Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
The story of the new album by Ulysses Owen Jr. and Generation Y began when the drummer sat down in the studios for a “For the First Time” challenge, reimagining the rock band Nirvana’s song “In Bloom” without ever having heard the original. The session’s massive success, amassing millions of views, prompted a follow-up where Owens brought his Generation Y band to spontaneously cover “Heart Shaped Box,” cementing their reputation transforming grunge into high-level jazz on the fly. While Owens initially planned to channel this momentum into a Big Band Nirvana project, he was persuaded to use the raw, nimble energy of the smaller Generation Y unit to record not only the Nirvana tunes but grunge classics by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots and others, for the new album, “Kind of Grunge.”
“Repaved” is an ambitious and deeply personal work from vibraphonist and composer Jalen Baker, inspired by the rich cultural heritage of Houston’s Third, Fourth and Fifth Wards. As a fourth-generation resident of the Third Ward, Baker uses jazz as a powerful vehicle for preserving the stories, achievements, and ongoing legacy of communities facing rapid changes through gentrification. Combining sophisticated compositions with expressive improvisation, the album transforms local history into a compelling musical narrative that celebrates resilience, identity, and cultural memory.
Also this week, New Jersey-based pianist and composer Enoch Smith Jr. continues to build a personal trio sound rooted in blues, groove, swing and emotional clarity on “This is What Love Does”; two-time Grammy winning vocalist and songwriter Nicole Zuraitis unveils her ambitious five suite concept album, “The Devil I Knew,” delving into reflections on a lost relationship; and the powerhouse funky soul jazz group Huntertones offer up their sixth release, “Transmission.”