Episode 250: Albums Rated High on Today’s Jazz Charts

Discovering Jazz

I really love listening to this podcast—even if I did put it together myself. I went through a few of the albums currently (as of Oct 12, 2023) on the Jazz Week Charts. Those charts reflect albums on the playlists of various jazz radio stations in North America. And I played a track from some of the albums that personally stood out for me.

One of the most outstanding ones, to my way of thinking, were Joshua Redman and Gabrille Cassava’s interpretation of By The Time I Get to Phoenix….with interesting updated lyrics to reflect cellphones rather than landline phones hanging on the wall. Such beautiful playing—and singing. That’s an album I plan to purchase.

Other hilights: Cuban/Toronto pianist Hilario Duran with Elizabeth Rodriguez doing amazing things to Cry Me A River—Cuban style! There are exciting tracks from two albums led by drummers: Richard Baratta and Brandon Sanders. Quite a bit of trumpet as well, thanks to Benny Benack II, Bria Skonberg, Eddie Henderson, and Terell Stafford (although actually the latter is playing flugelhorn). Then there’s a delightful tune by guitarist Diego Figueredo. Pianists Miki Yamanka and Harold Lopez Nussa round things out giving us a combination of gin and hope.