Mondo Jazz

No matter its origins—European or American, live or recorded in the studio, from the ’30s or today—this playlist brings together music that is not only recent or upcoming, but destined to stay with you. The playlist features Ingrid Jensen; Gary Versace; Lea Maria Fries [pictured]; Dave Stapleton; Amalie Dahl; Filippo Sala; David Chevallier; and Dave Gisler. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22140685/Mondo-Jazz [from "Many Homes, Many Places" onwards]. Happy listening!

Enjoy a playlist featuring music inspired by Abbey Lincoln, New Orleans, Kurt Vonnegut, loss and hope. Enjoy another Mondo Jazz dispatch, and an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover music that doesn’t chase trends, because it doesn’t need to... The playlist features John Ellis; Marion Rampal; Willy Rodriguez; Daan Kluwer; Jasper Høiby [pictured], Xavi Torres, Naíma Acuña; and John Taylor. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22140685/Mondo-Jazz [from "Fireball" to "Fifteen"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy another Mondo Jazz dispatch, and an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover music that doesn’t chase trends, because it doesn’t need to... The playlist features China Moses [pictured]; Peter Somuah; Ben Rosenblum; Lilly Hertzman; Sylvie Courvoisier; and Jacopo Fagioli. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22140685/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Greenwashing"]. Happy listening!

Here is another edition of Mondo Jazz, celebrating today’s creative music and musicians, and musicians celebrating the musicians that inspired them, from Joe Henderson to Lyle Mays. The playlist features Bévort 3; Joe Henderson; Noé Huchard; Aubrey Johnson [pictured]; and Björn Meyer. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22103632/Mondo-Jazz [from "Speak Up" onward]. Happy listening!

An episode showcasing musicians who meet the listener in a place of honesty, where they can explore creativity in complete freedom. The playlist features Dominique Fils-Aimé; Meg Okura [pictured]; Brian Marsella, Sae Hashimoto; Ben Wendel; PDuRN, Ralph Alessi, Manuel Caliumi. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22103632/Mondo-Jazz [from "Life Remains" to "Zermula"]. Happy listening! Photo: Tara Harkness

The acoustic and electronic sides of Niia and Jason Moran, the untamed curiosity and gleefully disruptive spirit of Brigitte Fontaine, the promise of emerging artists, and the inspiration of past masters all come together in this intriguing playlist. The playlist features Delvon Lamarr; Emmanuel Bex; Niia [pictured]; Brigitte Fontaine; Jason Moran, BlankFor.ms, Marcus Gilmore; and Tom Oren. Detailed playlist at [up to "Fantasy in C--Sharp Minor"]. Happy listening!

Another week of sifting through the flood of recent and upcoming jazz releases, another playlist full of gems you won’t find on shuffle. The playlist features Simona Severini, Jacopo Ferrazza; Alexa Tarantino; Monfort, Nina Tonji; Adam O'Farrill; Yvonne Rogers [pictured]; Marius Neset, Anton Eger, Bergen Big Band Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22068742/Mondo-Jazz [from "Caravan" onwards] Happy listening! Photo: Alice Plati

Art-songs, protest music, solo musings and instrumental storytelling make up this episode that should give you plenty to enjoy and reflect upon. The playlist features Harriet Tubman, Georgia Anne Muldrow; Alicia Hall Moran [pictured]; Gabriel Zucker; Oded Tzur; Airelle Besson, Lionel Suarez; Wojtek Mazolewski; and Christopher Hoffman. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22068742/Mondo-Jazz [from "When You Rise" to "Heavy"] Happy listening! Photo: Thais Aquino

This week we celebrate 80 years of music by the Metropole Orkest, the restless spirit of Michael League, and flying carpets made of percussions, pianos and Hammond organs that take the listener to a hypnotic new dimension. The playlist features Parlor Greens; Snarky Puppy; Metropole Orkest [pictured], Miho Hazama; Pedrito Martinez, Antonio Sanchez, Michael League; Booker Stardrum; Luca Dell'Anna. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22068742/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Yin--Yang"] Happy listening!

Here is a playlist of adventurous projects that also serves as a snapshot of the breadth, depth, and versatility of Austrian pianist Elias Stemeseder—heard across a range of recent recordings as sideman, co-leader, and bandleader. The playlist also features Brandon Seabrook; Eivind Opsvik, Will Graefe; Alain Metrailler; Wrens; Christian Lillinger, Craig Taborn. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22033617/Mondo-Jazz [from "Name Dropping is the Lowest form of Conversation (Waltz)" onwards] Happy listening!

This time we celebrate 75 years of Bill Frisell through his own music and the wide creative wake it has left across today’s scene. This episode also spotlights newly unearthed choral works by Kenny Wheeler and several recent projects involving Italian saxophonist and clarinetist Francesco Bigoni, tracing a thread between enduring influence, rediscovery, and contemporary exploration. The playlist features Bill Frisell; The Westerlies; Zeno De Rossi; Billy Mohler, Hermon Mehari, Francesco Bigoni, Nate Wood; Pierpaolo Zenni; Dave Holland, Norma Winstone, London Vocal Project, Kenny Wheeler. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22033617/Mondo-Jazz [from "In My Dreams" to "Infant Joy"] Happy listening!

Enjoy a playlist of music that slips through the cracks, rewards the open ear; and often crosses cultural and stylistic borders. The playlist features Olivier Hutman, Lamine Cissokho; The Messthetics, James Brandon Lewis; Tigran Hamasyan; Mammal Hands; Trish Clowes & Louise McMonagle [pictured]; Julia Hülsmann; Noah Garabedian; and Kerry Politzer. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/22033617/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Alternate Route"] Happy listening!

Moving from intimate, folk-tinged lyricism to expansive ensemble statements and thoughtful tributes, here is a set that reflects a contemporary jazz landscape defined by optimism, cross-border interplay, and a spirit of exploration that favors curiosity and forward momentum over nostalgia. The playlist also features Lucy Mellenfield [pictured]; Etienne Guéreau; Nils Wülker; Gregory Hutchinson; Niklas Lukassen; and Wayne Horvitz. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21998024/Mondo-Jazz [from "John Neely" to "The Number of the Beast Is 666"]. Happy listening!

Moving fluidly from New York’s new generation to Europe’s creative hubs and onward to Havana and beyond, this playlist underscores the music’s global dialogue, its openness to diverse traditions, and a shared spirit of curiosity that connects bold experimentation, reflective balladry, and socially aware themes within today’s evolving jazz landscape. The playlist features Caelan Cardello; Dave Douglas; Gonzalo Rubalcaba [pictured], Daniele Sepe; Melissa Aldana; Robert Lucaciu; Julie Campiche; Roberto Fonseca, Vincent Segal; Max Nagl; and Simon Hanes. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21998024/Mondo-Jazz [from "John Neely" to "The Number of the Beast Is 666"]. Happy listening!

A heartfelt tribute to Michel Portal, a rare artist equally at home in jazz and classical music, a prolific film composer, fearless improviser, and true multi-instrumentalist. Drawing on recordings made as leader, co-leader, and sideman, the episode traces a career that helped shape a distinctly European jazz voice—rooted in American traditions yet independent in spirit—while remaining open to global influences, cross-genre dialogue, and boundless sonic exploration. The playlist also features Nels Cline; Richard Galliano; Henri Texier; Emile Parisien; Vincent Peirani; and Miroslav Vitous. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21998024/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Surfing with Michel"].

Here's a survey of recent albums shaped by renewal, spirituality, and collective energy. From all-star ensembles to projects rooted in local scenes and cross-European collaboration, the playlist highlights musicians who balance lyricism with exploration. The playlist features Martin Wind; Joel Ross; Tom Gershwin; Piccola Orchestra Materana Onyx; Paul Jarret; Philipp Gropper [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21962524/Mondo-Jazz [from "Passing Thoughts" onwards]. Happy listening! Picture: Jože Balas

Here's a playlist that follows a thread of rhythm, breath, and cross-cultural dialogue, bringing together composer-led projects that highlight the flute as a bridge between power and lyricism. From big band exuberance to intimate trio settings and a celebrated live document, the playlist moves through music that is vibrant, border-crossing, and deeply collaborative. It closes in a more contemplative space, where improvisation becomes a search for silence, resonance, and shared meaning. The playlist features Gareth Lockrane; Stéphane Galland, Lucia Pires, Louise van den Heuvel; Yilian Cañizares [pictured]; Al Foster; Yom x Ceccaldi. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21962524/Mondo-Jazz [from "All the People" to "Sacred Lake"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy a cross-section of today’s creative scene through a playlist that links transatlantic collaborations, distinctive singer-composers, and artists who stretch jazz beyond inherited boundaries. From the energy of the Los Angeles vanguard to Berlin’s experimental edge, a reissued gem, and a rediscovered live document connecting past masters, this episode traces a continuum between new voices and enduring legacies. The playlist features Billy Mohler; Nicole McCabe; Annahstasia; Ellery Eskelin; Sera Kalo [pictured]; and Paul McCandless. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21962524/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Slink"]. Happy listening! Photo: Dovile Sermokas

A deep dive into British jazz, whether rooted in the UK or transplanted to Australia. The playlist features Iain Ballamy [pictured]; Sara Colman, Rebecca Nash; Ken Stubbs; and Luis Perdomo. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21926939/Mondo-Jazz [from "Toque N. 6 up to "The Known End"]. Happy listening!

Here's a playlist focusing on Orchestras, Big Bands and String Quartets, at the intersection of jazz, classical, folk and Brazilian music. The playlist features Vitor Araújo, Metropole Orkest, Jacomo Bairos; Kurt Elling, WDR Big Band; Thomas Clausen Trio, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Jean Thorel; Palle Mikkelborg [pictured]; Francesco Bearzatti; NO(w) Beauty; Vision String Quartet; Kris Davis, and The Lutosławski Quartet. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21926939/Mondo-Jazz [from "Toque N. 6 up to "The Known End"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy another playlist dedicated to recent and upcoming releases, where curiosity still rules, and the music often comes from just around the corner… or halfway across the world, Madrid to New York; Amsterdam to London; Brussels to Melbourne. The playlist features Marco Mezquida; Julian Lage; Fabio de Almeida; ALA.NI; Manolo Cabras; Jeremy Rose; Tomeka Reid [pictured]; and Craig Taborn. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21926939/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Feeding Maps to the Fire"]. Happy listening!

This playlist explores electro-acoustic projects shaped by atmosphere, texture, and studio-driven imagination, many of them drawing from the muddy, ambient legacy of Jon Hassell’s “Fourth World.” The journey then shifts focus to the next generation, closing with two emerging trombonists. The playlist features SML; I Hold the Lion's Paw; Sheldon Agwu [pictured]; TL;DR; Nabou Claerhout; and Kalia Vandever. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21891572/Mondo-Jazz [from "How You Been" onward] Happy listening!

Enjoy a playlist that showcases a series of tributes connecting today’s European scene with the legacy of American jazz masters—from Don Cherry to Charlie Haden and Steve Lacy—alongside the remarkable work of established and up-and-coming composer-arrangers such as Michael Leonhart and Rebecca Trescher. The playlist features Shake Stew; Michael Leonhart; Rebecca Trescher; Stéphane Kerecki [pictured]; Matthieu Donarier. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21891572/Mondo-Jazz [from "Cherry Pie" to "Peebles"] Happy listening! Photo: Eric Garault

This episode -- bookended by drummers who are also adventurous composers and bandleaders -- explores the evolving landscape of contemporary jazz. The playlist unfolds as a sonic journey, moving seamlessly from introspection to collective energy and reflecting the dynamic, genre-defying nature of today’s scene. The playlist features Sebastian Rochford; Tortoise; Dishwasher_; Britta Virves; Beiggja; and Thomas Strønen [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21891572/Mondo-Jazz [up to "In Awe of Stillness"] Happy listening!

A set for piano lovers, with a particular focus on recent and newly issued solo recordings which explore spontaneity, lyricism, and the quiet intensity of unaccompanied playing, from Antonio Faraò’s balanced mix of freedom and structure to the poetic restraint and emotional clarity of Frank Kimbrough, Bugge Wesseltoft, and Shai Maestro, before arriving at one of Keith Jarrett’s late solo concert statements. Fred Hersch's Trio wraps up the playlist. The playlist features Antonio Faraò; Frank Kimbrough; Bugge Wesseltoft; Shai Maestro [pictured]; Keith Jarrett; and Fred Hersch. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21792586/Mondo-Jazz [from "MT" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Gabriel Baharlia

Enjoy a playlist that brings together energy, intimacy, and creative identity, moving across projects that blur boundaries between electric and acoustic, structure and freedom. From the personal, groove-inflected vision of Maurício Fleury’s debut to the explosive collective force of Gard Nilssen’s expanded Acoustic Unity, the music thrives on momentum and risk. This set also focuses on Aaron Parks and Shoko Nagai, each featured in two contrasting settings. The playlist features Mauricio Fleury; Gard Nilssen [pictured]; Tom Ollendorff; Aaron Parks; Shoko Nagai; and Maryanne de Prophetis. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21792586/Mondo-Jazz [from "Banhado" to "Come O Light"]. Happy listening!

Large ensembles are the guiding thread of this segment, approached not as monuments but as flexible, expressive forces shaped by strong compositional voices. From a landmark Sonny Criss reissue with arrangements by Horace Tapscott to Miho Hazama’s stunning reimagining of Thad Jones’ legacy, Dan Rosenboom’s genre-blurring large-ensemble work, and a freshly restored, richly orchestrated album by Carlos Garnett. Along the way—offering contrast without breaking the flow—intensity is reframed through Deadeye’s latest album and Simon Jermyn’s two recent projects. The playlist features Sonny Criss; Miho Hazama [pictured], Danish Radio Big Band, Danish National Symphony Orchestra; Dan Rosenboom; Deadeye; Simon Jermyn; Luke Marantz; and Carlos Garnett. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21792586/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Saxy"] Happy listening! Photo: Dave Stapleton.

Enjoy the final playlist previewing the upcoming edition of the Winter JazzFest: a compressed, high-voltage snapshot of what jazz sounds like right now, and a rare chance to hear musicians who are not based in New York. The playlist features David Binney, Louis Cole, Pera Krstajic; AMG; Kassa Overall; Celia Kameni [pictured]; Hamilton de Holanda; Sam Gendel, Nate Mercerau. Detailed playlist at [from "Outer Moat" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Eric Meurice

Here's playlist previewing projects and bands that will help the upcoming Winter JazzFest to launch the new jazz year. The playlist features ARMO; Nels Cline; Either/Orchestra; MAE.SUN [pictured]; daoud; Cochemea; and Hanging Hearts. Detailed playlist at [from "The Visit" to "Rise"]. Happy listening!

With the 2026 edition of Winter JazzFest just around the corner, here we focus on some of the artists arriving in New York from elsewhere to briefly reshape the city’s soundscape. The playlist features Amy Gadiaga; Corey Fonville, Sam Fribush, Morgan Burrs; The Getdown; Mario Canonge; Brandon Woody; and Bex Burch. Detailed playlist at [up to "You Thought You Were Free?"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy the last installment of our retrospective dedicated to the songs discovered over the past six months that left a lasting impression. The playlist features The Five Corners Quintet; Makiko Hirabayashi; Rufus Wainwright, Pacific Jazz Orchestra; Brad Mehldau; Anthony Wilson [pictured]; and Roberto Ottaviano. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [from "Lighthouse" onward]. Happy listening!

As we come to the end of another year, it feels like a good moment to pause—not to summarize everything, but to listen back. This episode is built around songs that lingered, resurfaced, and quietly insisted on being remembered. The playlist features Jérémie Lucchese; Chaerin Im [pictured]; Emiliano D'Auria; Ron Blake; James Brandon Lewis; Jakob Bro, Joe Lovano, Larry Grenadier, Thomas Morgan, Anders Christensen, Joey Baron, and Jorge Rossy. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [from "L'Ogre" to "Mumbo Jumbo"]. Happy listening!

This episode of Mondo Jazz isn’t about rankings or best-of lists. It’s about memory. Over the past six months, certain pieces of music kept calling us back. Among them, are the tunes in this playlist. The playlist features Luca Curcio; Bram De Looze, Hank Roberts, Thomas Morgan, Joey Baron; Trond Kallevåg; Wojtek Mazolewski; Louis Sclavis; Charles Lloyd [pictured], Jason Moran, Marvin Sewell. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Figure in Blue, Memories of Duke"] Happy listening!

In a year that often felt overwhelming, music remained a place of focus and meaning. This episode of Mondo Jazz brings together the songs from the past six months that helped make sense of the noise—or at least gave us a reason to lean in and listen. The playlist features Funkwrench Blues [pictured]; Anne Drummond; Donny McCaslin; Vincent Peirani; SFJAZZ Collective; and Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Drowning Man" onwards]. Happy listening!

The past six months have delivered more music than anyone could possibly absorb in real time. So this week, instead of trying to keep up, we slow things down and look back—focusing on the songs that earned repeat listens and slowly made a home in our ears. The playlist features Charlie Hunter, Ella Feingold; Craig Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore; Saha Gnawa; Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet; Zé Ibarra; Ryan Keberle; Anna Webber & Angela Morris [pictured] Big Band. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Housatonic" to "Habitual"]. Happy listening!

Rather than looking back at the year as a whole, here we concentrate on the second half. What you’ll hear are the songs that stayed close, long after the initial listen. The playlist features Oddjob; Nicholas Payton, Esperanza Spalding, Karriem Riggins; Flea (pictured); Carmen Staaf; Max Nagl; Jason Moran, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra; Amir ElSaffar. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [up to "10:23 AM"] Happy listening!

Here is another dip into the river of new albums, focusing releases (and re-releases) worth holding on to. The playlist features The Jazz Passengers, Jeff Buckley; Bill Ware, the Club Bird All Stars; Patricia Brennan; Csaba Palotai; Rosa Brunello; Pharos. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [from "Jolly Street" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Mariagrazia Giove.

Here's a playlist featuring musicians paying tribute to where they come from, geographically or artistically... The playlist features Emiliano D'Auria; Dayna Stephens; Charles Lloyd; Jérémie Lucchese; James Newton. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [from "Chasing the Flicker" to "Reincarnation of a Lovebird"]. Happy listening! Photo: Evan Goldstein.

Enjoy an episode that revolves around projects that forge compelling bridges between jazz and African music, from Benin to Madagascar, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia. The playlist features Nicolas Genest, Chris Potter; Raphaël Pannier, Khadim Niang; Aka Moon, Doudou N'Diaye Rose; Clément Janinet, Mah Damba; Dhafer Youssef; Bobo & Behaja. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Rafoza Manday Tandra"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy a selection featuring A-listers who know how to collaborate and set their egos aside, plus an unearthed live gem from Horace Silver. The playlist also features Lakecia Benjamin, Patrick Zimmerli, SFJAZZ Collective & Horace Silver. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [from "Samba e ammore" to "The Great Lie"]. Happy listening!

Mighty albums documenting live performances of ambitious creativity, and artists that turned their interest in different, often faraway cultures are at the heart of this compelling playlist. The playlist features Amirtha Kidambi, KNOBIL, Mattias Risberg, Maria Pia de Vito & Henri Texier. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [from "Samba e ammore" to "The Great Lie"]. Happy listening!

Here is your weekly antidote to background music, where we lean in, listen close, and find what’s truly worth hearing. And there's plenty of gems worth hearing in here, with a special focus on remarkable singers like Rufus Wainwright, Theo Bleckmann and Terry Callier. The playlist also features Tineke Postma, Anne Mette Iversen, Theo Croker and Sullivan Fortner. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [up to "As We Are"]. Photo credit: Tony Hauser.