Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Pianist Manuel Valera’s new trio CD, “The Planets,” draws upon and interprets the wisdom of the late Russian composer Nicolas Slonimsky whose “Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns,” originally published in 1947, became a seminal opus for musicians, composers, and educators. The likes of Arnold Schoenberg, Freddie Hubbard and John Coltrane cogitated Slonimsky’s analysis of pandiatonic progressions, double notes, and palindromic canons. Valera assumes the mantle of understanding and translating this iconic work for a new generation. Almost every piece is named for a celestial body, a planet or star in our galaxy, with Valera characterizing each with an impressionistic rendering.
For their second recording, the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra went into the legendary Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, for a marathon two-day session, capturing the band’s eclectic spirit through nine original compositions along with an arrangement of McCoy Tyner’s “Senor Carlos.” Led by trumpeter Erik Jekabson, the band has held down a Sunday night gig for three years at Doc’s Lab in San Francisco’s vibrant North Beach neighborhood. Building a formidable book of originals and creative arrangements, a dynamic group aesthetic, and a loyal fan-base ready for anything, the ESO takes chances and explores options while never veering from their pursuit of heart, soul and groove.
Also this week, “Here’s to Life” is the newest from As Is, featuring guitarist Alan Schulman and vocalist Stacey Shulman, with an eclectic mix of tunes.
Pianist Emmet Cohen’s 
“Masters Legacy Series Volume 2” is a collaboration and celebration with the great bassist, composer and arranger Ron Carter.
Legendary reedman Ken Peplowski features a collection of some of his favorite big band arrangements on “Sunrise.”