Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify

“Brighter Days” finds saxophonist and composer Jarod Bufe back at the helm of his seasoned quartet, comprised of some of the most in-demand musicians on the contemporary Chicago jazz scene, each a leader in their own right: Matt Ulery on bass, Jon Deitemyer on drums and Tim Stine on guitar. Together they tackle nine new compositions, penned by Bufe in response to the pandemic, with a unity of conception and ease that can only develop night after night on the bandstand. Many of those nights were at Fitzgerald’s Sidebar, a long-standing, laid-back venue in historic Berwyn just outside Chicago, where the quartet maintained a residency from 2012 through 2019.

On “Bluegrass,” an extraordinary concert project by the WDR Big Band, two musical genres are ‘married’ which, despite their many similarities, have so far led isolated existences: bluegrass and large orchestral jazz. Anyone familiar with the bluegrass folk style, which originated in Kentucky and Tennessee in the late 1930’s and early ‘40s, will recognize elements of swing, blues and gospel alongside Country influences. Enthusiastic comrades-in-arms were found to create a fusion of bluegrass with big band jazz. Bob Mintzer, chief conductor of the WDR Big Band, wrote the arrangements and two high-caliber virtuosos of modern bluegrass were recruited for the solo parts: mandolinist Mike Marshall and violinist Darol Anger.

Also this week, trumpeter Rachel Therrien’s eighth album, “Mi Hogar II,” continues her celebration of the rich traditions of Latin jazz while embracing innovation and collaboration; the illustrious sax man Harry Allen comes together with trio mates Rossano Sportiello on piano and Bryan Carter on drums for a mix of new compositions and reimagined classics on “It Takes 3”; and saxophonist and composer Greg Abate heads his quartet of seasoned jazz musicians on  “Positive Energy,”  a session recorded in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify

To mark the 40^th anniversary of his debut recording as a bandleader in 1984, alto saxophonist Jim Snidero set out to create something special with his 28^th album—and his second trio project to date with jazz masters Peter Washington on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Snidero felt the time was right to pay tribute to Charlie Parker, an artist he regards as the “king of the hill.” Ranked among the top five alto saxophonists in Down Beat’s 2024 Critic’s Poll, Snidero is more than qualified to honor one of the bebop pioneers with his new release, “Bird Feathers.”

Fresh off their second consecutive win for Jazz Group of the Year in the Down Beat Readers Poll, Artemis returns with their third release, “Arboresque,” featuring a new quintet lineup of the band helmed by pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes with trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller. A paean to the sheer joy of collaboration and creativity, the album is a vibrant 8-song set that presents original compositions by each of the band members as well as Rosnes arrangements of pieces by Wayne Shorter, Burt Bacharach, and the unsung pianist Donald Brown.

Also this week, veteran bassist Marcus McLaurine’s new recording, “Tributes,” fulfills a special need to acknowledge specific individuals who have deeply woven into his life as a world-class musician and father; drummer Chacho Ramirez and flautist Carolyn Steinberg Ramirez co-lead their New York-based Latin jazz quintet La Banda Ramirez on “Lizzie’s Lounge”; and saxophonists Nick Hempton and Cory Weeds team up for a live set from the legendary Frankie’s Jazz Club in Vancouver on the quartet date, “Horns Locked.”