From the outset, it was inevitable that two of the major creative forces of the 20th century would find a productive way to overlap and inspire each other. Jazz-with its boundless appetite for new sounds and original melodies-and Disney, that bottomless font of images, words and songs, churning out fresh musical gems with uncanny consistency over the years. That Disney came of age at the end of the 1920s had a lot to do with it, a time when jazz and popular songs lived in close proximity. Ever since, the sound, rhythms, and feel of jazz have always informed Disney’s creations. On the new CD — “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat” — artists like Roy Hargrove, Dave Brubeck, Regina Carter, Dianne Reeves and Joshua Redman explore a baker’s dozen of classic Disney ditties.

Bassist/composer/producer and two-time Grammy winner Marcus Miller has been a student and a leader, creator and an interpreter, a master and a mentor in the art form of music from his teen years to the present. He continues this legacy with “A Night in Monte Carlo”, a live audio document of an amazing concert he was commissioned to perform in 2008 in the “rich man’s playground” of Monaco-a performance of music of his choice, much of his from his own pen, featuring his arrangements for symphony orchestra. It features Miller leading both his quartet and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, with special guest Roy Hargrove on trumpet.

The New York Times is one of numerous publications to declare Kurt Elling as the “standout male vocalist of our time”…and the Washington Post says, “Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling.” The legendary producer Don Was had expressed the desire to work with Elling, an opportunity which the singer found irresistible. The resulting collaboration — “The Gate” — points Elling in a new and satisfyingly emotional direction. He has found a way to make a deeply personal statement out of the music of King Crimson, Joe Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the Beatles-in addition to providing a new and vibrant understanding of Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock.

Twice Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Geoffrey Keezer teams up with guitarist Peter Sprague in a set of all-new, original music on “Mill Creek Road.” “Since moving to San Diego in 2006, I’ve had the fortune to collaborate with several world-class musicians…” says Keezer. “I first heard Peter Sprague performing with Billy Childs’ jazz-chamber ensemble, and knew immediately this was someone I wanted to make music with. We formed this quartet in 2009 with SoCal guys Hamilton Price and Duncan Moore as an outlet to play creative, energetic modern music without anyone having to ever get on a plane.” The result is jazz which is beautifully complex, fresh and contemporary.

Meanwhile, guitarist Howard Alden, who famously coached Sean Penn on how to play the guitar and soloed on the soundtrack for Penn’s role as a Django Reinhardt-style guitarist in the Woody Allen film “Sweet and Lowdown” is out with a salute to the great gypsy swing legend on “I Remember Django.”

Honest-to-goodness, real-life jazz singing is almost as rare these days as a nickel cup of coffee. There are far too few remaining practitioners of the honorable art of singing good songs with the lift, the swing and the subtle blending of music and emotion that characterizes the work of the best jazz improvisers. Jazz legend Ernestine Anderson is one of those rare beings. On her new release — “Nightlife: Live at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola” — she’s joined by tenor saxman Houston Person for a set of blues, sultry torch songs and up-tempo cookers.

At 37, bassist/composer Matthew Rybicki may have waited longer that most to make his first recording as a leader. But from a cursory listen to “Driven” — his auspicious debut — it would seem that he picked the right time. The long-time New York City resident, who apprenticed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Terell Stafford and Wycliffe Gordon, is joined on his impressive first outing by such stellar players as pianist Gerald Clayton, trombonist Michael Dease and saxophonist Ron Blake for a program of Rybicki originals and two well-chosen covers.

Meanwhile, guitarist Bill Frisell collaborates with Brazilian singer and composer Vinicius Cantuaria on a new duo release, “Lagrimas Mexicanas.”

With more than a half-century of experience in the jazz world, it would be safe to consider Phil Woods not only one of the music’s living legends but a true aficionado of his fellow instrumentalists. So it speaks volumes that the first time he shared the stage with a then-14-year-old Grace Kelly, he was moved to remove his iconic leather cap and place it on her head-the first time he’d ever made such a gesture to a fellow alto saxophonist. Four years later, Kelly returns the favor with a new CD featuring and in tribute to Woods. “Man With the Hat” arrives just in time to inaugurate the alto great’s 80th birthday year and consists of seven standards and originals penned by both Kelly and Woods.

Los Angeles saxophonist Tom Luer’s “Project Popular” explores the work of some of the top rock bands and pop artists of the last twenty years, reinterpreting the now classic compositions for a modern jazz ensemble. Along with seven originals, the band tackles tunes from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Prince, among others. With his wide-ranging and always grooving group of L.A.-based artists, Luer creates a nuanced and highly interactive recording while retaining the visceral power of the compositions that led to their popularity.

The latest from Cedar Rapids native Pat Daugherty and his band New York Electric Piano is the two-disc set “Keys to the City.”

U.K. saxophonist Jake Fryer joins the legendary alto saxophonist Bud Shank and Shank’s outstanding rhythm section of pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Joe LaBarbera for a stellar be-bop session on the new CD, “In Good Company.” This was, sadly, the final recording of Bud Shank as he passed away the day after it was recorded. Shank’s playing on the disc, while not as sharp as when he was in his prime, still has the ideas, fire and passion he was well know for, and Fryer shows he is in the same class as other true greats of the alto. The compositions are mostly originals by Fryer, along with a couple of standards.

Argentina-born trumpeter/composer Diego Urcola pays tribute to his heroes and contemporaries on his new release, “Appreciation.” He shows his recognition not by imitation but through compositions inspired and dedicated to heroes and friends, including Freddie Hubbard, Hermeto Pascoal, Paquito D’Rivera, and Guillermo Klein. Urcola presents his originals with the help of an amazing ensemble, featuring pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Eric McPherson.

Although we’ve heard them play together on a track here and there on Papa John’s albums over the years, the Brothers DeFrancesco had never before recorded an entire project together–until now. Keyboardist Joey and guitarist Johnny come together on the new disc, “DeFrancesco Brothers.” While Joey has consistently been winning Downbeat Magazine Critics and Readers Polls since 2002 and playing with a host of jazz greats, Johnny has been on the blues side of things, playing with the greats of that genre. The new CD showcases eight burnin’ tunes that get back to their Philly Roots.

Whether adventuring into interior or outer space in her music, award-winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom continues to navigate her unique musical path with creative abandon. “Wingwalker” is her 14th release as a leader and reunites her with long-time bandmates Dawn Clement on piano, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte. After two years since Bloom’s last CD, she brought the band together in June of last year to record 11 new compositions, written during time made possible by a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Also this week, San Francisco trombonist, arranger and composer Wayne Wallace is back with his Latin Jazz Quintet on “To Hear From There”, the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated disc of last year which was named by Downbeat as one of 2010’s best; Seattle pianist Randy Halberstadt returns with a quintet date, Flash Point, featuring his working trio along with trumpeter Thomas Marriott and saxophonist Taylor; and Seattle-based saxophonist Richard Cole further solidifies his position among the important voices on the tenor saxophone with Inner Mission, again utilizing the talents of long-time friend and trumpet giant Randy Brecker.

Bob Sheppard has long been one of the top reed players based in Southern California. Among his most important associations was his eight year tenure with Freddie Hubbard, along with work in the bands of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and others. “Close Your Eyes”, just his fourth release as a leader, gives Sheppard an opportunity to present his own music with some of his favorite musicians, contributing two songs and arranging all nine performances. He’s joined by pianist Alan Pasqua, drummer Antonio Sanchez, trumpeter Alex Sipiagen and guitarist Larry Koonse.

The innovative trio from New York City, Bernal, Eckroth & Ennis, blends the infectious rhythms and richly nuanced songwriting traditions of Brazil, Chile, Cuba and other Latin American countries with the spontaneous and exhilarating improvisation and group dynamics of jazz. Having immersed themselves deeply in the cultures from which they draw their inspiration, Chilean vocalist Natalia Bernal, keyboardist Mike Eckroth and seven-string guitarist Jason Ennis put their unique stamp on familiar Bossa Novas, boleros, tangos, Andean folk tunes, original compositions and jazz standards on “La Voz de Tres.”

Norma Winstone was long considered Britain’s most distinctive jazz singer when, in 2007, she was honored as a Member of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth. She began her recording career in 1977 with the group Azimuth, and has appeared on discs by Kenny Wheeler and Eberhard Weber. Since the mid-’80s, she has been a recording artist in her own right. From the beginning of her life in jazz, Winstone has wanted to be part of the ensemble, rather than a frontwoman. She uses her voice “instrumentally” to interweave improvised lines with her partners and to participate in the blossoming harmony. “Stories Yet to Tell” is the newest release from her British-German-Italian trio.

The brainchild of Nova Scotia-based trumpeter Paul Tynan and baritone saxophonist Aaron Lington from the San Francisco Bay area, the Bicoastal Collective is a select grouping of musicians from across the U.S. and Canada. “Chapter Two” finds the ensemble in a quintet setting exploring improvised music inspired by the British Isles. England’s eastern coast folk melodies and their treatment in composer Ralph Vaughn Williams’ early 20th-century works, are adapted by Lington into a suite, and Tynan adds three compositions inspired by his own Irish roots.