Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify  

Guitarist George Freeman is jazz history. His memories burn bright from a childhood surrounded by jazz greats Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller stopping by his home for a visit and to play the piano. His life in music has taken him around the world as a spirited sideman for a roster of jazz greats like Charlie Parker, Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin and Dinah Washington. But home and family in Chicago is where his heart is. Growing up with his eldest brother and drummer Eldridge and brother Von on tenor sax, George was destined to forge his own unique sound on the guitar. He celebrated his 95^th birthday last month with the release of “Everybody Say Yeah,” a new CD documenting his recordings from Southport Records that span twenty-six years of music.

     To say that acclaimed New Orleans street band Tuba Skinny has grown steadily popular over the past decade would be an immense understatement. Over the years, they’ve attracted a wide variety of fans with the strength of their musicianship and the scope of their jazz and American roots music catalog. However, following the release of a 2020 compilation album and a collaboration with Maria Muldaur, it became apparent that it was time for Tuba Skinny to release a record of their own songs. That dream has been fulfilled with the release of “Magnolia Stroll.”  

Also this week, the Vancouver-based bass player John Lee exudes an unerring sense for swing and radiates deep joy on his exceptional debut recording, “The Artist”;

Jesse Palter takes her place as one of the next generation of great singer-songwriters, stretching her jazz chops into the mainstream of American music on “Nothing Standard”;

       and saxophonist Doug Webb unveils his 11^th release for Posi-Tone Records, “The Message.”