Enjoy an installment of Mondo Jazz spotlighting fresh releases that balance fire and subtlety, urgency and reflection. A great reminder that jazz is never just one thing—it’s restless, searching and multi-faceted.

Here's a playlist which shines a light on Lex Korten, one of New York’s most in-demand young pianists. Alongside his much-anticipated debut, you’ll hear collaborations that show just how deeply he’s shaping today’s scene. Also included: a stirring Max Roach tribute from Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell, plus an uplifting new release from pianist Michael Wolff.

From his early accordion days and forró roots to his global influence, Hermeto Pascoal lived in total communion with sound, inspiring generations worldwide. More than a multi-instrumentalist, he was a true “multi-thing-ist,” turning pianos, flutes, and drums into magic—but also rubber ducks, teapots, rivers, and stalactites. Perhaps shaped by his vision impairment, he treated every style and every sound source with equal respect, creating what he called universal music—not jazz, not strictly Brazilian, but everything at once. This playlist honors his genius and career, eight decades of spreading music, joy, and love.

There are countless ways to frame a jazz project—through cinema, sci-fi, the push and pull between roots and exploration, unconventional line-ups, or the African diaspora. You will find them all in this eclectic playlist.

Enjoy a playlist packed with unbridled joy and energy!

A playlist of handpicked gems from both sides of the Atlantic.

Enjoy another playlist of brilliant new releases the algorithms haven’t caught up with yet.

Here is a set that explores projects that reflect their authors’ fascination with music from far beyond their own birthplaces.

If you admire musicians that have developed a signature sound, then this is the playlist for you!

Enjoy another batch of wonderful recent releases which reshuffle long-time collaborators into fresh configurations, and the reissues of two seminal albums by Polar Bear.

Another stack of recent and upcoming albums to soundtrack the week ahead, kicking off with three stunners by Kirk Knuffke, Bram de Looze, and Anat Fort’s compelling take on the dreamworld of Paul Motian.

In this week’s installment of our sonic journey around the jazz world, we begin with the North Africa-North America express, driven by Trinidadian trumpet maestro Etienne Charles, and end with Brad Mehldau’s reimagining of the music of Elliott Smith.

Here is another batch of recent and upcoming releases from artists doing things their own way—whether it’s reimagining the legacy of pianist Les McCann and the poetry Everett Hoagland, or turning the listener into a real-time DJ.

Enjoy a playlist of standout new jazz releases from off the beaten path, with a special focus on late-night band heroes Lenny Pickett, Ron Blake, and Jon Batiste in a one-of-a-kind collaboration with Randy Newman.

Another weekly tour of fresh jazz sounds from all over the map, stylistically and geographically.

Another dive into the lesser-charted corners of the jazz world—recent gems, future classics… with no algorithms involved—this playlist was entirely hand-cranked for your sonic delight.

Two gems courtesy of Edition Records, two from Tom Teasley, a heartfelt tribute to Billie Holiday, and the ambitious Pianoworks of Kris Defoort—all you need for another beautiful sonic ride.

Enjoy a playlist featuring a special collaboration between Christian McBride, Sting and Andy Summers, three of the countless projects that keep Italian bassist Danilo Gallo busy, and the beautiful new releases by Simona Premazzi & Kyle Nasser and Jef Giansily.

This playlist kicks off under the banner of “More Is More” spotlighting large ensemble jazz and the creative possibilities that scale can offer. And ends with a spotlight on Scandinavian projects

Another round of gorgeous recent and upcoming releases, with a spotlight on the sonic alchemy emerging from Pete Min’s Lucy’s Meat Market studio in L.A.—plus a welcome chance to hear Anne Drummond step into the spotlight as a leader.

Enjoy a playlist that bridges past, present and future—celebrating two decades of boundary-pushing music from Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber and Quite Sane, honoring the legacy of Gil Scott-Heron, and spotlighting rising voices like Paul Cornish and Alessio Cazzetta.

After spending a couple of weeks basking in the sound of our favorite tracks of the year, it’s time to catch up with the tidal wave of new releases we’ve been saving up. This week’s episode is packed with global grooves—join us as we dive back into the pulse of now.

Here's the final part of our retrospective focusing on the tracks from the first half of 2025 that have sparked our imagination and set the tone for the rest of the year.

The curtain has been up on 2025’s jazz scene, and the first act has been quite compelling. We've been spotlighting the tracks that have stolen the show, and we're not quite done yet. Here's part 5 for you.