Mondo Jazz

This week we focus on the art of the duo. A challenging format as one does neither have the complete freedom of a solo nor the support of a larger band. Yet, in the hands of the right artists, it can produce magical music. During the first hour we feature Geri Allen & Marcus Belgrave, Joe Henderson & Christian McBride, Fabrizio Bosso & Julian Oliver Mazzariello, Michael Blake & Kresten Osgood, Günter Sommer & Till Brönner, Charlie Hunter & Leon Parker, Marc Ducret & Herb Robertson, Jim Hall & Joey Baron, Roberto Ottaviano & Mal Waldron, Gil Evans & Steve Lacy, Don Byron & Jason Moran, Steve Kuhn & Joe Lovano. In the the second part there's a special emphasis on duos featuring saxophonists as well as drummers with the music of Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien; Lionel Martin & Sangoma Everett; TOTM - Tivoli of the Mind; Guy Klucevsek & Phillip Johnston; Paul Weiling & Dave Tronzo; Aldo Romano & Joe Lovano; Ted Poor & Andrew D'Angelo; William Parker & Hamid Drake; Uli Kempendorff’s Field; Max Roach & Dizzy Gillespie; Massimo Colombo & Felice Clemente; Mats Eilertsen; NickHead; Nicole Johänntgen & Thomas Lahns; Joe Lovano & Hank Jones. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10222238/Mondo-Jazz. Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti (Phocus Agency)

This week Mondo Jazz turns "100 episodes old". So we open with the uplifting "celebration" by South African pianist Bheki Mseleku before delving into what we like best, unearthing precious gems from around the world. During the first hour segment we feature another great stack of new releases, including the upcoming "The Fantastic Mrs. 10" by Tim Berne's Snakeoil and a special focus on the French and Italian scenes, including one of the albums destined to make many 'best of 2020' listicles, Zeno De Rossi Trio's "Elpis". In the second hour we focus on new releases by Kirk Knuffke and Paul Bryan as well as upcoming Blue Note albums by Charles Lloyd and South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini. To top off Mondo Jazz's 100th episode, a celebration of Federico Fellini's centennial through his soundtrack maestro, Nino Rota, as interpreted by Carla Bley and producer Hal Willner. The playlist features also Théo Ceccaldi, Roxy Coss, Sébastien Brun, Vincent Courtois, Robin Fincker, Daniel Erdmann, Federica Colangelo, YES! Trio, Fredrik Nordström and Junius Paul. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/dj/80823/Leonardo-Granvassu Photo credit: Annamaria Lucchetti

We start 2020 where we left off in 2019, exploring great new releases. During the first hour we feature music ranging from the upcoming release of the Afrobeat ambassadors Antibalas, who are turning 20 this year, to a previously unreleased superb 1975 live performance by Pharoah Sanders. In the process we take a look at the vibrant Swedish scene with the music of Oddjob and its pianist Daniel Karlsson, two recent albums featuring saxophonist Greg Ward, a very original take on Cole Porter and the contagious music of Mwenso & the Shakes and the Horne Electric Band together with one of our favorite albums of 2019, "Everybody Wins" by Amendola vs. Blades. In the second part we focus, in particular, on the work of drummer Jim Black with his new trio and as a member of the outstanding Dark Dry Tears led by Italian bassist Danilo Gallo, and on another batch of genre-defying releases by International Anthem, featuring Jeff Parker, Resavoir 's drummer Jeremy Cunningham and the first European player signed by the Chicago label, British saxophonist Alabaster DePlume. The playlist also features Baptiste Trotignon, The Westerlies, Alice Ricciardi & Pietro Lussu, Michele Rosewoman, Lica Cecato and Paolo Baltaro Orchestra as well as Philipp Gropper. Happy listening! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10151141/Mondo-Jazz (up to Horne Electric Band). Photo credit: Céline Pinget.

The 2020 edition of the Winter JazzFest has just begun. This week we feature music by some of the most interesting bands from out of town who will be at the JazzFest, and new or unreleased material that will performed on the stages of the JazzFest. Of special interest yet-to-be-released material by Ted Poor, Kevin Eubanks & Orrin Evans and a unique reimagining of the work of Gil Scott Heron by Makaya McCraven, and musicians from the British, French and Italian scenes. The playlist also features Nduduzo Makhathini, Kokoroko, MAE.SUN, Dominique Fils-Aimé (pictured), Anne Paceo, Tin Men and the Telephone, Sarathy Korwar, Uri Caine, Ron Artis II, Thomas de Pourquery, Jaimie Branch, Naassam Jalal, Sara Schoenbeck, Tommaso Cappellato, PLUME, Tineke Postma (pictured), Jonathan Jurion, and the EYM Trio. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/10103941/Mondo-Jazz

Mondo Jazz's final stash of new releases of 2019 is the perfect way to end a year that has been generous and full of surprises. During this first hour we'll sample the music of many 'bands without borders' as well as tributes to Mose Allison, Dewey Redman and Bernhard Herrmann. The second part of this week's show focuses on newly released album features, in particular, large ensembles, electronically infused improvised music and the collaborations of the Brazilian transplant in Paris, guitarist Nelson Veras. The playlist features Daniel Erdmann, Antoine Berjeaut, Makaya McCraven, Aly Keïta, Jan Galega Brönniman, Lucas Niggli, Jaimie Branch, Ben Harper, Charles Musselwhite, Jeff Parker, Frederik Villmow, Carla Marciano, Licaones, Rita Marcotulli, Black Friday TRiO; Dan Rosenboom, Michael Leonhart, Remy Le Boeuf, Tower Jazz Composers Orchestra, Lisa Hoppe, Evgeny Sivtsov, Miles Okazaki, Yves Robert, Junius Paul, The Comet Is Coming, Pablo Held, Mátyás Szandai, Alexandra Grimal. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9990617/Mondo-Jazz Happy listening!

Herbie Nichols was a master of the piano which has inspired generations of musicians after his passing, despite the little commercial success that his albums obtained when first released. 2019 marks the centennial of his birth and to remedy the lack of retrospectives that his work should have, but hasn't, received this year, this week's edition of Mondo Jazz will be looking into the impact that his memorable compositions have had on a number of contemporary artists. This episode includes both compositions that Nichols was able to record himself, as well as others that he never managed to bring to a recording studio, but other musicians after him did. As a special bonus, also never released material by the Herbie Nichols Project, one of the bands that championed Nichols' music. The playlist also includes Paul Motian, Ted Nash, Dave Douglas, Heikki Sarmanto, Simon Nabatov, Duck Baker, Roswell Rudd, Misha Mengelberg, Steve Lacy, Pietro Tonolo, Flavio Boltro, Emmanuel Bex, Joe Chambers, Lucas Gillan, Ben Allison, Mal Waldron, Buell Neidlinger, Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, The Mary Lou Williams Collective, Matt Wilson, Simon Nabatov. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9934856/Mondo-Jazz (up to Duck Baker)

This week let's pay homage to the musical legacy of Michael Jackson. It's been 10 years since Michael Jackson passed away and lots of things have emerged since then, but the popularity of his music remains strong, including among jazz musicians (the majority of the tracks featured this week was released after his passing). If you are concerned that jazz interpretations of pop music come very close to smooth jazz, don't worry… that's not Mondo Jazz's fare and the fact that musicians like Lester Bowie, Mal Waldron, Geri Allen, Enrico Rava, Vijay Iyer, Ran and Michael Blake have embraced the repertoire of the King of Pop should provide sufficient reassurances. So stay tuned for 2 hours of covers played by these musicians (& more) plus a collaboration between Michael Jackson and the master of jazz organ, Jimmy Smith, under the watchful eye of Quincy Jones. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9893602/Mondo-Jazz Cover based on a file photo (AP Photo/Cliff Schiappa)

Traditions are traditions... For this year's Hanksgiving episode we celebrate the work of a truly original artist, Hank Roberts. The Indiana-born, upstate New York-based, cellist, jazzaphone fiddler and vocalist, is one of those rare musicians whose name on the front or the back of an album should make any one purchase that record without questions asked, run home and play it immediately. This week we try to squeeze into a couple of hours a discography that spans over three decades and illustrates the artistic trajectory of a key figure in the famed New York downtown scene that continues to be at the forefront of creative music. In this first part, we focus in particular on some of his projects as a leader and on his ongoing collaboration with Bill Frisell. In the second part we focus on a number of other projects he is the leader of, including yet unreleased material of his current sextet. This segment also spotlights his work as a member of 858 Strings, the string section he shares with Jenny Scheinmann and Eyvind Kang featured on a number of projects by Bill Frisell, as well as his Italian adventures with Pipe Dream and trombonist Filippo Vignato. To complete this overview of Robert's discography during this segment we also feature a number of projects he has recorded with Tim Berne as well as with other luminaries of the New York scene like Marty Ehrlich or Ralph Alessi as well as collaborations with singers. Hank in there! It must be a very nice Hanksgiving then! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9867097/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Christopher DelCollo.

Another week replete with deliciuos new releases, from those of European jazz queens Céline Bonacina, Yazz Ahmed and Carla Marciano, to the Pan-African manifesto of Russell Gunn's Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, to the collaborative trios of Ben Perowski--John Medeski--Chris Speed, Zach Brock--Matt Ulery--Jon Deitemeyer, and Alban Darche--Matthieu Donarier--Meivelyan Jacquot, not to forget the latest by Keith Jarrett and the first by Harish Raghavan. During the second hour we go from the high-powered new album by Kneebody and the 10th anniversary single by Mopo, to Mauro Ottolini's stunningly original sea-shell extravaganza, the over the top outings of the Go: Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive and Rhythmos (Amir Ziv, Billy Martin, Cyro Baptista), the Eastern-European rising stars Makar Kashitsyn and Fima Chupakhin and the wide-ranging music of Enrico Fazio, Julia Hülsmann and Mareike Wiening. What a bonanza to be grateful for! Happy listening! Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9819514/Mondo-Jazz. Photo credit: Ralf Dombrowski.

After focusing on Enrico Rava's discography as leader, this week we explore his more than five decades of work as co-leader & sideman. The statuture of an artist can be measured not only through the albums s/he has recorded but also by the caliber of the musicians he has played with. There are not many who can claim to have collaborated with such a remarkable and diverse range of musicians like Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, Lee Konitz, Gianluigi Trovesi, Franco D'Andrea, Henri Texier, Aldo Romano, Marc Ducret, and Gato Barbieri, to name just a few. During the first part of the show we focus on his work in Europe. During the second part we explore his electric projects, duos, in particular with pianists, and work with heavy-weights of the NYC avant-garde scene like Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp and Jimmy Lyons. The playlist also features Piero Umiliani, Louis Sclavis, Claudio Fasoli, Gebhard Ullmann, Riccardo Gatto, Rita Marcotulli, Salvatore Bonafede, Nexus, Richard Galliano, Karl Berger, Dino Saluzzi, Aga Taura Confab, Gas Mask, Robin Kenyatta, Giochi Proibiti, Stefano Bollani, Enrico Pieranunzi, Renato Sellani, Francesco Bearzatti, Barry Altschul. Detailed playlist: https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9740347/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Luca D'Agostino (Phocus Agency)

Enrico Rava turned 80 this year and has had a five-decade long artistic path that paralleled and often intersected that of the label founded by Manfred Eicher. To mark this double anniversary this week we focus on his work as leader looking at his collaborations with many masters of this art form, from John Abercrombie to Paul Motian and Joe Lovano, the sources of his inspiration ranging from Miles Davis to Chet Baker and Don Cherry, as well the countless young talents he has nurtured in his bands, from Stefano Bollani to Gianluca Petrella and Giovanni Guidi. This playlist features his work with the likes of Roswell Rudd, Franco D'Andrea, John Abercrombie, Gianluigi Trovesi, Aldo Romano, Javier Girotto, Richard Galliano, Tony Oxley, Marcello Melis, Nana Vasconcelos, Stefano Battaglia and many more. Detailed playlists at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9699344/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Andrea Rotili.

Another remembrance, this week of a musician with a magic touch which has left us too early, Larry Willis, followed by the perusal of a pile of exciting new releases and re-relases building jazz bridges between North America and Europe, featuring Midnight Lilacs (i.e. Chris Speed, Marc Ribot, Danilo Gallo and Zeno De Rossi), Ethan Iverson Qt. with Tom Harrell, Simone Graziano, Tomeka Reid, Ghost Horse, Matana Roberts, Alban Darche and more. The playlist also features YES! Trio, Sketchbook Orchestra, Kris Davis, Rez Abbasi, Gerald Cleaver, David Sánchez, Raffaele Casarano and Mirko Signorile as well as the return of veteran guitarist Steve Khan, Kevin Hays, Lionel Loueke, Chase Baird, Warren Galea, David Sánchez and Petros Klampanis. and more. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9657724/Mondo-Jazz. Photo credit: Luciano Rossetti (Phocus Agency)

A remembrance of Ginger Baker, the jazziest drummer rock music ever had, and a stack of new releases for this week's edition of Mondo Jazz, featuring ensembles that bridge musical cultures - from the Michael Leonhart Orchestra to Brajia, Ajoyo, the Jazzaar Global Ensemble, the Go: Organic Orchestra and Brooklyn Raga Massive - compelling global singers like Youn Sun Nah, Natacha Atlas, Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Petra Haden, as well as Wynton Marsalis' new music for film. In the second part of this week's episode we continue our exploration of new and upcoming releases with two smash albums, a stunner from Piero Bittolo Bon's Bread and Fox and the debut album by Chicago bassist Junius Paul. During the rest of the show we feature Nat Birchall's tribute to Yusef Lateef and music ranging from the electronic soundscapes of Two Thou and Hobby Horse, LIUN + The Science Fiction Band feat. Lucia Cadotsch and Wanja Slavin, Lorenzo Feliciati and Michele Rabbia, to trumpet reference players like Avishai Cohen, Mirko Cisilino and Franco Ambrosetti. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9610481/Mondo-Jazz

This week we have have decided to do the jazz shuffle, and by shuffle we don't mean the jazz rhythm, but the randomized play. A perfect approach to revel through unexpected pairings, daring juxtapositions and accidental non sequiturs. After all if one is careful to only add great music in an ipod or music collection, then no matter how random the selection is, it'll sound good. Enjoy jumping from John Zorn to Vinicius Cantuaria, from Don Byron to United Future Organization, from Ornette Coleman to Timi Yuro, from Towa Tei to Bill Evans or from Captain Beefheart to Lester Bowie and realizing that it all makes perfect sense. The playlist features also: Osmiza, Calvin Keys, Oliver Nelson, Keely Smith, John Fourie, Stanley Turrentine, Ben Allison, George Lewis, Bill Frisell, Lucio Dalla, Phillip Johnston, Steve Argüelles, Rodney Kendrick, Jason Moran, Skopje Connection, Leo Gasperoni 3Quietmen, Bunky Green Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9529864/Mondo-Jazz

September, what a month! The summer is over... so are the summer festivals. But that's also when record labels start churning out some of their best releases to bring the temperature up in advance of the end of year polls and listicles. And here comes an onslaught of heavy-hitters with their new or upcoming releases, from Jaimie Branch to Kris Davis, from Kneebody to The Bad Plus, from Terri Lyne Carrington to Abraham Inc. and Miguel Zenon and a whole bunch more. Sit down, put your stereo system's volume up and absorb all this new great music! Happy listening! The playlist also features Wallace Roney; Julian Argüelles; Fred Hersch with the WDR Big Band and Vince Mendoza; Ben Flocks; Orice Jenkins; Adam Larson; Charles Owens; Jenny Hill; Joshua Espinoza; Ben van Gelder & Reinier Baas; Aki Rissanen; and Zwitschermaschine. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9376217/Mondo-Jazz

September 2019 will mark the 40th anniversary of "Message in a Bottle", an auspicious opportunity to look back at the seminal work of The Police. With Sting and Andy Summers coming to The Police with a jazz background and Stewart Copeland being a master of polyrhythms it’s not a surprise that their compositions would sound very good in the hands of jazz players. These two hours will feature some of their most beloved tunes, from "Roxanne" to "Walking on the Moon", from "Wrapped Around Your Finger" to "Every Breath You Take", performed by jazz luminaries like Gil Evans, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden among many musicians that took took more than a few liberties with these Police classics... We then close with music by The Police and the jazz dabblings of Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers and Sting. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9320150/Mondo-Jazz

Two hours of genre-defying, global, music, with a special focus on socially engaged projects, Finnish bands, and charismatic artists whose music has a higher than average density of ideas, like Michael Mwenso and Frank Zappa (by way of the tribute paid to him by the Orchestre Franck Tortiller). It all starts with the much anticipated new release by Tenor Triage. The playlist features Tenor Triage, Nérija, Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette, Bowman Trio, Uri Caine, Avery R. Young, Mwenso & the Shakes, Orchestre Franck Tortiller, Electric Lady Big Band, The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, Ola Onabule, Jenna Camille, Nu Guinea, Joe Armon-Jones, Olli Hirvonen, Oddarang, Aki Rissanen and Chris Lightcap. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9295174/Mondo-Jazz.

After three weeks of thematic episodes, we have to get back to checking what's new and what's coming up... The piles of new and upcoming releases have been building up and we could not wait any longer. So here's to a great episode with new, upcoming and reissued gems, featuring the music of Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain, Chris Potter, Ben Van Gelder, Reinier Baas, Emma Frank, Craig Taborn, Louis Moholo and other creative minds. The playlist features Kevin Hays, Lionel Loueke, Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain, Chris Potter, Jenny Scheinman, Allison Miller, Théo Ceccaldi, Roberto Negro, Ryan Blotnick, Maurice Louca, Louis Moholo, Petter Eldh, Emma Frank, Ben Van Gelder, Reinier Baas, Remy Le Boeuf, Dan Tepfer, Reid Anderson, Dave King, Craig Taborn, Steve Lehman, Alex Koo, Caroline Davis, Rob Clearfield, Anne Paceo, Moutin Factory, Tim Ries, Guillermo Klein, Jean-Christophe Cholet, Matthieu Michel. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9265241/Mondo-Jazz

As much as we favor a complete integration of the jazz sexes, this week we feature twenty-four bands or projects with not a single man in sight, actually in hearing. After all, how much jazz radio have you listened to (not on Mondo Jazz) with playlists made exclusively of all male bands? Here's a small contribution to rebalancing that statistical abherration. The playlist features Rhoda Scott's Lady Quartet, Nérija, Irène Schweizer, Co Streiff, Marilyn Mazur's Shamania, Terri Lyne Carrington, Aki Takase, Silke Eberhard, Anna Högberg Attack, Maggie Nicols, Joelle Leandre, Sylvie Courvoisier, Susie Ibarra, Sisters in Jazz, Cæcilie Norby, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Monika Herzig, Tia Fuller, Giovani Leonesse, Lioness, Ahn Trio, Minamo, Mary Halvorson, Jessica Pavone, Eve Risser, Kaja Draksler, Susana Santos Silva, Lauren Newton, Hae Voces. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9230056/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Agata Urbaniak

On 30 July 1969 Miles Davis released "In a Silent Way". After influencing generations of musicians, its tracks continue to sound as modern 50 years later as when they were first recorded. This week we celebrate the musical trail blazed by that seminal album by focusing on musicians that have embraced Miles' electric legacy. The playlist features Hot Club of Detroit; Médéric Collignon; Don Byron; Animation; Betty Davis; Henry Kaiser, Wadada Leo Smith; Bill Evans; Miles Davis; Jeff Ballard; Yazz Ahmed; Dave Douglas; Mat Maneri; Enrico Merlin; Mark Isham; Jon Hassell; Nicholas Payton; Erik Truffaz; Ben Neill; Nils Petter Molvær; Martux_m. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9195145/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Lee Friedlander.

On 20 July 1969, while Herbie Mann was over the figurative moon, because his "Memphis Underground" was the best selling jazz album in the country, the man was landing on the actual moon (apologies for the gender insensitivity here but otherwise the pun won't work...). What a day! 50 years later we celebrate the latter milestone with two hours of jazz inspired by the moon and the desire to cross big divides. The playlist includes Herbie Mann, Maria Ahn, Ahn Trio, Nguyên Lê with NDR Bigband & Michael Gibbs, John Zorn, Stephane Furic, Michel Benita, Daniel Yvinec, Gato Barbieri, Massimiliano Milesi, Giacomo Papetti, Cassandra Wilson, William Parker, Lester Bowie, Theo Bleckmann, Fumio Yasuda, Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Geoff Keezer, Ron Horton, Michael Bates-Samuel Blaser Quintet, Cristina Zavalloni, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Zoot Sims, Rob Wasserman, The Mancini Project. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9145979/Mondo-Jazz. Photo credit: Barbara Rigon

From previously unreleased recordings of Frank Zappa to the much-anticipated new album by the Michael Leonhart Orchestra and the exciting collaboration between Enrico Rava and Joe Lovano, this week we delve into another stash of really exciting new releases. The playlist features Michael Leonhart Orchestra, Goran Kajfes Subtropic Arkestra, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Susanna Risberg, Ted Nash, Enrico Rava, Joe Lovano, Zhenya Strigalev, Federico Dannemann, Leïla Martial, Ben Goldberg, Shahbaz Hussain, Helen Anahita Wilson, Gianni Gagliardi, Liam Noble, Eyolf Dale, André Roligheten, Satoyama, Frank Zappa. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9126302/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Stefano Casali

There is a treasure-trove of jazz gems away from the usual labels, venues, websites... one has just to look around and search for it. This week we feature bands whose quality may have not been matched by their international commercial success… but that’s often the curse of excellent music that goes off the beaten path. Since we only care about the beauty of the music, here are twenty bands which you didn't know you cannot live without: Rootless, Slow Poke, Spanish Fly, Trio Grande, Trio Bravo, Aka Moon, Rêve d'éléphant orchestra, Tuatara, The Grassy Knoll, Morphine, Throttle Elevator Music, The Fresh Cut Orchestra, Orchestra del Titanic, Farmers Market, The Volunteered Slaves, Metalwood, Lost Tribe, Octurn, Clusone Trio, and the Dingobats. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9085139/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Scott Friedlander.

Another week replete with beautiful new releases, and re-releases, from the etheral to the political, both catchy and heart-brakingly gorgeous, from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The playlist includes Vincent Peirani, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller, Tom Pierson, Lisa Maxwell, Laura Jurd, Daniele di Bonaventura, Gianluigi Trovesi & Gianni Coscia, The Last Poets, Idam Morim, Jonny Mansfield, Jon Irabagon, Cecilie Grundt, Stéphan Oliva, Sébastien Boisseau, Tom Rainey, Kuhn Fu, Mickey Finn, Giancarlo Tossani, Red Kite. Detailed playlist at: https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/9059129/Mondo-Jazz

Accordion players, saxophists, clarinet and trombone players as well as compelling singers are at the heart of this week's focus on new releases. Give a listen and then promise to support the musicians and the labels that put out this amazing music so that the prolific jazz phase we live in can go on, and possibly keep getting better... The playlist features Massimiliano Milesi, Vince Abbracciante, Jean-Christophe Cholet, Matthieu Michel, Yazz Ahmed, Gianni Coscia, Gianluigi Trovesi, Filippo Vignato, Hank Roberts, Ryan Keberle, Dalia, Francesca Gaza, CUP (Nels Cline & Yuka Honda), New Vocabulary, Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian, Jamie Saft, Patricia Barber, David Sánchez, Maarten Hogenhuis, James Brandon Lewis, Michael Eaton. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/8960788/Mondo-Jazz

From tributes to past masters to new perspectives, from acoustic to electronic, the new and upcoming releases we play this week show the wide-range of today's creative scene. The playlist includes Brandee Younger, Alexi Tuomarila, Fabian Almazan, Magic Malik, Ben Goldberg, Nature Work, Sam Ospovat, Joel Ross, Marvin Gaye, Plume, John Patitucci, Jo-Yu Chen, Anne Mette Iversen, Kaveh Rastegar, Resavoir, Michele Rabbia, Jeremy Udden Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/8642564/Mondo-Jazz

As jazz was born where cultures converged, it's not a surprise that it is the most adaptable form of music. An art form permeable since its very inception to musical traditions from other continents. This week we focus on the contribution of musicians that approached jazz and improvised music benefiting from the wider perspective afforded to them by the exposure to not only American culture but also the traditions of the places of origin of their families, which hailed from Asian countries like China, India, Iraq, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam. The playlist features Susie Ibarra, Cuong Vu, Ben Kono, Amir ElSaffar, Fred Ho, Amirtha Kidambi, Edge, Peggy Chew, Rajna Swaminathan, Brooklyn Raga Massive, Vijay Iyer, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Rez Abbasi, Jon Jang, Jen Shyu, Tomas Fujiwara, Taylor Ho Bynum, Jon Irabagon, Miles Okazaki, Ha-Yang Kim. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/8609813/Mondo-Jazz Photo credit: Peter Gannushkin http://downtownmusic.net

If jazz is, as someone put it, the sound of surprise, then it makes complete sense that countless musicians have become enamored with the music of Björk. Like the most innovative jazz musicians, Bjork is a restless artist that tries to continuously reinvent herself, often blending familiar sources in completely unprecedented ways, and deliberately challenging the status quo. In these two hours we'll check out some of the most intriguing jazz renditions of her work. The playlist features Björk, Yaron Herman, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Björk, Travis Sullivan, the Bjorkestra, Yuri Honing, Marcus Strickland, Larry Goldings, Paolo Angeli, Dave Douglas, Joël Allouche, The Bad Plus, The 3 Moons, Ann Dyer, Ada Montellanico, Iris Ornig, Harmen Fraanje, Fredrik Nordström. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/8304448/Mondo-Jazz.

From bass players leading cutting edge bands, to ensembles with strings; from electronica-infused projects to tributes to Sun Ra, Count Basie and Oliver Nelson; from multi-kulti to straight-ahead. This and more on this episode of Mondo Jazz. The playlist features Dezron Douglas, Matt Mitchell, Caroline Davis, Gregory Saunier, Linda May Han Oh, Calvin Weston, The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra, Rajna Swaminathan, Timo Lassy, Teppo Mäkynen, Giancarlo Vulcano, Lionel Martin, Sangoma Everett, Jacopo Ferrazza, Dave Douglas, Terkel Nørgaard, Michael Eaton, Ilmiliekki Quartet, Brian Krock, SPAZA, Hae Voces, Typical Sisters, Rosa Brunello, Tyler Blanton. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/8235592/Mondo-Jazz. Photo credit: Shervin Lainez.

This week we focus on the music of two of the most influential composers of film and TV scores of all times, Henry Mancini and Ennio Morricone. Their compositional styles lend themselves to jazz interpretations, with Mancini being a soundtracks composer that often relied on jazz motifs and smaller ensembles and Morricone coming to the world of soundtracks after playing the trumpet in jazz bands in the 1940s. So we have two hours of jazz interpretations of their unforgettable themes, performed by Ted Nash, Oranj Symphonette, Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine, Lucia Cadotsch, Freddie Roach, Joe Jackson, John Stowell, Quincy Jones, Noël Akchoté, Johnny Hartman, Eddie Harris, Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Henry Mancini, John Zorn, Marco Cappelli, Jens Thomas, Enrico Pieranunzi, Marc Johnson, Joey Baron, Marcin Wasilewski, Ennio Morricone. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/7998154/Mondo-Jazz

Possibly, more than any other instrument, the saxophone defines the sound of jazz. Most jazz combos have at least one sax player on the front—and when you see that saxophone, you know it’s going to be doing a LOT of soloing, even if the bandleader or composer plays another instrument. But what happens to the shape and texture of jazz when you subtract the sax from the equation? We’ll find out in this episode of Mondo Jazz, featuring Jaimie Branch, Allison Miller, Erik Friedlander, John Zorn, Marvin Pontiac, Tenderlonious, Jeremy Steig, Clark Gayton, John Scofield, Tronzo Trio, Michael Rossetto, Bill Frisell, Jenny Scheinman, Makaya McCraven. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/7762748/Mondo-Jazz

In less than two decades Kneebody has established itself as reference band of forward-looking musicians. With a brand new EP out, "By Fire", their first release entirely dedicated to covers, a new outlet (the British musician-run reference label Edition Records), and new line-up following the departure of bassist Kaveh Rastegar, there's a been a lot going on for this influential group. So this week we look back at their genre-bending work, and at the busy careers and eclectic collaborations of its members, Adam Benjamin, Shane Endsley, Kaveh Rastegar, Ben Wendel and Nate Wood. The playlist features music by Kneebody Adam Benjamin, Shane Endsley, Kaveh Rastegar, Ben Wendel Nate Wood, Theo Bleckmann, Daedelus, Dan Tepfer, Billy Mohler, Tony Scott, Zing! Ro Sham Beaux, Hat. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/7520254/Mondo-Jazz

A catching-up session with gorgeous new and upcoming releases, featuring tons of fascinating debut albums that reassure us about the future of jazz (special mention for Billy Mohler's "Focus", Sarah Tandy's "Infection in the Sentence", Terraza Big Band's "One Day Wonder" and the Heartland Trio's eponymous album) side by side with new works by established masters like Wayne Horvitz, Brad Mehldau and Huw Warren. The playlist includes Sarah Tandy, Brad Mehldau, Jeff Williams, Huw Warren, Billy Mohler, Joel Ross, Melissa Aldana, Elliot Galvin, The Wayne Horvitz European Orchestra, Swiss Jazz Orchestra & Guillermo Klein, Terraza Big Band, Randy Brecker, Heartland Trio, Steph Richards, Giovanni Guidi, Le Rex, Alessandro Lanzoni, Jay Anderson. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/7417964/Mondo-Jazz

When creating a radio playlist one has to ensure how to sequence songs in a meaningful way. The dynamics of their interaction therefore becomes critical. There should be not too many fast pieces played back to back, nor not too many ballads one after the other. Fast and slow, soft and loud should take turn. Ideally the playlist should lead to a climax through one or more crescendos of songs. This week we each song in the playlist contains a remarkable crescendo... Two hours of jazz featuring only compositions that start softly and then build up and build up sometimes slowly some times fast, but always inexorably. The playlist features crescendo-meisters like Ibrahim Electric, Kresten Osgood, The Lounge Lizards, Michael Blake, Ben Allison, Michel Portal, Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Jaga Jazzist, Marc Johnson's Right Brain Patrol, David Binney, Richie Barshay, Jon Irabagon, Tim Berne, Nik Bärtsch. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/6078190/Mondo-Jazz

Jazz, the quintessential open door genre,has a capacity to beautifully integrate all kinds of sources. From music from faraway places to compositions written and instruments used for completely different genres. When it comes to the human voice, jazz has shown an uncanny openness finding a musical role for all sorts of non verbal sounds. Here we explore the jazz side of moaning, sighing, whistling, groaning, humming, grunting, etc. Don't worry it's all going to be supremely musical, even virtuosic thanks to the creative minds of the likes of Roland Kirk, Toots Thielemans, Art Farmer, Yohimbe Brothers, Keith Jarrett, Don Byron, Eddie Fisher, Guano Padano, Alessandro Alessandroni, Ennio Morricone, Dead Combo, Rollerball, Claude Barthelemy, Horace Silver, Supergenerous, Brahja Waldman, Napoli Centrale, Bill Withers, John Zorn, Wynton Marsalis, Todd Sickafoose, Talking Pictures, Louis Prima, Wayne Shorter, Allison Miller Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/5741842/Mondo-Jazz

New releases keep coming at an exciting place and Mondo Jazz obliges, sharing tons of exicting new releases, in particular celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and its spiritual offspring as well as some great European projects. The playlist features Marilyn Mazur, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Echoes of Zoo, James Brandon Lewis, Michael Gregory, Sam Opsovat, Itamar Borochov, Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano, Jan Lundgren, Bridges with Seamus Blake, Andrea Manzoni, Larry Grenadier, Ran Blake, Claire Ritter, Vijay Iyer, Craig Taborn, Nathan-Paul & The Admirables, Kendrick Scott, Jonathan Blake, Chiara Izzi, Mats Eilertsen, Beppe Scardino, Joe Martin, Jason Palmer, Iro Haarla. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/5629978/Mondo-Jazz

It’s a great time to be a jazz lover, with so many fantastic new releases that it’s almost overwhelming. To quote Shakespeare, it’s an embarrassment of riches! This week we have handpicked some of the most exciting new music, from giants like Bill Frisell and Chris Potter to indie upstarts and international artists like Theon Cross and Hard Mango Swing. The playlist features Theon Cross, Jasper Blom, Hearing Things, Kassa Overall, Lucian Ban & Alex Simu, Alex Sipiagin, Nubyian Twist, Julian Lage, Hard Mango Swing, Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Joris Teepe, Joshua Redman. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/5549158/Mondo-Jazz

This week we focus our attention British drummer, composer, arranger, producer, label manager and all around creative soul, Steve Argüelles, an artist that has kept himself busy listening to a wide sources of inspiration for almost four decades. So in these two hours we'll look into the eclectic output, which ranges from folk infused jazz to electronica, of one of the most compelling European improvisers. The playlist features Steve Argüelles, Benoît Delbecq, The Recyclers, Ashley Slater, Christine Tobin, John Taylor, Human Chain, Julian Argüelles, Omar Sosa, Csaba Palotai, Rémi Sciuto, Jorrit Dykstra, Ambitrionix, Poolplayers, Manasonics, Deqjam, Billy Jenkins, Stuart Hall, Steve Watts. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/4781540 Photo credit: Vincent Bourre

Jazz musicians have made great contributions to soundtracks (from Ellington's music for Otto Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder" to Miles Davis soundtrack for Louis Malle's "Elevator to the Gallows") and themes from soundtracks have lent themselves to great renditions by jazz musicians. This week we explore the intersection between jazz and soundtracks of movies of all sorts, from police flicks to erotic movies to documentaries, and we'll throw in some TV soundtracks for good measure. The playlist features: N.Johänntgen, J.Lurie, M.Blake, J.McGriff, H.Hancock, F.Bosso, J.O.Mazzariello, M.Gaye, J.J. Johnson, Jazz Interactions Orchestra, J.Jackson, S.Wilson, J.Taylor Qt, W.Bobo, EZ Pour Sprout, B,Hutcherson, Q.Jones, K.Asbjornsen, B.Frisell, J.L.Hooker, M.Davis, G.Barbieri, J.Zorn, M.Cappelli, Luigee Trademarq, A.Goraguer, T.Bennett, B.Allison, C.Baker, B.Evans, J.Steig, O.Coleman, The Bad Plus. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/4172740

Thelonious Monk once said "play what you want and let the public pick up on what you are doing even if it does take them 15, 20 years". Luckily, he lived long enough to become fully embraced and celebrated before his passing. However, it's after his death that his music has really become central to the jazz canon. To mark the thirty-seventh anniversary of his demise, on 17 February 1982, this week we feature a very diverse range of renditions of his masterpieces. The playlist includes Cootie Williams, Paul Motian, Carmen McRae, Georg Gräwe, Duck Baker, Allen Toussaint, Charlie Haden, Jim Hall, Gianluca Petrella, Lindsey Horner, Brad Mehldau, Jason Moran, Vijay Iyer, Gary Thomas, Quincy Jones, Miles Okazaki, Frank Kimbrough, Thomas Chapin, Ran Blake, Jeanne Lee, Tronzo Trio, Steve Lacy, Charlie Rouse, Barry Harris, Ernst Reijseger, Thelonious Monk. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/4095369. Photo credit: Jim Marshall

Last week we dived deep in some of best new releases of 2019. Two hours were not enough so this week we continue our quest for fascinating new jazz out there… and we'll branch out a bit going into releases that came out at the end of 2018 as well. Many of the albums we're going to listen to are debut albums and quite a few of them are from abroad, especially from the prolific Italian scene. Check for yourself why this is going to be remembered as a very prolific period for creative jazz! The playlist includes Angel Bat Dawid, Znap, Wing Walker Orchestra, Francesco Diodati, The Swinging Santas, John Medeski, Giacomo Tantillo, Atomic, Lars Danielsson, Paolo Fresu, Shirley Smart, Resavoir, Jeff Ballard, Armo, Tiziano Tononi, Jon Lundbom, Guillaume Perret, Anton Eger, Kassa Overall, Wendy Eisenberg, Marco Cappelli Detailed playlist available at: https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9546#here Photo credit: Leslie Frempong

As they say, "a good beginning makes a good ending" and, based on the extraordinary amount of sensational new releases that have come out in less than a month, it looks like we're in it for a great musical ride in 2019. Here are two hours of gems from albums that have just been, or about to be, released. A nice mix of well established and lesser known artists from all over the place. The playlist includes music by Bruut!, Hearing Things, Invisible Bird, Jim Piela, Julian Lage, Lucian Ban, Alex Simu, Emile Parisien, Yonathan Avishai, Chris Potter, Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi, Eric Dolphy, Ralph Alessi, Miho Hazama, The Comet Is Coming, Steph Richards, Moppa Elliott, Yaron Herman, Johnathan Blake, Quinsin Nachoff. For a detailed playlist https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9487#here

Where do rhythm and harmony intersect? Where do you feel the beat, not just with your ears but your whole body? Bass is the place where it all comes together. This week we celebrate some beloved jazz bass players, from riveting soloists to groundbreaking composers and consummate sidemen. The playlist features Ben Allison, Larry Grenadier, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius, Ron Carter, Melvin Gibbs, Trevor Dunn, Dave Holland. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9438#here

New York may have the highest density of daily jazz performances in the world, but they mostly feature the countless, and very busy, musicians that belong to the local scene. The Winter JazzFest has traditionally offered a very welcome opportunity to check out acts that rarely perform in the big apple. These are bands that come either from abroad or from Chicago. This week we focus on some of the most interesting "Out of Towners" from the 2019 Winter JazzFest Weekend Marathon. The playlist features the Ezra Collective, Florian Pellissier, Camille Bertault, Nubya Garcia, Yosvany Terry - Baptiste Trotignon, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Mathias Eick, Makaya McCraven, Ben Lamar Gay, Joshua Abrams. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=rfb&playlist=9246#here

The end of the year is the time when we usually look back and take stock. To celebrate the continuous growth and expansion of the music we love, rather than compiling yet another "best of 2018 playlist" we have decided to look back at the music that, for a reason or another, has surprised us the most this year. It features mostly young musicians, artists we were not familiar with, unexpected reissues or new projects by players we have loved for a long time. The playlist features Michael Leonhart, Rachelle Garniez, Reinier Baas Ben van Gelder & Metropole Orkest, Mopo, Dairo Miyamoto, Ben Lamar Gay, Walking Distance, Dexter Gordon, Anais Drago, Camilla Battaglia, Little Rosies Kindergarten, Sketchbook Quartet, Otis Sandsjo, Maistah Aphrica, SLUGish Ensemble, Yellow Bird, Pipe Dream, Rosa Brunello. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9138#here

We continue our look into Zappa's complex relationship with jazz, through a mix of the jazzier compositions performed by Zappa and countless tributes to his music paid by jazz musicians. As Zappa loved to say, quoting E.Varèse, "the present day composer refuses to die" and the music featured in this show provides plenty of evidence that he was right. The first part of this Frank Zappa retrospective is avaialble at https://www.mixcloud.com/MondoJazz/frank-zappas-jazz-allures-mondo-jazz-ep-53/ Playlist: Zappa, B.Sanabria, P.Sambeat, C.Towns, NDR Bigband, Bohuslän Big Band, M. Pacassoni, The Wrong Object, M.Hedges, G.Venier, V.Vasi, G.Pacorig, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Gotan Project, S.Bollani, D.Preston, G.Winston, Quintorigo, R.Gatto, V.Ciardelli, F.DiCastri, If Six Was Nine, Meridian Arts Ensemble, P.Gaucher, Le Bocal, R.Fassi, D.Fabris, A.Takase, A.vonSchlippenbach, M.Schultz, E.Soderlind Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9096#here

Drummer Makaya McCraven’s new double album “Universal Beings” mixes the artistry and experimentation of jazz with the irresistible dance beats of hip-hop. It also brings together a dream team of collaborators from London, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, including Shabaka Hutchings, Jeff Parker, Nubya Garcia, and Brandee Younger. This episode of Mondo Jazz celebrates Makaya McCraven’s musical universe and its brilliant stars from around the world. The playlist includes Makaya McCraven, Nubya Garcia, Brandee Younger, Jeff Parker, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Shabaka Hutchings, Sons of Kemet, Shabaka and the Ancestors, Isotope 217. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=9040#here Photo credit: Yvonne Schmedemann

Frank Zappa may have said "jazz is not dead, it just smells funny" but looking at his life and music one does not get the impression that he really believed that jazz was decomposing or dying a slow death. This week we revel in the beauty of the jazzier side of Zappa's vast repertoire checking out not only some of his recordings but also how the jazz world has embraced his genius. The playlist includes music by Frank Zappa, Colin Towns, The NDR Bigband, Ed Palermo, Mike Mainieri, Joe Lovano, Stefano Bollani, Daniele Sepe, Woody Herman, Le Bocal, Riccardo Fassi, David Kikoski, Zach Brock, Javon Jackson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Zappatistas, Flat Earth Society, Anais Drago, Asphalt Orchestra, Detailed playlist available at: https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=8916#here

This week we focus our on the music of Wayne Horvitz with special attention for his latest two releases, "The Snowghost Sessions" and "Those Who Remain". It's hard to condense in two hours the long career and many facets of a composer and pianist of great versality, but we will do our best to present highlights from his various projects as a leader and side-man. The playlist contains: Wayne Horvitz, Bill Frisell, Mylab, Michael Shrieve, Jerry Granelli, John Zorn, Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet, Bobby Previte, Marty Ehrlich, Robin Holcomb. Detailed playlist available at https://spinitron.com/radio/index.php?station=rfb&playlist=8847#here