JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice: Miles Davis, Gabe Baltazar, Butcher Brown & More (PLAYLIST)


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. And, for good measure, we’ll be throwing in some “golden oldies” as well…

A previously unreleased Miles Davis studio take on “What’s Love Got To Do With It” from the latest chapter of Columbia/Legacy’s Bootleg Series dedicated to the trumpet legend opens the series, followed by a swinging number from drummer/composer Keith Hall’s latest album and Paul Slavens channeling the spirit of Frank Zappa on a track from his first album in twelve years.

Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage discovers new orchestrational possibilities of a small combo on “Auditorium” from his upcoming album View With a Room. South London multi-instrumentalist/producer Wu-Lu offers a scuzzy and genre-defying new track, “Scrambled Tricks,” and we revisit a Pat Metheny classic. Nate Najar celebrates the legacy of Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz’s Jazz Samba on his latest LP and we feature a track from his Jazz Samba Pra Sempre, as well as one from the original 1962 work.

Ronnie Foster offers a new take on Stevie Wonder’s classic, “Isn’t She Lovely,” included on Reboot, due out July 15 on Blue Note, and the same label has announced its partnership with Anderson .Paak’s new label APESHIT, to release DOMi & JD BECK‘s debut album on July 29. In memory of trailblazing Asian-American saxophonist Gabe Baltazar, we end our playlist this week with a 1961 recording of “Stairway to the Stars” by the Stan Kenton Orchestra, featuring him as its star soloist. Baltazar recently passed away, aged 92.

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