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 Monday, featuring music from our favorite new albums, singles and other tunes that may have flown under your radar.
Donny McCaslin opens this week’s playlist with “Stria” from his new album, I Want More, which we included in our list of new albums released this month that you need to know about. Soul/pop collective Gideon King & City Blog evoke the stillness of a cool spring night with “Turn Off the Sky” from their upcoming EP, Splinters, due out on September 15. Meshell Ndegeocello’s “The 5th Dimension” is a sweeping jazz-infused, soul-psychedelic evocation featuring the vocal group HawtPlates. “Glass” is a track from saxophonist/composer Ben van Gelder’s forthcoming octet album, Manifold.
“The Power of the Spirit” is the title track from the new live album by Isaiah J. Thompson, the rising star who recently won the 2023 American Pianists Award. “Stretch (The Body)” is the lead single from composer/trumpeter Marquis Hill’s latest album, Rituals + Routines, which calls for an awareness of the rituals and routines in people’s lives. The track also features Joel Ross. Louis Cole recently released Some Unused Songs, an album’s worth of unheard material, including an early demo of the GRAMMY-nominated song, “Let It Happen.”
London-born, Nigerian keyboardist NIJI offers a sonic amalgamation of his influences, including Afrobeat drill, gospel organ and blasting brass horns on “Sounds of the City.” Composer Daniel Hersog puts a fresh spin on beloved traditional songs and more on his upcoming big band album, Open Spaces (Folk Songs Reimagined), including a reimagination of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” re-composed as “How Many Roads.” Benny Benack III closes our playlist with “Gary, Indiana,” a track from his new album, Third Time’s the Charm.
Listen to this week’s JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice Playlist via the player below.
Featured photo courtesy of Edition Records.
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