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.
This weekend’s playlist opens with “Work With Me/Annie Had a Baby,” a song featured in Funky Nothingness, a new compilation of rare recordings by the legendary Frank Zappa, believed to have been intended as a potential follow-up to his iconic Hot Rats album. Funky Nothingness will be released on June 30 via Zappa Records/UMe. “Prolotine” sets the tone as the opening track of Tines of Change, the latest solo album by bassist/composer Mark Dresser, which aims to push the boundaries of bass exploration. Pianist/songwriter Alan Chang bares his emotions for all to witness in his anthemic new song, “Love As a Weapon.”
Thundercat makes his highly-anticipated return with “No More Lies,” a collaboration with Tame Impala, his first new music released in three years. Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter have shared “Not Here/Not Now” to coincide with the announcement of the release of their upcoming SuperBlue album, The Iridescent Spree, due out on September 15. Free jazz ensemble Irreversible Entanglement channel the anti-war and ecological preservation sentiments of the legendary Sun Ra on “Nuclear War,” from Red Hot’s inaugural instalment in its Red Hot + Sun Ra series. Arturo O’Farrill shines a spotlight on his remarkable piano skills in his trio album, Legacies, which includes a rendition of Carla Bley’s composition, “Utviklingssang.”
In a tribute to the lasting impact of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe, Craft Latino will reissue his iconic 1975 album La Voz on June 23. The record includes “Mi Gente,” a song that has become synonymous with Lavoe artistry. “Intimately” is the debut single from Swiss-based collective MISS C-LINE & The Rabidz, offering a blend of jazz and neo-soul influences, as well as a glimpse into their forthcoming debut album. Bringing the weekend’s playlist to a close is New Zealand-based jazz group The Circling Sun and “Bones,” one of the eight tracks on their upcoming album, which pays homage to the luminaries of spiritual and modal jazz, while infusing their own South Pacific spirit and sensibility.
Listen to this weekend’s JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice Playlist via the player below.
Featured photo courtesy of Zappa Records/UMe.
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