Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
One of the great American jazz pianists and composers of the 20th century, Erroll Garner, was among the most popular, successful and influential jazz artists of his era. He popularized jazz for millions all over the world with record breaking concert tours, and at the height of his career, was credited with developing the first completely original piano style since Art Tatum. The curators of Garner’s archival recordings are now unveiling a new disc of his work, “Ready Take One.” Recorded during an especially prolific creative period running from 1967-1971, all 14 songs are previously unreleased and only recently restored after nearly 50 years. Listeners are also given a glimpse behind the studio doors, with rare insightful conversational tidbits between Garner and the group included between many of the songs.
Coming off a Grammy win earlier this year, John Scofield has been largely in the spotlight over the last year, sitting in with the Roots on “The Tonight Show,” gracing the cover of Downbeat magazine and garnering the attention of NPR. His impressive 40-plus-year career has seen Scofield masterfully tackle multiple genres as well as several eclectic collaborations with everyone from Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, to Government Mule and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Next up for the acclaimed guitarist is an exploration into his strong country and folk roots with “Country For Old Men,” an homage to such greats at George Jones, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, James Taylor and Hank Williams, among others. Scofield plays alongside accomplished colleagues Steve Swallow, Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart.
Also thi
s week, Madeleine Peyroux continues her musical journey of exploration beyond the ordinary with “Secular Hymns,” a spirited and soulful masterwork recorded in a live setting in a small church in the English countryside.
The Phil Norman Tentet gives a modern jazz sound to some cool jazz classics from the ‘50s and ‘60s on “Then & Now”.
Miami-based saxophonist, flutist composer and arranger Tom McCormick features a mix of Latin and Brazilian jazz, along with a touch of funk and modal jazz, on “South Beat.”