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 kicks off with “Respira y Siente,” a high-energy and danceable Cuban salsa that is an invitation to a life celebration through music from percussionist and vocalist Ivan Llanes’ debut album, La Vida Misma, which will be released on March 22. The Nick Maclean Quartet and trumpeter Brownman Ali build on their modern reinterpretation of Herbie Hancock’s 1960s quartet spirit, expanding ideas from their acclaimed 2017 debut Rites of Ascension on their second release, Convergence, which opens with a rendition of Hancock’s classic composition, “Dolphin Dance.” “Sons” is the title track from guitarist and composer Phil Sargent’s latest endeavor as a bandleader, which stands as both a tribute to and reflection on fatherhood, and how it has transformed him and his world.
“Wooden Chair” is a collaboration between Lau Noah and Salvador Sobral from A DOS, a new album by the Catalan singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, comprising duets with many of her friends and heroes from the worlds of roots, jazz and global music. Ghost-Note, led by Snarky Puppy’s duo of drummer/keyboardist Robert Sput Searight and percussionist Nate Werth, have shared their single, “Bad Knees,” co-written by the band’s bass player MonoNeon and featured in their forthcoming album, which will be released on April 19. Sketches is a new five-track digital EP showcasing Fergus McCreadie’s authentic and raw solo piano artistry, featuring a take on “Glade” from his 2022 album, Forest Floor. “To the Moon!” is a psych-jazz instrumental by the Ghost Funk Orchestra and the lead single from their new album, A Trip to the Moon.
“The Colour Purple” is a previously unreleased track by Yussef Dayes, featured in his forthcoming album, The Yussef Dayes Experience (Live from Malibu), originally shared as a live-performance video in the Malibu mountains last year, around the time of the release of his solo album debut, Black Classical Music. Veteran saxophonist David Bixler leads a jazz quintet and a string quartet on his latest album, The Langston Hughes Project Vol. 1, where he fulfils his longstanding ambition of composing a series of works inspired by Langston Hughes and that includes our selection, “Justice.” The closing track of our playlist is “Who Are You, Really?” from Ethan Iverson’s new album, Technically Acceptable, which we recently included in our list of ten albums released in January 2024 that you need to know about.
Listen to this week’s JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice Playlist via the player below.
Featured photo by Keith Major.
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