pete Rodríguez; Match; Becca Stevens; Maurice Louca. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14424252/Mondo-...
Nov 09, 2021•50 min•Ep. 176
The bonanza goes on... another week replete with exciting new music ranging from the groovy to the angular, from the visceral to the playful, bookended by two Italian trumpet maestros, Fabrizio Bosso (in his collaboration with Rosario Giuliani and Enrico Rava. The playlist features Rosario Giuliani, Fabrizio Bosso; Théo Girard; Nexus; Pedway; Octurn, Magic Malik; Ghost Horse; Sandra Nkaké, Ji Dru; Ed Neumeister; Thomas Heberer; Enrico Rava. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14424...
Nov 02, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 176
One of the best things about today’s jazz scene is its sheer variety. A glimpse of that is on display in this set, starting with a special treat for Mondo Jazz listeners: Ben Allison's "Breakfast with Eric", a tune that has a very special story... listen to the show to find out why. A special mention for the debut album by {{Malcolm Jiyane}}; once more... listen to the show and find out for yourself... The playlist features Ben Allison; Malcolm Jiyane; Otis McDonald; Star Rover; Ember; Nicole Gl...
Oct 29, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 175
Another truckload of great new and upcoming albums this week, for a show that highlights the beauty of jazz which is not aligned with the major label esthetics. The playlist features Kurt Elling; Nicola Guida, Greg Osby; Rachel Eckroth; Manu Codjia, Giuseppe Millaci, Lieven Venken; UASSYN; Javier Girotto, Vince Abbracciante; Sylvie Courvoisier, Mary Halvorson; NRG Bridges; Mathias Eick; Chris Morrissey; Georgia Anne Muldrow; Darius Jones. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/1436955...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 175
Spiritual jazz, spirited jazz and creative jazz in this playlist, which offers a pretty good case study on why jazz is often described as the "sound of surprise". The playlist features Common; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten; Matthew Halsall; Kahil El'Zabar; Anais Drago; Craig Taborn; Steph Richards, Joshua White; Ohad Talmor; Sara Schoenbeck, Nels Cline; Brad Linde; Wendy Eisenberg. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14314184/Mondo-Jazz (from "Black and Blue" onward). Happy listening!
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 174
For the first part of this week's show we focus on new and upcoming albums by trumpet players, and collaborations between guitarists and drummers. The playlist features Nicholas Payton; Abigoba; Miles Davis; Andorra; Daniel Freedman; Giacomo Zanus; Andrew Cyrille; Dan Phillips, Hamid Drake; Csaba Palotai, Steve Arguelles. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14314184/Mondo-Jazz (up to "A Little Steady"). Happy listening!
Oct 18, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 174
Ornette Coleman playing for Lou Reed? Or the Sun Ra Arkestra backing U2? And Kenny Wheeler collaborating with both David Sylvian and Joni Mitchell? This and many more fascinating collaborations between jazz masters and pop and rock musicians in this playlist. John Zorn, Jesse Harris, Petra Haden; Rickie Lee Jones, Joe Henderson, Robben Ford; Vince Mendoza; Tanita Tikaram, Mark Isham, Marc Ribot; Terry Callier, Pharoah Sanders; Pino Daniele, Gato Barbieri; Adriano Celentano, Chick Corea; Gianmari...
Oct 15, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 173
This week a playlist that focuses on the contribution of jazz musicians to pop, hip-hop, and rock projects, from the Art Ensemble of Chicago playing with French singer Brigitte Fontaine, to John Zorn featured on the debut album by the Brazilian queen Marisa Monte and The Thing's mighty alliance with Neneh Cherry. And a tribute to the late Dr. Lonnie Smith a jazz master known for his boundary-defying attitude. The playlist also features Iggy Pop; D'Angelo, Roy Hargrove; Guru, Branford Marsalis; J...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 173
Two main themes in the second parts of this week's edition of Mondo Jazz. Jazz players of Caribbean heritage (Arturo O'Farrill--Cuba, Cynthia Abraham--Guadeloupe, Kazemde George--Haiti), and remarkable piano jazz (Marc Cary, Kirk Lightsey, Scott Spivak & Frank Kimbrough, Irène Schweizer, Chick Corea] Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14221029/Mondo-Jazz (from "Despedida in Lion Struggles and Strugglets" onwards) Happy listening!
Oct 08, 2021•56 min•Ep. 172
We are back at it… our ongoing exploration of the best new and upcoming releases, from the neo-cool, of Donald Fagen and Patricia Barber, to one of the events of the fall, the latest album by Henry Threadgill's Zooid. The cherries on top: the thorougly satisfying new albums by Burnt Sugar--The Arkestra Chamber and Adam O'Farrill. The playlist features Donald Fagen; Patricia Barber; Burnt Sugar--The Arkestra Chamber; Adam O'Farrill; Julius Rodriguez, Cisco Swank; Michel Meis; Antoine Pierre; Herm...
Oct 05, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 172
The playlist features trios, duos and solos that sound as big as an orchestra, many of them representing yet another challenge won by creative musicians facing the pandemic... and to top it all off the last album of the legendary British band Mujician, finally out after more than a decade from its recording session. The playlist features L'orchestre en carton; Devin Gray, Ralph Alessi, Angelica Sanchez; Clément Janinet; Matthew Stevens; Simone Graziano; Jane Ira Bloom, Allison Miller; Gabriele M...
Oct 03, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 171
A delightful end-of-summer menu of electro-acoustic new releases, building bridges between yesterday, today and tomorrow, visionary guitar and trumpet players, drummers and vibraphone synergies, and yet more music by Frank Kimbrough. The playlist features Kenny Garrett; Pat Metheny; Eivind Aarset; Giorgio Li Calzi, Arto Lindsay; Terence Blanchard, The E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet; Florian Arbenz, Jim Hart; Jonathan Blake; Sean Conly; Frank Kimbrough; Elan Mahler, Martin Wind, Francis...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 171
Around the jazz world in 70 minutes, as we criss cross from North America to the Caribbean, From West-Africa to Europe, from North-Africa to India and back. The playlist features Dave Holland; Jean-Jacques Rojer; Lionel Loueke, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland; ESINAM; Maurice Louca; Amir ElSaffar; Keshav Batish; Horizons Quartet; Renee Rosnes; Altoizm. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14116758/Mondo-Jazz (from "The Village" onwards). Happy listening and enjoy your jazz air-miles! Ph...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 170
A trans-Atlantic collection of amazing new releases, building bridges between the US and the Belgian, French and British scenes. The playlist features Legraux Tobrogoï; Sébastien Texier; Joachim Caffonnette; Caroline Davis; Sam Gendel, Sam Wilkes; Jamire Williams; Anthony Joseph; De Beren Gieren; Rouge. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/14116758/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Svengali"). Happy listening! Photo credit: Josh Hawkins
Sep 20, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 170
This week's exploration of new and upcoming releases continues with a special focus on the late Frank Kimbrough through a preview of his upcoming posthumous CD "Ancestors" and some of the best renditions that appear on the monunental tribute conceived by pianist and producer Elan Mehler, "Kimbrough", one of the best releases of the year. Punkt vs. Punkt [Kaja Draksler pictured] and Chet Doxas add to the depth and Julien Lourau and Berta Moreno add to the fun. And if you want to know more about a...
Sep 13, 2021•59 min•Ep. 169
We are back on the new releases trail with an exceptionally packed playlist featuring a posthumous release by Lyle Mays in celebration of Eberhard Weber, the many sides of Chris Speed, exciting upcoming releases by Makaya McCraven, Irreversible Entanglements, Common, Linda Fredriksson [pictured], Steve Coleman, and exciting recent albums by Marc Johnson, Andrew Cyrille and Douglas J. Cuomo with Nels Cline and the Aizuri Quartet. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/1401261...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 169
Certain musicians like to do one thing over and over again. Others, like Elvis Costello, keep reinventing themselves or, at the very least, like to experiment with the many sides of the musical talent they were born with. Looking back at Costello’s career it seems like his sense of adventurous restlenesses has been both the cause and the effect of his many high-profile collaborations, including those in the jazz world - from Michael Leonhart to Roy Nathanson, from the Mingus legacy project to th...
Sep 03, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 168
Jazz is one of the most recurrent motifs in the multi-layered quilt that Elvis Costello's discography is; and one of those which make that eclectic patchwork both cohesive and uniquely appealing. The son of a jazz trumpeter and singer with a passion for the American jazz of the 40s and of a record seller with ears wide open, it's perhaps not surprising that he recorded a rendition of "My Funny Valentine" as early as the late '70s, while he was in the middle of his punk rock phase. This week we c...
Aug 30, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 168
Variety is the spice of jazz, and there's plenty to be found here, from Adi Meyerson's compelling project inspired by Japanese visual artist Yayoi Kusama, to the cinematic music of Slowly Rolling Camera and WiFi CaBel, to the doom jazz of "Lee "Scratch" Perry's Guide to the Universe" and the touching tribute to Tomasz Stanko by Giovanni Falzone and Glauco Venier. And much more! The playlist also features Jesse Harris, Vinícius Cantuária; New Age Doom; Bob Mintzer, NDR Big Band; Michele Tino "Chi...
Aug 27, 2021•56 min•Ep. 167
Impressive new albums by Rachel Eckroth and Melanie Charles, the cross-cultural experiments of Aakash Mittal and Ches Smith, groovy soulful recent releases and re-releases by Leon Spencer, David Axelrod and Will Bernard and much more in this week's playlist. The playlist also features Bruno Angelini; Sam Pilnick; Enrico Degani; and Christopher Hoffman. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/13921866/Mondo-Jazz (up to Ches Smith). Happy listening! Photo credit: Shervin Lainez
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 169
Two beautiful and diverse renditions of Nefertiti-era Wayne Shorter, two exciting new albums featuring John Ellis, yet another susprise from Becca Stevens and much more in the second part of this week's edition focusing on recent and upcoming releases. The playlist features John Ellis, Adam Levy, Glenn Patscha; Pete Rodríguez; Terenche Blanchard; Kari Ikonen; Atticus Reynolds; Ben Goldberg; Becca Stevens & The Secret Trio; Dahveed Behroozi; SaffronKeira with Paolo Fresu. Detailed playlist at...
Aug 20, 2021•50 min•Ep. 166
Spiritual jazz, accordions, Ennio Morricone, noir atmospheres, unbridled virtuosos and the mighty guitar of {{Eva Mendoza}}, and much more in this set focusing on recent and upcoming releases. The playlist features Theo Croker; Web Web; Brandee Younger; Benito Gonzalez; Julian Lage; Noé Clerc; Maya Dunietz; Marco Fumo; Lauren Henderson; Duo Fines Lames; Erik Friedlander; William Parker. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/13865792/Mondo-Jazz (up to William Parker). Happy listening!...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 166
