Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
 Pianist and composer Deanna Witkowski honors the First Lady of Jazz, Mary Lou Williams, on her lovingly conceived and radiantly realized seventh album, “Force of Nature.” Released along with Witkowski’s first book—a detailed and engaging biography of Williams—the disc caps off 20 years of immersive research into the life and compositional genius of the pioneering composer-arranger and harmonically intrepid pianist.

     Although Ira Sullivan performed with jazz luminaries like Charlie Parker, Lester Young, and Art Blakey, his music is not as widely known among general audiences. He limited his touring performances and instead chose to focus on teaching at the esteemed Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, becoming one of the leading jazz educators in the U.S. Sullivan passed away in 2020, but his musical legacy lives on in a new recording project, “Ira The Tribute Album” by the Blue Road Records Band. The ensemble is made up of some of the sterling musicians who have made a home in South Florida, including one of Ira’s sons, guitarist Brev Sullivan, who brought his father’s complex charts to the recording sessions.

Also this week, the Chicago-based New Standard Quintet, led by saxophonist Ken Partyka, features seven original compositions on its second offering, “Another Time, Another Place”;

guitarist Nathan Borton celebrate his Midwest musical inspirations—particularly Grant Green and Wes Montgomery—on his debut recording, “Each Step”;

      and singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sasha Dobson offers up her first vocal recording, “Girl Talk.”

    Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
 Le Coq Records offers up a second volume from its ever-growing family of brilliant musicians with “The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2.” It showcases not only the virtuoso musicianship of many of contemporary jazz’s most in demand players, but also shines a brighter spotlight on their compositional gifts. The roster includes keyboardists John Beasley and Bill Cunliffe, bassists John Patitucci and Ben Williams, percussionists Vinnie Colaiuta, Marvin “Smitty” Smith and Alex Acuna, saxophonists Rick Margitza, Chris Potter and Bob Sheppard, trumpeters Terell Stafford and Rashawn Ross, and guitarist Russell Malone.

     Composer/trombonist Doug Scarborough presents a compelling collection of new works, fusing music of the West—jazz, with overtones of classical and prog-rock—and traditional Middle Eastern elements on “The Color of Angels.” Setting the stage with his 2015 release where his introduced the trombone to the world as an instrument capable of expressively playing Arabic scales, the new disc is a riveting follow-up as he retains the dynamic core of collaborators.

Also this week, pianist Sean Fyfe, who originally hails from Vancouver and has had formative residencies in Montreal, New York, and now London, assembles an all-star band from his Montreal days on “Late Night”;

another all-star group featuring saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, bassist Lonnie Plaxico and trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, presents a program of originals and jazz standards on “Old New Borrowed & Blue”;

   and singer, songwriter and arranger Jazzmea Horn unveils her third release as a leader, “Dear Love.”