The editors of JAZZIZ have the good fortune of being able to listen to new music before it’s officially released in stores and streaming platforms. And because we’re always listening to new tunes, we always know just what to recommend. That’s why we’ll bring you a roundup of ten songs each week, featuring music from our favorite new albums, singles and other tunes that may have flown under your radar.
This week’s playlist begins with the title track from vibraphonist Joel Ross’ forthcoming collection of ballads and blues, nublues, due out on February 9. “In a Little Mood” is an ode to thankfulness and community building by Los Angeles-based ensemble The Neighborhood Orchestra. “Prelude: Orison” is a track from Compassion, the soon-to-be-released album by Vijay Iyer‘s trio with Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey. Nate Mercereau has shared “Facing the Sideways Rain,” a collaboration with Kamasi Washington and Carlos Niño.
“Conundrum” is a short original composition from Technically Acceptable, Ethan Iverson’s upcoming album, performed with Thomas Morgan and Kush Abadey, one of the two trios helmed by the pianist and composer on this project. With “Music Box” from his upcoming album, Piece of Mind, Montreal jazz pianist Simon Denizart attempts to recreate a music box’s timeless, dreamlike sound. Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter have released “Goin’ to Chicago,” a new bonus track from their recently GRAMMY-nominated album, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree.
Adam Rudolph and his ensemble Hu Vibrational embrace a style that the composer, percussionist and conductor calls “Boonghee Music,” consisting of world-inspired beats mixed with jazz, on their new album, Timeless, featuring our selection, “Serpentine.” Pianist Nitai Hershkovits pays tribute to his former piano teacher Suzan Cohen on “The Old Wise,” one of the tracks from his new album, Call on the Old Wise. Our closing track is Béla Fleck’s performance of an unrecorded and unreleased George Gershwin gem discovered at the Library of Congress that will be included on the banjo great’s Rhapsody in Blue, due out on February 12.
Listen to this week’s JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice Playlist via the player below.
Featured photo by Jeremy Cowart.
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