Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Composer/saxophonist Kenny Garrett emerged as a distinctive voice on the national scene in 1978 with an undisputed aptitude for emotive melodic phrasing that led him to collaborations with Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey and Miles Davis. With “Sounds from the Ancestors,” Garrett remembers the spirit of the sounds of African ancestors from church services, recited prayers, songs from the work fields, Yoruban chants and African drums, alongside tributes to Roy Hargrove and two drum pioneers—Blakey and Tony Allen—who all looked into the past to influence the future sound and evolution of jazz.

     The legendary virtuoso trombonist Raul de Souza burst onto the vibrant Brazilian music scene in his 20s and played with the likes of Sergio Mendes, Milton Nascimento, Airto and Flora Purim, co-developing the Bossa Nova of the ‘50s and the Samba Jazz of the ‘60s. After moving to L.A. in 1973, he collaborated with superstars such as Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius. Still active, de Souza has recently been working with Generations Band, a young crop of musicians who bring modern sounds and fresh energy to his work. “Plenitude” is their extraordinary first album.

 Also this week, pianist and composer Lisa Hilton and her trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis enthusiastically embrace the moment with a vibrant new jazz offering, “Transparent Sky”;

vocalist, composer, lyricist and arranger Kayle Brecher unveils her ninth recording, “Bredux: Collected Edges”;

     and Al Williams Jazz Society, featuring some of southern California’s finest musicians, is joined by special guest Najee on the new CD, “Then & Now.”