Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
The venerated multi-instrumentalist and composer Joe Chambers makes a return to Blue Note Records on his new CD, “Samba de Maracatu.” In the mid-to-late 1960s, Chambers played drums for numerous Blue Note luminaries, appearing on some of the decade’s most progressive albums, including works by Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Andrew Hill, Joe Henderson and Donald Byrd. Turning down a chance to record his own disc for the label at the time, Chambers eventually released his own Blue Note album in 1998. For his new disc, Chambers asserts himself more as a mallet player, particularly on the vibraphone. It’s a nine-song set of original compositions, standards, and pieces by Shorter, Hutcherson and Horace Silver.

     A world class musician, composer, arranger and educator, Diego Rivera has entertained audiences for over 20 years. He began his professional career in 1999 with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. He has gone on to work with the likes of Kurt Elling, Ellis Marsalis, Christian McBride and the Gerald Wilson Big Band, as well as his own ensembles. He is a tenured Associate Professor of Jazz Saxophone and Associate Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. Diego’s new CD, “Indigenous,” features a program of exciting original compositions, a few tasty covers, and a special guest appearance by trumpet virtuoso Etienne Charles.

Also this week, singer Veronica Swift unveils a song cycle that tackles sexism, domestic abuse, racism, environmental issues and xenophobia on “This Bitter Earth”;

saxophonist Tom Tallitsch brings a fat sound and exciting new compositions for his eleventh album as a leader, “Message”;

and the dynamic duo of pianist David Kikoski and bassist Boris Kozlov is a triumph of musicality and virtuosity on “Sure Thing.”