Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
“Live in Cub
a” captures nine-time Grammy Award-winner Wynton Marsalis and the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s dazzling first—and only—performances in Cuba, where they explored the profound connections between American jazz and Afro-Cuban music, from bebop to bolero and beyond. Recorded in front of clamorous, sold-out crowds over three night at Havana’s Mella Theater in October 2010, the disc finds the Orchestra performing Ellington Standards, Afro-Cuban numbers and distinctly modern compositions form the band members.
“The Royal Bopsters Project” is a singular recording with a 
one-two vocal jazz punch. It simultaneously introduces a powerful new jazz quartet of Amy London, Darmon Meader, Dylan Pramuk and Holli Ross while serving as a stellar vehicle to honor five of the most influential jazz vocalese legends of all time: Mark Murphy, Bob Dorough, Jon Hendricks, Sheila Jordan and Annie Ross. Four years in the making, the project was initially conceived by London as a twilight-years feature for her musical hero and close friend Mark Murphy. One by one, the other ‘royal bopsters’ signed on for the project at London’s behest. “I wanted to honor these elders and bring their music to a new generation who may not be aware of their importance to this music,” says London, a jazz vocal hero herself at this point, having helped to found the prestigious New School Jazz Vocal program, one of the first and most respected such programs in the country, out of which many top young vocalists have emerged.
Also this week, Karrin Allyson focuses her vocal talents on the legendary musical partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein with “Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson sings Rodgers and Hammerstein”; pianist Orrin Evans introduces an extraordinary new piano trio featuring Christian McBride and Karriem Riggins on “The Evolution of Oneself”; and Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio with Ron Carter and Kenny Barron are captured “Live in Studio.”