2021/2022 Jazz Releases, Vol. I

The recipe for a delicious, digestible, and healthy playlist is as follows: As a basis, we put fresh jazz-hop with handmade beats from small producers. This will give us the required modern groove. For the filling we need nice solos, so we choose from excellent post-bop and adventurous modern jazz. We add vintage melodies and beautiful voices for a touch of emotion, we spice it up with some avant-garde/free, we elevate the flavor with hot Latin jazz, we garnish with ingenious new music/contemporary classical and we serve on digital platforms. Let’s dig in!

Listen to the playlist here

 

 

Read details about the albums that take part in the playlist

 

FUTURENOT – Greatest Hits (2021)
Genre: Jazz-hop, soul/funk
Label: Color Red
Place: Seattle, USA
Reviews: SoulAndJazzAndFunk
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Funky and hip-hop beats and riffs by FUTURENOT, a collective  led by Jason Cressey (trb) and Peter Daniel (sax)

Baschnagel Group – Timeline Promenade (2021)
Genre: Post-bop, jazz fusion
Label: Mons Records
Place: Zürich, Switzerland
Reviews: JazzJournal
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Drummer/composer Pius Baschnagel (Zurich Jazz Orchestra), with his rich, energetic drumming, leads his quintet on safe waters

Loophole – Royal Sessions (2021)
Genre: Jazz-hop, downtempo, electronic
Label: Rare Alpine
Place: Switzerland
Reviews: 
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Loophole  is a very cool collective, gathered by Dave Krähenbühl (dr), Michel Spahr (b), and Claude Stucki (g)

Lajos Dudas – On the Third Stream Path (2022)
Genre: Avand-garde jazz, third stream
Label: JazzSick Records
Place: Germany
Reviews: JazzThing.de
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Previously unreleased “third stream” recordings from 1986 – 2003, featuring the 81 y.o. today, Hungarian-born clarinetist Lajos Dudas, in an album nominated for the “German Critics Award”

Isabel – De Isabel para Manuel Alejandro (2021)
Genre: Flamenco, pop
Label: Isabel
Place: Mexico
Reviews: ExclusivasPuebla
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Isabel’s warm and passionate voice on renown Spanish composer Manuel Alejandro’s love songs

Imajin – Imajin (2021)
Genre: Nu jazz, electronic
Label: Raw Tapes Records
Place: New York / Tel Aviv
Reviews: TwistedSoul
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Stylish combination of organic and electronic sounds, by pianist/producer Nitai Hershkovits (aka Imajin) and his guests

Luca Mannutza – The Uneven Shorter (2021)
Genre: Post-bop, modern jazz
Label: Raw Tapes Records
Place: Italy
Reviews: Birdbox, OffTopicMagazine
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Inventive renditions of Wayne Shorter compositions, using odd time signatures by pianist Luca Mannutza and his skillful partners: Paolo Recchia (as), Daniele Sorrentino (b), Lorenzo Tucci (dr)

Smokey Joe & The Kid – War Is Over (2021)
Genre: Electro-jazz, soul/funk, rap/hip-hop
Label: Banzaï Lab
Place: Bordeaux, FR
Reviews: DeeJay, Ulele
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Producers Smokey Joe and The Kid mix rap/hip-hop with classic Black Music grooves

Juan Felipe Pulido – Así Vivió Pepe Riveros (2021)
Genre: Latin jazz
Label: Redpmusic
Place: Vienna, Austria
Reviews: Hjck
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

A nice Latin jazz band based on the rhythms of Colombia, by pianist and composer Juan Felipe Pulido

Salomão Soares, Vanessa Moreno – Yatra-Tá (2021)
Genre: Vocal jazz
Label: Salomão Soares e Vanessa Moreno [dist. Tratore]
Place: Brazil
Reviews: NewsWep
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

A fresh look at the unparalleled musical treasure of Brazil, with Vanessa Moreno (voc) and  Salomão Soares (p, voc)

Michael Mayo – Bones (2021)
Genre: Neo-soul, hip-hop, new jazz
Label: Artistry Music/Mack Avenue
Place: NYC
Reviews: JazzWise, JazzIz
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Known for his collaboration with Herbie Hancock, singer and composer Michael Mayo, on a debut album that received very good reviews

SGJAZZ – SGJAZZ, Vol.2 (2021)
Genre: Jazz-hop
Label: Melting Pot Music
Place: Louisville, Kentacky
Reviews: ScratchedVinyl, JazzIz
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Fundamental Jazz-hop by SGJAZZ, a “Super Group” featuring Dr. Dundiff (dr, producer), Idris Frederick (keys), Patrick Denney (b), Anthony Keenan (g), Noah Reed (as, ts)

Silvana Estrada – Marchita (2022)
Genre: World
Label: Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC
Place: Mexico
Reviews: NPR, RollingStone, NYTimes, Billboard
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

The extraordinary, quirky voice and passion of 24 y.o. singer/songwriter Silvana Estrada  has aroused plenty of interest for this, second, solo album of hers

Jim McNeely, Frankfurt Radio Big Band, Chris Potter – Rituals (2022)
Genre: Modern jazz, big band
Label: Double Moon Records
Place: DE
Reviews: ProperMusic, MarlBank
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Frankfurt Radio Big Band in a modern program, including a rendition of Igor Stravinski’s Rite of Spring by conductor Jim McNeely, and famous saxophonist Chris Potter as guest soloist

Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant (2021)
Genre: Neo-soul, R&B, “Future Beats”
Label: Brainfeeder
Place: Melbourne, AU
Reviews: PitchFork, TheGuardian, MetaCritic
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Etherial and sophisticated is the sound of Hiatus Kaiyote, a group with many credentials and collaborations with pop celebrities. Featuring Naomi “Nai Palm” Saalfield (g. voc), Paul Bender (b), Simon Mavin (keys), Perrin Moss (dr)

Misha Tsiganov Quintet – Misha’s Wishes (2022)
Genre: Post-bop
Label: Criss Cross Jazz
Place: NYC
Reviews: ChallengeRecords
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

The connoisseurs strike again: Misha Tsiganov (p), Alex Sipiagin (tp), Seamus Blake (ts), Boris Kozlov (b), Donald Edwards (dr)

Ayanda Sikade – Umakhulu (2021)
Genre: Contemporary jazz
Label: Afrosynth Records
Place: South Africa
Reviews: Daily.Bandcamp, News24/Arts, SisgwenJazz
Listen: Bandcamp, Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Talented drummer Ayanda Sikade flies high, along with Nduduzo Makhathini (p), Simon Manana (as), Nhlanhla Radebe (b)

Carl Wittigs Aurora Oktett – Perspective Suite (2021)
Genre: Contemporary classical, modern jazz
Label: NWOG Records
Place: Germany
Reviews: Peter.E.Rytz
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Advanced contemporary chamber music, also including improvisation moments, by composer and bassist Carl Wittigs and Aurora Oktett, an ensemble of strings, horns, bass, and drums

Truyols Music – Alive! (2021)
Genre: Contemporary jazz, soul, rap/hip-hop
Label: Truyols Music
Place: Washington, DC
Reviews: 
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Pleasant, diverse program by groups featuring pianist Antonio Truyols

George Kontrafouris Trio – Tribute to Bill Evans (2022)
Genre: Contemporary jazz, mainstream
Label: Irida Jazz
Place: Athens, GR
Reviews: GreekMusicShop, KeepJazzinGR
Listen: Deezer, Spotify, Youtube

Pianist and educator George Kontrafouris is a mature performer that highlights, in an impressionistic mood, the timeless charm of Bill Evans’ style. Featuring Kimonas Karoutzos (b), Jason Wastor (dr)

Find the playlist on streaming services

 

 

You may want to check more remarkable new releases

 

VOCALISTS

• The Baylor Project – Generations
• Giacomo Gates – You (Savant)
• Melanie Charles – Y’all Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women (Impulse!)
• Dan Bárta, Gustav Brom Czech Radio Bigband – I Killed This Song At Karaoke Last Night
• Alexis Cole – Sky Blossom: Songs from My Tour of Duty (ZOHO)
• David Linx – Be My Guest – The Duos Project (Cristal)
• Kandace Springs – My Name Is Sheba
• Andrea Motis (+tr), WDR Big Band – Colors & Shadows
• Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. – Landau Live in Las Vegas (Cellar live)
• Sara Colman – Ink on a Pin – A Celebration of Joni Mitchell
• Chris Morrissey– Impact Winter Formal (Edition)
  (ft. Philip Dizack, ..)
• Sara Serpa, Emmanuel Iduma – Intimate Strangers (Biophilia)
• Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. – Landau Live in Las Vegas (Cellar Live)
• Roseanna Vitro – Sing a Song of Bird
  (ft. Bob Dorough, Sheila Jordan,  Gary Bartz, ..)
• Letizia Lucchesi – It’s a Miracle Your Life (Alfamusic)
• Paolo Conte – Live At Venaria Reale (BMG)
• Ilya Serov (+tp) – Just Friends
  (ft. Alex Hahn, Dave Koz, ..)

TRUMPETERS

• Adam O’Farrill – Visions of Your Other
• Matthew Halsall – Salute to the Sun (Live at Hallé St Peter’s (Gondwana)
• Erik Palmberg – In Between (Naxos)
• Jamie Breiwick – The Jewel (Live at The Dead Poet)
• Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra – Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
  (ft. Catherine Russell)
• Thomas Heflin – Morning Star (Blue Canoe)
  (ft. Greg Tardy, ..)

SAXOPHONISTS, CLARINETISTS, FLUTISTS

• Immanuel Wilkins – The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
• David Binney Quartet – A Glimpse of the Eternal (Criss Cross)
  (ft. Craig Taborn, Eivind Opsvik, Dan Weiss)
• Remy Le Boeuf – Architecture of Storms
• Igor Butman – Only Now
  (ft. Matt Brewer, Eddie Gomez, Antonio Sanchez, ..)
• Asaf Yuria – Exorcisms
• Ivo Perelman Trio – Garden of Jewels
  (ft. Matthew Shipp, Whit Dickey)
• Kenny G – New Standards (Concord)
• Gary Smulyan, Joe Magnarelli, Tilden Webb Trio – Live at Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club (Cellar Live)
• Cory Weeds with Strings – What is There to Say? (Cellar Live)
• Tony Malaby’s Sabino – The Cave of Winds (Pyroclastic)
  (ft. Michael Formanek, Tom Rainey, Ben Monder, ..)
• Ralph LaLama – Staycation: A Family Affair (SteepleChase)
  (ft. John Magnarelli, ..)
• Mark Lockheart – Dreamers (Edition)
• Emile Parisien – Louise (ACT)
  (ft. Theo Croker, Nasheet Waits, .. )
• Jimi Tenor, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra – Terra Exotica
• T.K. Blue – Eyes of the Elders (Arkadia)
  (ft. Stefon Harris, Randy Brecker, Eric Reed, Lonnie Plaxico, Joanne Brackeen, Jeff “Tain” Watts)
• Alex Hamburger (fl, voc) – And She Spoke
• Sean Khan – Supreme Love: a Journey Through Coltrane
• Anton Delecca – The Offering (Earshift)
  (ft. Immanuel Wilkins. ..)
• Alex Hitchcock – Dream Band (Fresh Sound New Talent)
• Sara Schoenbeck (bsn) – Sara Schoenbeck (Pyroclastic)
  (ft. Harris Eisenstadt, Nicole Mitchell, Nels Cline, Roscoe Mitchell ..)
• Benjamin Deschamps – Augmented Reality
• Todd Herbert – Temple of Silence
• Harry Allen – My Reverie by Special Request
• Eric Wurzelbacher – Idle Minds
• The Mattan Klein (fl) Quartet –The Long Run (Ubuntu)
• Johan Borgström Sextett – Eternal Spring (Naxos)
• Skye Hamilton-Carranza – Pedal Time
• Manuel Dunkel – Northern Journey (Eclipse)
• Benjamin deschamps – Augmented Reality
• Cuarteao – Desenmascarado (u n I t)

• Nick Finzer – Out Of Focus (Outside in Music)
• Roswell Rudd – Roswell Rudd & Duck Baker Live (Dot Time Legends)
• Janning Trumann 4 – Roots & Riots

GUITARISTS

• Steve Cardenas – Charlie and Paul (Newvelle)
  (ft. Loren Stillman, Thomas Morgan, Matt Wilson)
• Dave Stryker – As We Are
  (ft. Julian Shore, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Sara Caswell, string quartet)
• Oz Noy – Riverside (OUTSIDE IN MUSIC)
• Charlie Hunter – Kick, Snare, Baritone Guitar
• John Hart – Euphoria (SteepleChase)
• Jonas Windscheid´s Paintbox – Alto (Mons)
• Peter Madsen’s Six on Six Guitar Ensemble – Where There Was No Path
• Joschi Joachimsthaler – Und andere komplizierte Wörter
• Juan Carlos Quintero – Table for Five!
• David Scott McLean – Te Canto Colores

PIANISTS, KEYBOARDISTS

• Greg Spero – The Chicago Experiment (Ropeadope)
  (ft. Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill, Joel Ross, Jeff Parker, Darryl Jones, Irvin Pierce)
• Matthew Shipp – Codebreaker
• Matthew Shipp, Whit Dickey – Reels
• Bill O’Connell – A Change Is Gonna Come (Savant)
  (ft. Craig Handy, ..)
• Bill Charlap Trio – Street Of Dreams (Blue Note)
  (ft. Peter Washington, Kenny Washington)
• Abdullah Ibrahim – Solotude (Gearbox)
• Harold Mabern – Mabern Plays Coltrane (Smoke Sessions)
  (ft. Eric Alexander, Vincent Herring, Steve Davis, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth)
• Rhoda Scott – Rhoda Scott Lady All Stars
• Sophia Domancich, Simon Goubert – Twofold Head (PEEWEE!)
• Larry Goldings – Earthshine
• Kenneth Brown – Love People
• Bill Carrothers, Vincent Courtois – Firebirds
• James Taylor Quartet – Baker’s Walk
• Bob James – Feel Like Making LIVE!
• Ivo Neame – Glimpses of Truth (Whirlwind)
  (ft. Gilad Hekselman. Ingrid Jensen, ..)
• Aruan Ortiz – Cuban Nocturne (Newvelle)
• Kurt Rosenwinkel – Kurt Rosenwinkel Plays Piano
• Johannes Mössinge, Joel Frahm – Call It Even (u n i t)
• Carl Winther, Karl-Martin Almqvist – A Ballad Moment (amm)
• Pablo Held – Meet Me At The Loft (Live)
• Baptiste Trotignon, Orchestre Victor Hugo, Jean-François Verdier – Anima (Alpha Classics)
• Alexander Hawkins Mirror Canon – Break a Vase (Intakt)
  (ft. Shabaka Hutchings, ..)
• Makoto Ozone – Ozone 60 (Standards) (UNIVERSAL)
• Nduduzo Makhathini – The Blues of a Zulu Spirit
• Pat Bianchi – Something to Say – The Music of Stevie Wonder (Savant)
  (ft. Paul Bollenback, Byron Landham, Wayne Escoffery)
• Joe LoCascio – Book of Days
• Guillaume de Chassy – L’âme des poètes (NoMadMusic)
  (ft. Elise Caron, Thomas Savy, Arnault Cuisinier)
• Bobby Lyle – Ivory Flow
  (ft. Marcus Miller, Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Najee, Stanley Clarke, John Patitucci, ..)
• Usein Bekirov, Max Malyshev – Hands
  (ft. Mike Stern, Ibrahim Maalouf, ..)
• Grégory Privat – Yonn
• Mario Stantchev – Monk and More (Cristal)
• André Marques – Choro Universal
• Carlos Camilo – Seventh Elevation (feat. Jorge Pinelo)
• Nicola Andrioli – Skylight
  (ft. Kurt Rosenwinkel, ..)
• Frank Dupree, Jakob Krupp, Meinhard Jenne – Nikolai Kapustin Βlueprint
• Pete Malinverni – On The Town, Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein
  (ft. Jeff Hamilton, ..)
• Joel Lyssarides – Stay Now (ACT)

BASSISTS

• Ben Allison – Moments Inside
  (ft. Chico Pinheiro, Steve Cardenas, Allan Mednard)
• Avishai Cohen, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra – Two Roses
  (ft. Elchin Shirinov, Mark Guiliana)
• Christian McBride – Live at the Village Vanguard (Mack Avenue)
  (ft. Steve Wilson, Warren Wolf, Peter Martin, Carl Allen)
• Boris Kozlov – First Things First (Posi-Tone)
  (ft. Donny McCaslin, Art Hirahara, Behn Gillece, Rudy Royston)
• John Hebert – Sounds of Love (Sunnyside)
  (ft. Taylor Ho Bynum, Tim Berne, Fred Hersch, Ches Smith)
• Tyler Mitchell, featuring Marshall Allen – Dancing Shadows
• Henri Texier – Heteroklite Lockdown
• Alex Malheiros – Tempos Futuros
• Daniel Casimir – Boxed In (Jazz re:freshed)
  (Ft. Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, ..)
• Brendan Keller-Tuberg – In Spite of It All (Shifting Paradigm)
• Sam Anning – Oaatchapai (Earshift)
• Juan Bayon – Silencio Ensordecedor (Ears and Eyes)
  (ft. Leo Genovese, Juan Cruz de Urquiza, Lucas Goicoechea, ..)
• Felix Henkelhausen Quintet – Misanthropic Tendencies
• Gui Duvignau – Baden (Sunnyside)
  (ft. Bill Frissell, Ron Carter, ..)
• Eva Kess – Inter-Musical Love Letter (u n i t)
• Don Dali – Amalfi’s Drive
• Dieter Ilg – Dedication (ACT)

DRUMMERS, PERCUSSIONISTS

• Makaya Mccraven – Deciphering The Message (Blue Note)
  (ft. Joel Ross, Marquis Hill, Greg Ward, Matt Gold, Jeff Parker, Junius Paul, and De’Sean Jones)
• Louis Hayes – Crisis (Savant)
  (ft. Abraham Burton, Steve Nelson, David Hazeltine, Dezron Douglas, Camille Thurman)
• Mark Guiliana – Music For Doing
• Taru Alexander – Echoes of the Masters (Sunnyside)
  (ft. Antoine Roney, ..)
• Mareike Wiening – Future Memories (Greenleaf)
  (ft. Rich Perry, Glenn Zaleski, Alex Goodman, Johannes Felscher)
• Klemens Marktl Trio featuring Dave Kikoski & Boris Kozlov –  Live in Austria (Fresh Sound)
• Charles Rumback – Seven Bridges (Astral Spirits)
  (ft. Ron Miles, Greg Ward, ..)
• Mário Barreiros – Dois Quartetos Sobre o Mar
• Arnaud Dolmen – Adjusting (Gaya)

VIBRAPHONISTS

• Jorge Rossy, Robert Landfermann, Jeff Ballard – Puerta (ECM)
• Alexis Valet – Explorers (Jazz & People)
• Giovanni Perin – Portraits
• Altfrid M. Sicking – I Am (Mons)
• Armaroli – Schiaffini 4tet – Monkish (’round About Thelonious)

VIOLINISTS, CELLISTS

• Federico Nathan – Vivo y Medio (Club del Disco)
• Elia Bastida – Èlia Bastida Meets Scott Hamilton & Joan Chamorro Trio
• Fiona MONBET – Maelström
• Shirley Smart (vlc),  Robert Mitchell – Zeitgeist²

HARMONICISTS, ACCORDIONISTS, BANDONEONISTS

• Ben Thomas – Eternal Aporia

HARPISTS

BIG BANDS, ORCHESTRAS, ENSEMBLES

• UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, Ed Partyka – Last Dance (Neuklang)
• Jazzlab Orchestra – LoguslabusmUzikus (Effendi)
• The SWR Big Band , Magnus Lindgren, John Beasley – Bird Lives
• New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra – This Is Not An Orchestra
• Jan Levander, Bohuslän Big Band – Portrait of Bohuslän Big Band
• Onze Heures Onze Orchestra – Onze Heures Onze Orchestra, vol. 4
• Carn Davidson 9 – The History of Us
• Jazz Station Big Band – Moods
• Alexanderplatz Jazz Orchestra – OSMOS (Alfamusic)
• Orquestra Jazz De Matosinhos, Rebecca Martin, Larry Grenadier – After Midnight

GROUPS

• Ill Considered – Liminal Space (New Soil)
• Trio Corrente – Sincronia
• OJKOS – Miniatyrland
  (Johannes Solvang, Camilla Hole)
• The Souris-Jordan Jazz Orchestra – Battlegrounds Part One
• Konkarong – Konkarong (Periferi)
• Blue Moods – Myth & Wisdom (Posi-Tone)

  (ft. Diego Rivera,  Art Hirahara, Boris Kozlov, Joe Strasser)
• Three Hunters Trio – Dwarven Clockwork
• Tributo Pedro Iturralde – Tributo Pedro Iturralde
  (ft. Chano Domínguez, Gerardo Nuñez, Jorge Pardo, Perico Sambeat, Javier Colina, ..)
• Kalavera Orquesta – Incertidumbre
• Ticora – Rivers From Ogun (Jinrikisha)
• Nadja Trio – Reflets

BEATS, GROOVES & MOODS, SOUNDTRACKS, DJs, PRODUCERS

• Terrace Martin – DRONES (BMG)
  (Ft. Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, ..)
• Funky DL – Beautiful Soul
• Funky DL – Dennison Point / Life After Dennison
• Moonchild – Tell Him (Tru Thoughts)
  (ft. Lalah Hathaway, ..)
• Stephan Micus – Winter’s End (ECM)
• Apifera – 6 Visits
• RC & The Gritz – Live in Deep Ellum
• De-Phazz – The Instrumental Versions
• Paul Grant – Reflections (DeepMatter)
• Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange – Prayer For Peace
• Odd Chap – Spooktober: Halloween Electro Swing
• Swayyvo – SOUNDS IN MY OWN WORDS
• Danshin, Arooj Aftab – Backbone (Original Game Soundtrack)
• Sons of the Sun – Sons of the Sun
• Mike Blue – The Labyrinth of Eden
• Wisdm Giovanni – Doodle
• Mex Cortez – MONSOON WINDS
• Jazzanova – Creative Musicians (Waajeed & Henrik Schwarz Remixes)
• Alexander Flood – The Space Between
  (ft. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, ..)

GREEK ARTISTS

• Stavros Lantsias (p) – Trio Live at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Athens
  (ft. Yiorgos Kaloudis, Andreas Polyzogopoulos)
• S.E.V. Trio – Far from Close

  (Spiliotopoulos, Evdemon, Vassilopoulos)
• Stelios Chatzikaleas (tr) – Dignity
  (ft. Yiannis Papadopoulos, Thodoris Kotsifas, Ntinos Manos, Christos Konstantinidis, Nefeli Fasouli)
• Maria Manousaki (vl) – Hidden Trails
  (ft. Panagiotis Andreou, Haig Yazdjian, ..)
• Aris Papadopoulos (p), Grigoris Theodoridis (b) – Anapolontas
• Giorgos Tabakis (g) – Here Now Then
• George Nazos (g) – Symposium for Peace
• Dimitris Chiotis (lyra, oud, ..) – Alati