Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify  
Born in Yaroslavl, Russia, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin won top honors at the 1990 International Louis Armstrong Competition. After relocating to New York City, he’s been a favored player for various bands including the Gil Evans Orchestra, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, the Mingus Big Band, Dynasty and Orchestra and the Dave Holland Big Band, Sextet and Octet groups. He’s worked with everyone from Eric Clapton and Dr. John to David Sanborn and Mulgrew Miller. Alex has recorded almost twenty albums as a leader, his latest being “Ascent to the Blues,” featuring stellar performances from Art Hirahara, Boris Kozlov, Rudy Royston and Diego Rivera.

     Vintage Guitar Magazine has called him “one of today’s finest jazz guitarists and composers…” A central figure on the San Francisco jazz scene for decades, Chicago-bred guitarist George Cotsirilos follows up his 2018 release with a solidly swinging collection of new originals on “Refuge.” With the many years spent performing together and backing Cal Tjader, Tommy Flanagan, Art Pepper or Carmen McRae, Cotsirilos and his bandmates pianist Keith Saunders, bassist Robb Fisher and drummer Ron Marabuto share an effortless, sophisticated rapport.

Also this week, master trombonist Steve Davis assembles a remarkable sextet with a three-decade shared history on his latest album, “Bluesthetic,” including vibraphonist Steve Nelson, guitarist Peter Bernstein and bassist Christian McBride;

 harmonica ace and composer Hendrik Meurkens pairs up with the brilliant WDR Big Band from Cologne, Germany for a vivid voyage through samba jazz in its many forms on “Samba Jazz Odyssey”;

      and drummer Peter Erskine and his trio with pianist Alan Pasqua and bassist Darek Oles are recorded “Live in Italy” on their first tour since the lockdown.