Mondo Jazz

This episode of Mondo Jazz isn’t about rankings or best-of lists. It’s about memory. Over the past six months, certain pieces of music kept calling us back. Among them, are the tunes in this playlist. The playlist features Luca Curcio; Bram De Looze, Hank Roberts, Thomas Morgan, Joey Baron; Trond Kallevåg; Wojtek Mazolewski; Louis Sclavis; Charles Lloyd [pictured], Jason Moran, Marvin Sewell. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Figure in Blue, Memories of Duke"] Happy listening!

In a year that often felt overwhelming, music remained a place of focus and meaning. This episode of Mondo Jazz brings together the songs from the past six months that helped make sense of the noise—or at least gave us a reason to lean in and listen. The playlist features Funkwrench Blues [pictured]; Anne Drummond; Donny McCaslin; Vincent Peirani; SFJAZZ Collective; and Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Drowning Man" onwards]. Happy listening!

The past six months have delivered more music than anyone could possibly absorb in real time. So this week, instead of trying to keep up, we slow things down and look back—focusing on the songs that earned repeat listens and slowly made a home in our ears. The playlist features Charlie Hunter, Ella Feingold; Craig Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore; Saha Gnawa; Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet; Zé Ibarra; Ryan Keberle; Anna Webber & Angela Morris [pictured] Big Band. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Housatonic" to "Habitual"]. Happy listening!

Rather than looking back at the year as a whole, here we concentrate on the second half. What you’ll hear are the songs that stayed close, long after the initial listen. The playlist features Oddjob; Nicholas Payton, Esperanza Spalding, Karriem Riggins; Flea (pictured); Carmen Staaf; Max Nagl; Jason Moran, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra; Amir ElSaffar. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [up to "10:23 AM"] Happy listening!

Here is another dip into the river of new albums, focusing releases (and re-releases) worth holding on to. The playlist features The Jazz Passengers, Jeff Buckley; Bill Ware, the Club Bird All Stars; Patricia Brennan; Csaba Palotai; Rosa Brunello; Pharos. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [from "Jolly Street" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Mariagrazia Giove.