Try It Out Tuesdays offers a free full MP3 of an artist. Today’s artist is Miles Stiebel. I don’t get a lot of jazz violin in my mailbox and it’s always good to hear something other than another guitar or saxophone recording. The cut is a cover of the Stevie Wonder classic from Stiebel’s just-released [...]

Diana Krall’s next recording, Quiet Nights, is a Brazilian jazz album coming out on March 31. After marrying Elvis Costello and giving birth, Diana says, “I feel more womanly, I guess, and I think this record is a love letter but very sensual, more on the erotic side. It’s definitely late night.” Diana isn’t the [...]

ContemporaryJazz.com Radio plays nu jazz, acid jazz, remixed jazz, jazzy house, dancefloor jazz, and other groove jazz styles. It’s online all the time and is free (with ads) or you can purchase a VIP package for commercial free listening and other benefits. In the last three weeks, I added over two dozen new selections to [...]

One constant in the contemporary jazz world is the planning and reliable execution of Heads Up recordings. I just got the list for 2009 and it’s another winner for contemporary jazz fans. I’ll elaborate more in later posts but here’s what’s on the schedule: January Incognito – More Tales Remixed – remixes of songs from [...]

I began looking up the various jazz seasonal recordings when I first learned about the new Christmas recording from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. I’ve gotten a good number and am breaking them into separate posts. Here are some of the singers who have new holiday recordings out this year. Al Jarreau – Christmas. An [...]

Marcus Johnson is presenting three new recordings under the brand FLO – For the Love Of. FLO: Standards covers classics like “On Green Dolphin Street,” “Body and Soul,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Goodbye Port Pie Hat” and features Johnson, Bobby Lyle, Michael Price, and drummer Lenny Robinson. Like FLO: Standards, the title of FLO: Romance [...]

Jeff Lorber – Heard ThatSome nice pop-jazz gems; guests include Rex Rideout, trumpeters Rick Braun and Ron King, and Gerald Albright. Buy the CD or DRM-free download at Amazon Buy the download from iTunes Will Bernard – Blue Plate Special Buy the CD at Amazon Buy the download from iTunes Take 6 – The StandardA [...]

I’m catching up on press releases and other email (way, way behind). I just read two separate messages with two things in common – bassist Larry Grenadier and family. Grenadier plays on The Growing Season, the latest from his wife of over ten years, singer Rebecca Martin. This is a special and personal recording, inspired [...]

It’s been over 15 years since I’ve gotten a new Kim Pensyl recording (the excellent Eyes of Wonder). He kind of dropped off my radar. I heard he switched to trumpet but whatever label(s) he was on never did any sort of media push that I saw. He’s back, and on piano/keyboards, with When Katie [...]

McCoy Tyner – Guitars CD and DVD with John Scofield, Derek Trucks, Bela Fleck, Marc Ribot, and Bill Frisell. Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette comprise the rhythm section. Buy the CD from Amazon! Charlie Haden Family & Friends’ Rambling Boy with Pat Metheny, Bruce Hornsby, Elvis Costello, Bela Fleck, Vince Gill, Rosanne Cash, Ricky Skaggs, [...]