Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Antonio Adolfo is recognized internationally as a Brazilian jazz master. With a discography that stretches back over 60 years, he has released 25 albums as a leader. The prolific recording artist, pianist and composer has been nominated for several Latin Grammy and Grammy awards. But Adolfo is not just a Brazilian or Latin musician. His complex jazz harmonies reveal the influence American jazz has on his playing and arranging. His newest release, “Love Cole Porter,” is an homage to the beloved American composer, who is among his favorites.
Celebrating the life and resilience of his 88-years-old mother, composer Dr. Anthony Branker’s new release, “Song My Mom Liked,” is a gift to Joan Branker who has been mightily challenged by the ongoing cognitive decline of dementia. Conceptualized after witnessing how her face would brighten and her body would start to move when listening to his earlier music, he was driven to reimagine 11 of his compositions for his brilliant ensemble, Imagine. Saxophonist Donny McCaslin, trumpeter Philip Dizack, pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist Linda My Han Oh, drummer Rudy Royston, guitarist Pete McCann, and vocalist Aubrey Johnson each bring inspired musicianship and deep soul to the lyrical flow, ingenious rhythmic interplay, and spirited performances that have come to define Branker’s projects.
Also this week, Detroit-bred trumpeter and composer Anthony Stanco is joined by some of his fellow educators from the Michigan State University jazz program on his new disc, “Stanco’s Time”; Montreal saxophonist Gabriel Genest’s second album as a leader, “As It Is,” is a compelling project with a resolutely modern aesthetic marked by complex rhythms, modal harmony, and sophisticated melodies; and renowned composer, arranger and bassist Fernando Huergo’s new big band release, “Relentless,” is a musical exploration inspired by Luke Mogelson’s insights in The New Yorker reflecting on societal struggles.