Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
John Ellis, one of the most sought-after saxophonists and multi-reedists of his generation, has had ample opportunity to write for long-form compositional settings. His chamber-jazz ensemble works are quasi-operatic. But when it came time to deal with George Bizet’s opera “Carmen,” Ellis saw the task as one of scaling down. His new CD, “Bizet: Carmen in Jazz,” began as a commission for the St. Bart’s Music Festival and focuses on the music and less on the exotic ‘gypsy’ narrative. And he does it from a jazz quartet standpoint, enlisting a group of brilliant improvisers with distinct voices: Gary Versace on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass and Jason Marsalis on drums.

For nearly 30 years, Kevin Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest, dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. Over the years, Kevin has won numerous awards and played many festivals, both solo and with his band. His soul-inspired presentation is unique, which consistently gets him compared to a range of artists like Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared to B.B. King. His latest project with his band Big Medicine is “Thank You Brother Bill: A Tribute to bill Withers.”

Also this week, the band Blue Moods pays heartfelt tribute to composer Duke Pearson, reimagining his enduring musical legacy on “Swing & Soul”; the Reid Hoyson Project features vibraphonist Hendrik Meurkens and bassist Rufus Reid on the new release, “On a Misty Night”; and pianist and composer Lisa Hilton shares the spotlight with quartet mates Igmar Thomas on trumpet, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Rudy Royston on “Coincidental Moments.”