Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.   

The youngest member of and NEA Jazz Master with his musical family, Jason Marsalis has proven his genius and dedication to the art form of jazz by first establishing himself as a world class drummer, and then completely reinventing himself as a master on the vibes and other mallet instruments in the mold of greats such as Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson. In fact, he has been selected as a featured artist to tour with the legendary Lionel Hampton Big Band to share the music of the beloved bandleader. Jason’s new project, “Melody Reimagined: book 1,” is the first in a series that finds him in his element writing, producing, and arranging all original music. Those familiar with his recent work will recognize his solid band, formerly dubbed the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, and now called the 21^st Century Trad Band with Austin Johnson on piano, Will Goble on bass and Dave Potter on drums.

Guitarist George Cotsirilos has been a fixture on the San Francisco jazz scene for 40 years. All About Jazz has described his work as “…meticulous and tasteful” with “…an impeccable sense of timing” and “…his approach to harmony is whimsical, but patently beautiful at all times.” “Mostly in Blue” is his new album of mostly original compositions. Taking advantage of his decades-long performing relationship with pianist Keith Saunders, bassist Robb Fisher and drummer Ron Marabuto, Cotsirilos creates a warmly swinging recording.

Also this week, Bay Area pianist Adam Shulman gathers up his sextet for his fifth CD as a leader, “Full Tilt”.

Veteran saxophonist Scott Hamilton and his trio featuring pianist Rossano Sportiello and bassist J.J. Shakur were recorded in Vancouver “Live at Pyatt Hall.

Reedman Dan Block gets back to his Midwest roots with his guitarist brother Rob Block on “Block Party: a Saint Louis Connection.”

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.   

“The subject tonight is love,” wrote the Persian poet and mystic Hafiz back in the 14^th century. Countless poets, philosophers, musicians, writers and dreamers have taken up that same subject since Hafiz’s day. On “The Subject Tonight is Love,” their first album as a trio, vocalist Kate McGarry, guitarist/bassist Keith Ganz and keyboardist/accordionist Gary Versace rise to that eternal challenge, investigating the concept from several different perspectives over the course of a dozen alluring songs, from timeless folk tunes to transformed jazz standards, celebratory pop songs to evocative originals. It’s the culmination of more than a decade of work and friendship. McGarry and Ganz are partners in life as well as in music, while Versace has been a close and frequent collaborator with both, dating back to 2007.

Robert Kennedy is a Hammond organist and pianist born and raised in the American South who is now proud to be a part of the Hammond organ’s resurgence in the San Francisco area. His first foray in to music in the bay area was in 1988, playing piano in the Stanford University Jazz Band. He was a founding member of the groups Hip Pocket Jazz Quintet and Double Funk Crunch, and has had the pleasure of playing venues such as Yoshi’s, the Boom Boom Room and the SFJazz Miner Auditorium. His new album, “Closer to Home,” features tunes by ten different composers flavored with hard bop, soul jazz, blues and gospel.

Also this week, the young Cuban pianist, composer and Grammy-nominee Alfredo Rodriguez offers up his fourth studio album, “The Little Dream”. 

Jazz quartet meets string quartet on “Departure” by the BC Double Quartet led by guitarist Bill Coon. 

Vibraphonist Behn Gillece, trumpeter Josh Lawrence and saxophonist Roxy Coss are among the New Faces on the new disc, “Straight Forward.”