Mondo Jazz

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 Mobley, Eddie Roberts, Gianni Basso, Irio de Paula, Philip Catherine, Wood in di Fire, James Spaulding, Cory Weeds, Ralph Lalama, Peter Bernstein, Eli Degibri, Randy Sabien. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/12082760/Mondo-Jazz (from "Soft Impressions" onwards) Happy listening!

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 features Hank Mobley, Big John Patton, Rafael Jerjen, Pat Martino, Warren Vache, Tony Coe, Alan Barnes, Toots Thielemans, Warne Marsh, Kenny Burrell, Stefon Harris, Jason Moran, Greg Osby, Mark Shim, John Zorn, George Lewis, Bill Frisell, Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Gary Bartz, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Ben Riley. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/12082760/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Fin de l'affaire")

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 Saint-Aimé, Ellen Andrea Wang, Joy Grifoni, Lisa Mezzacappa, Elise Dabrowski [pictured], Anna Butterss with Makaya McCraven, Anne Mette Iversen, Joelle Leandre, Eric Watson. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/12031082/Mondo-Jazz (from Marlene Rosenberg onwards) Happy listening! Photo credit (Elise Dabrowski): Adrien Hyppolite

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. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/12031082/Mondo-Jazz (up to Parrott, Sportiello) Happy listening!

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, Sélène Saint-Aimé, Serge Lazarevitch, Ben Sluijs, Teun Verbruggen, Alex Goodman, and Dustin Laurenzi. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11952401/Mondo-Jazz (From Dan Rosenbloom onwards) Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti (Phocus Agency)

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 Thys, Miki Yamanaka and Susan Alcorn. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11952401/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Henrik Noergaard Rohweder Paulsen

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 the show, and don't forget that jazz never fails to be our safety net when we fall off the trapeze because the other guy didn't bother reaching out for us... The playlist features Rusty Bryant, Tuatara, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Mathilde Santing, Paolo Fresu, Rez Abbasi, Trio Grande & Matthew Bourne, Django Bates, Phillip Johnston, James Chance, Nucleus, Noël McGhie and Charlie Haden. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11882854/Mondo-Jazz (from Rusty Bryant onwards).

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, relax, enjoy the show, and, like Charles Mingus put it, "Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too". The playlist features Art Blakey, Raffaello Pareti, Django Bates, Emile Parisien, Vincent Peirani, Otello Savoia, Michael Shrieve, Bobby Previte, Kamikaze Ground Crew, Richard Galliano, Sexmob, Wayne Horvitz, Geri Allen, Mary Lou Williams, Leïla Martial, Charles Mingus, Willem Breuker, and Henry Threadgill. Detailed playlist: https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11882854/Mondo-Jazz (up to Threadgill)

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 acoustic balance the brilliant debut of Ben Rosenblum's Nebula Project and the reading of one of Aaron Copland's piano blues by Marco Fumo Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11851066/Mondo-Jazz (from Nubya Garcia onwards).

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 Trio with Chris Tordini and Vinnie Sperrazza and the uplifting music by Spanish bassist Giulia Valle and British saxophonist Ken Stubbs. Happy listening! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11851066/Mondo-Jazz (up to Iain Ballamy, Aidan Pope). Photo credit: Paolo Piga.

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.com/RFB/pl/11796385/Mondo-Jazz (from the Michael Leonhart Orchestra onwards) Happy listening!

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 Zetterberg's Den Stora Frågan, with powerful straight-ahead releases like the debut stunners by Immanuel Wilkins and the Doxas Brothers. In the middle of it all, a feel-good jazz-meets-soul of Curtis Mayfield by William Parker and Leena Conquest with the help of a choir of 90 kids from Paris' suburbs. Happy listening! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11796385/Mondo-Jazz (up to Mary Halvorson). Photo credit: Chris Weiss.

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, Esbjörn Svensson, Michael Brecker, collaborations with producer Hal Willner and more. Happy listening! The playlist also features Bob Belden; Christian McBride; Michela Lombardi; Nils Landgren, Lars Danielsson, Wolfgang Haffner; Eric Reed; Nobuyoshi Ino; Joe Henderson; Bill Frisell, David Sanborn, Fareed Haque, Don Alias, Hank Roberts; and Branford Marsalis. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11767727/Mondo-Jazz (from Bob Belden's "The Dream of the Blue Turtles" on).

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 Fantasy feat. Franco Ambrosetti; John McLaughlin; The Bob Belden Ensemble; and Marcin Wasilewski. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11767727/Mondo-Jazz (up to Marcin Wasilewski). Photo credit: Frédéric Stucin

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 also features Courtney Pine, Kenny Garrett, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Emilia Mårtensson & Barry Green, Conjure, Kip Hanrahan, Hal Willner, Carla Bley, Ernie Watts with Gilberto Gil, Miroslav Vitous, George Ohtsuka, John Scofield, Mabumi Yamaguchi, Stone Alliance and Noah Haidu. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11713129/Mondo-Jazz (from Kenny Kirkland "When will the Blues Leave?" onwards).

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. Happy listening! The playlist also features Jeff "Tain" Watts, Noah Haidu, Wynton Marsalis, Craig Taborn & Steve Lehman Trio, Michael Brecker, Sting, and Branford Marsalis. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11713129/Mondo-Jazz (up to Branford Marsalis)

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'Anderer. The big band and orchestra section of the playlist is lush and deep thanks to the encounter of Michael Moore [pictured] with the NDR Big Band, Mike Fahie's jazz arrangements of Debussy and the love sounds of Le Mirifique Orchestra. At the top of the set Danish saxophonist Benjamin Koppel's rendition of Buddy Miles (in the company of Bernard Purdie, Randy Brecker and Scott Colley!) and French drummer Raphaël Pannier's reimagining of Wayne Shorter. At the end of the set bassist Luke Stewart rides the Chicago-Washington D.C. express and Noah Kaplan explores the microtonal space, while John Lurie a.k.a. Marvin Pontiac dotes on his little garden gnome.

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) amalgam. And, to wrap things up, the exciting finds of two Franco-American duos of sonic surveyors, featuring members of the cult band The Reyclers: Noël Akchoté-Bill Frisell and Fred Hersch-Benoit Delbecq. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11677159/Mondo-Jazz (up to Fred Hersch and Benoit Delbecq). Happy listening. Photo credit: Krijn van Noordwijk (courtesy of Ernst Reijsger).

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, Yuka Honda [pictured], Dairo Miyamoto, Jun Miyake, Aki Takase, Misako Kano, United Future Organization, Towa Tei and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11641315/Mondo-Jazz (from Fumio Yasuda & Theo Bleckmann onwards). Photo: Nathan West.

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 [pictured], Koh, Masahiro Uemura, Yosuke Yamashita, Eri Yamamoto, Emi Makabe, Minoru Muraoka, Rinsyoe Kida, Akira Ishikawa & His Count Buffalos, Johnny Hartman, Masabumi Kikuchi, Naruyoshi Kikuchi, Otomo Yoshihide, Sax Ruins, O.N.T.J. (Olivia New Ton John), Kaze & Ikue Mori. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11641315/Mondo-Jazz (up to Kaze & Ikue Mori) Happy listening! Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti (Phocus Agency)

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, which sounds... fabulous, of course, just like the prohibition era fairy tales narrated by another bass player (this time he's back on sousaphone) that is writing fundamental new pages in the Chicago jazz book, Matt Ulery [pictured] This and much more in this edition of Mondo Jazz. Happy listening! The playlist features also Jesse Fischer; Takuya Kuroda; Darrifourq, Hermia, Ceccaldi; Tigran Hamasyan. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11596865/Mondo-Jazz (From Jesse Fischer onwards)

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 Collective, Yaya Bey, Gil Scott-Heron, Makaya McCraven, Helga Davis, Lakecia Benjamin, Roy Ayers, Josh Johnson, Sean Khan and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11596865/Mondo-Jazz (up to Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah). Happy listening!

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 the world of jazz through these crossover projects. In this segment we'll hear how they've left the mark in productions featuring U2 and the Sun Ra Arkestra, James Brown, Frank Zappa, Levon Helm and many more legends of the pop world, including Donald Fagen, Rufus Wainwright, Aerosmith, Bettye LaVette, and more. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11543087/Mondo-Jazz (up to the Barabbas). Photo credit: Roberto Cifarelli (Bernstein)

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 songs featuring Michael Brecker mostly as a soloist, with tunes that have Steven Bernstein as either a soloist or arranger. The playlist features Mocean Worker; Catherine Russell; Esther Phillips; Joni Mitchell; Marianne Faithfull; Eric Mingus; Robert Palmer; Cameo; Digable Planets; Michael Franks; Chris Barron; Chaka Khan; Lee "Scratch" Perry; Barabbas and more. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11543087/Mondo-Jazz (up to the Barabbas). Photo credit: Roberto Cifarelli (Bernstein)

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, Regina Carter, John Hollenbeck, Donatello D'Attoma, James Carney, Brian Landrus, Camila Nebbia, Lesley Mok, David Leon and Russ Nolan. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11493007/Mondo-Jazz (from Throttle Elevator Music onwards). Happy listening! Photo credit: Steven Perilloux

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 Coen. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11493007/Mondo-Jazz (up to Gabriele Coen). Happy listening! Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti (Phocus Agency)

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 Mehldau, Gil Goldstein, as well as a diverse range of other artists like Judy Niemack, Wallace Roney, Alex Sipiagin, Gilad Hekselman, Mark Murphy, Peo Alfonsi, Béla Fleck, Julie Caron, Mattia Zappa and Ivo Kova. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11409581/Mondo-Jazz (from Judy Niemack onwards) Happy listening! Photo credit: Andrea Rotili

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, Paul Motian, Mario Stanchev, John Law, Moncef Genoud, and The Ahn Trio. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11409581/Mondo-Jazz (up to The Ahn Trio) Happy listening! Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti

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 Cassiers, Alessandra Novaga, Thumbscrew, and The J. & F. Band. Photo credit: Geert Vandepoele

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, The Spike Orchestra, and Schapiro 17. The detailed playlist is available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11326394/Mondo-Jazz (up to Schapiro 17). Photo credit: Truls Nord.

In this final installment of our exploration of today's French jazz scene, a number of projects that illustrate how beautifully French musicians blend their many influences, from troubadour music of the middle-ages to pop songs of the '60s and '70s, and interests, from Greek mythology to the M-Base collective. The playlist features Manu Codjia, Geraldine Laurent, Christophe Marguet, Camille Bertault, Sarah Murcia, Louis Sclavis, Sélène Saint-Aimé [pictured], Michel Portal, Alban Darche, Matthieu Donarier, Meivelyan Jacquot, Sophia Domancich, Magic Malik, Stéphane Payen, Alexandra Grimal, Joelle Leandre, Noël Akchoté, Marc Ribot and Sylvain Rifflet. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11280569/Mondo-Jazz (from Manu Codjia, Geraldine Laurent, Christophe Marguet onwards). Happy listening! Photo credit: Nikola Cindric

As we continue our journey in today's French jazz scene we look at how it has been influenced by the many musical traditions that enrich the French society, in particular those from North Africa and the Middle-East courtesy of Yacine Boularès, Ibrahim Maalouf, Naïssam Jalal, Smadj and Sophie Alour with Mohamed Abozekry and Wassim Halal). To add the range of this episode. The urban influence of hip hop on jazz (Kit De Survie and Thiefs); the faux soundtracks of Fred Pallem; the groove of The Volunteered Slaves and Julien Lourau, the pianistic elegance of Baptiste Trotignon and Benjamin Moussay, the angular melodicism of Marc Ducret and the atmospheric lure of Michel Benita make it for a rather eclectic listening experience Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11280569/Mondo-Jazz (up to Benjamin Moussay) Photo credit: Jeff Humbert

Here's more jazz from the scene by the Seine, featuring the lyricism of Emile Parisien, Vincent Courtois, the rhythmic hypnosis of The Recyclers and Benoît Delbecq, the sketches of Miles by Airelle Besson and Médéric Collignon, the urban vibes of Antoine Berjeaut and Guillaume Perret and much more. Happy listening! The playlist features Edward Perraud, Barthelemy - Lazro - Margues - Tchamitchian, Édouard Ferlet, Stéphane Kerecki, and Makaya McCraven. Detailed playlist at: https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11243365/Mondo-Jazz (from Edward Perraud onwards).

Historically, the French scene has played a vital role in the world of jazz, so let's celebrate Bastille day and pay tribute to the French way of Jazz, exploring in particular the work of a captivating crop of contemporary French musicians who have developed a very original way to blend their love for jazz with multitude of other interests and influences. The playlist includes: Aldo Romano, Louis Sclavis, Henri Texier, Leïla Olivesi, Vincent Peirani, Thomas de Pourquery, Céline Bonacina, Papanosh, Claude Barthélémy, Théo Ceccaldi, Leïla Martial and Stephane Furic. Detailed playlist at: https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11243365/Mondo-Jazz (up to Stephane Furic).

This week we have a wide-ranging palette, as well go from the maelstroms of Andrew D'Angelo's DNA Orchestra and Raoul Björkenheim's Interstellar Coltrane, to the subtleties of Mara Rosenbloom, Nathalie Darche and João Lencastre's Communion 3, through the fertile collaborations between the indie darlings Deerhoof with Wadada Leo Smith, or Nubya Garcia and Joe Armon-Jones while savoring the exciting North European bands chuffDRONE and Superposition, the latest Blue Note releases by Ambrose Akinmusire and GoGo Penguin, and Ricardo Grilli's tribute to Peter Bernstein! Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11212684/Mondo-Jazz (from Nubya Garcia & Joe Armon-Jones onwards) Happy listening! Photo credit: Dave Kaufman

This week we pay tribute to the late Ennio Morricone the way we often do, through renditions of his memorable soundtracks performed by contemporary creative jazz artists like John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Marco Cappelli, Guano Padano, and Oddjob. We then check out some great new releases that cross borders, stylistic definitions and generations. The playlist also features: Jeff Cosgrove, John Medeski, Jeff Lederer, Billy Martin, Songs of Tales, McCoy Tyner, Gordon Grdina, Lucian Ban, John Surman, Mat Maneri, Bettye LaVette, Felice Clemente, Gabriel Chakarji Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11212684/Mondo-Jazz (up to Gabriel Chakarji)

The fusion of different musical cultures and genres is at the heart of this edition of Mondo Jazz, where the works of Frank Zappa are given the solo piano treatment by Dave Hartl, Mats Öberg and Stefano Bollani, where a Kansas City expat in Paris, trumpeter Hermon Mehari, explores both his Eritrean roots and his urban inclinations, where the global music of Ajoyo finds its matches in the Mathis Sound Orchestra, and where the cutting edge Ezra Collective looks back into the Blue Note vaults while the Brand New Heavies make a comeback and Kesha takes Marc Bolan into the future with a little help from Hal Willner. Happy listening! The playlist also features The Greyboy Allstars, Michelangelo Scandroglio, Dario Congedo, The Brecker Brothers and Frank Zappa. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11111687/Mondo-Jazz (From the The Greyboy Allstars onwards) Photo credit: James O'Mara

Spectacular debut releases by Vanessa Perica, Immanuel Wilkins and Micah Thomas; international and inter-generational collaborations between Marcin Wasilewski and Joe Lovano, and among Juhani Aaltonen, Jonas Kullhammar, Christian Meaas Svendsen, Ilmari Heikinheimo; three bands lead by Michael Wolff, Steven Cardenas and Dave Glasser revolving around the thick and catchy pulse of Ben Allison's bass and more in this edition of Mondo Jazz. The playlist features also Alex Goodman, Azat Bayazitov, David Krakauer, Kathleen Tagg, Deep Ford, Camilla Battaglia and Francesco Cataldo. Happy listening. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11111687/Mondo-Jazz (up to Francesco Cataldo) Photo credit: Pia Johnson

The second part of this week's new and upcoming release special brings new gems by Angel Bat Dawid, Caleb Dolister, old gems in new bottles courtesy of Gary Bartz & Maisha and of Jorja Smith diving into the Blue Note catalogue for a neo-classic St. Germain, some family love by the Granellis and the electro-acoustic experimentations of Enrico Rava, Matthew Herbert and Giovanni Guidi. The playlist features Jorja Smith, Gary Bartz & Maisha, Caleb Dolister, Angel Bat Dawid, Spirabassi, Jerry Granelli, Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft, Nels Cline, J. A. Granelli, Luca Alemanno, Enrico Rava, Matthew Herbert and Giovanni Guidi. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11066822/Mondo-Jazz (from Jorja Smith onwards). Photo credit: Anna Trevelyan

It has been more or less a month since our last episode devoted to new and upcoming releases, so it's time to catch up as so much great music has been coming out, some of it to raise funds for worthy causes. So sit back, put your headphones on and enjoy the latest by Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Michael Thomas, Marie Kruttli, Pericopes+1, Ernesto Cervini and more. The playlist features Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade, Ernesto Cervini, Michael Thomas, Pericopes+1, Sebastien Ammann, Marie Kruttli, Jonathan Barber, Aubrey Johnson, Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11066822/Mondo-Jazz (up to Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch). Photo credit: Jimmy Katz

As our series dedicated to the amazing music that has come out of the struggle for the advancement of African-Americans come to an end, we focus on tunes inspired by the march on Selma, or dedicated to the many victims of racially motivated brutality. Listen to this deep set featuring old masters like Grant Green, Blue Mitchell, current giants like Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jason Moran and Wynton Marsalis and stars of the future like Christian Scott, Logan Richardson, Kris Bowers and Keyon Harrold. The playlist also features Louise McCord and Curtis Mayfield. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11033090/Mondo-Jazz (from Grant Green onwards). Photo credit: Eric Ryan Anderson.

As Martin Luther King put it in the opening address to the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival, "When life itself offers no order and meaning, the musician creates an order and meaning from the sounds of the earth which flow through his instrument." And so, with that in mind, we continue our exploration of socially engaged jazz in search of order and meaning in the complicated phase we're living, looking at how Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, Charles Mingus, Archie Shepp, Lou Donaldson, Oscar Brown Jr., the Pharoahs Cannonball Adderley, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden and Hank Jones found it in the past, how Gary Bartz continues finding it today with Maisha and how Alicia Hall Moran, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Jaimeo Brown and Uri Caine are keeping that flame alive. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11033090/Mondo-Jazz (up to Ornette Coleman).

In the second part of this special dedicated to jazz and civil rights we look into music inspired by the bloody events that marked the advancement of the civil rights movement and by the victims of ongoing brutality. The playlist included tunes which incorporate the words or the cadence of Martin Luther King, are introduced by Jesse Jackson or celebrate Malcolm X, as well as songs that were played to draw attention to and support the cause. Enjoy the show! The playlist features Cannonball Adderley, Archie Shepp & Attica Blues Orchestra, Darrel Grant, John Coltrane, John Coltrane, Martin Luther King, Nina Simone, Terence Blanchard, Miles Davis and Ambrose Akinmusire. Detailed playlist at Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11000805/Mondo-Jazz (from Cannonball Adderley onward). Photo credit: New York Public Library

Music often distills the truth in ways that make it hard to ignore. The history of jazz is intertwined with the struggle for the advancement of the African-American society that birthed it. Many of its masterpieces were inspired by events that marked the civil rights movement, which, in turn, drew inspiration from them. Let's look back at the amazing body of music that has come out of the African-American struggle for social justice and equal rights, through the works of Billie Holiday, Sonny Rollins, Mahalia Jackson (pictured), Herbie Hancock and many more. The playlist also features The Mothers of Invention, John Lee Hooker, Gil Scott-Heron, Terence Blanchard, Working Week, and Marlena Shaw. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/11000805/Mondo-Jazz

In the first part of the show we focused on jazz inspired by the of music composed by James Barry for 007 flicks. Here we switch our attention to other great soundtrack composers like Lalo Schifrin or Quincy Jones, and other movie characters like Sherlock Holmes, Ms. Marple, Nero Wolfe or Dirty Harry. And we look into why Charlie Parker became Charlie Chan. We wrap things up with the daughter of the writer of the "Detective Writer Daughter". Not sure what does that mean? Well, then play this episode to find out! The playlist features Jimmy Smith, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Oddjob, Médéric Collignon, Quincy Jones, The Spirits of Rhythm, Alan Barnes, Bill Frisell, Oranj Symphonette, Ron Goodwin, Marco Cappelli, Joe Lovano, The Quintet, Naked City, Nunzio Rotondo, and Karen Mantler. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10949861/Mondo-Jazz (from Jimmy Smith onwards)

For a reason or another, movies about detectives, secret agents or spies have gone mano a mano with jazz, and so this week we'll feature jazz inspired by adventurous characters. In this first segment, the focus is on James Bond and how anyone from Louis Armstrong and Count Basie to Bill Frisell, Dave Douglas and Steven Bernstein, among others, have played with John Barry's compositions just like James Bond has played with Dr. No, Auric Goldfinger and whole bunch of other villains! The playlist features John Barry, Louis Armstrong, Pizzicato Five, CCM Jazz Orchestra, Steven Bernstein, Count Basie, Dave Douglas, Soul Brothers, Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan, Sexmob and Leroy Holmes. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10949861/Mondo-Jazz (up to Leroy Holmes). Happy listening!

All good things come to an end, so here we are with the last part of our celebration of Stevie Wonder's 70th birthday in the key of jazz. In this final installment tributes by Geri Allen, Stephane Belmondo and Sylvain Luc, Urbie Green, Max Ionata and Dado Moroni, Abbey Lincoln, Steve Khan, the New West Guitar Group with Gretchen Parlato, Joshua Redman the SFJAZZ Collective, and Grover Washington, Jr.. Plus Stevie Wonder's first hit, his early collaboration with Billy Preston and a later one with Herbie Hancock. Happy listening and long live Stevie! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10919157/Mondo-Jazz (from Urbie Green onwards).

After a dive in renditions from the '70s during parts 1, here we mix things up with a combination of contemporary stunners, like the unique take of Alicia Hall Moran on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" or the incandescent rendition of "Too High" by Chris Hunter, with classics like Roland Kirk's version of "Ma Cherie Amour" or Toots Thielemans'"You've Got It Bad Girl". The cherry on the cake: Stevie's own playing under the pseudonym of Eivets Rednow (Stevie Wonder backwards), aged 18, and as guest of Herbie Hancock on "St. Louis Blues". The playlist also includes: Enzo Pietropaoli, Max Ionata, Regina Carter, Doug Wamble, Tiziano Tononi, Stanley Turrentine, Carmen McRae, Jared Gold, and Elephant9. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10919157/Mondo-Jazz (up to Elephant9).

Stevie Wonder has often infused his performances with compelling renditions of jazz standards like Miles' "All Blues" or Coltrane's "Giant Steps". In return, countless jazz musicians have looked at his Songbook and found in his compositions fertile grounds for their own explorations. In the second part of our "Stevie @70 special" we cherry-picked tributes to his genius by the likes of Ran Blake, Cassandra Wilson, Gene Harris, Jamie Saft and many more, and a great guest appearance by Stevie Wonder on Herbie Hancock's 70s funk jazz voyage "Man-Child". Happy listening! The playlist features Gene Harris, Hank Crawford, Herbie Hancock, Dave Pietro, Cassandra Wilson, Ran Blake, Rune Gustaffson, Lou Rawls, Jamie Saft, Gato Barbieri, Laika and Joe Farrell. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10877639/Mondo-Jazz (from Gene Harris onwards).

Stevie Wonder has more entries in the "Real Book" than any other pop musician, The Beatles included. It is not surprising therefore that his Songbook has been mined by hundreds of jazz musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock. To mark his 70th birthday we feature some of the best jazz renditions of his compositions. In this segment we focus, in particular, on renditions from the '70s which payed tribute to hits from his "classic period". Happy listening! The playlist features Ahmad Jamal, Ray Barretto, Gary Bartz, Phil Upchurch, Tennyson Stephens, Charles Earland, Les McCann, Richard Tee, Ramsey Lewis, David Newman, Lionel Hampton, Max Ionata, Ralph Alessi, Vijay Iyer, Collin Walcott, Don Cherry, Naná Vasconcelos, Avishai Cohen, Yonathan Avishai. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10877639/Mondo-Jazz (up to Avishai Cohen & Yonathan Avishai).