Enjoy the final playlist previewing the upcoming edition of the Winter JazzFest: a compressed, high-voltage snapshot of what jazz sounds like right now, and a rare chance to hear musicians who are not based in New York.

The playlist features David Binney, Louis Cole, Pera Krstajic; AMG; Kassa Overall; Celia Kameni [pictured]; Hamilton de Holanda; Sam Gendel, Nate Mercerau.

Detailed playlist at [from "Outer Moat" onwards].

Happy listening!

Photo: Eric Meurice

Here's playlist previewing projects and bands that will help the upcoming Winter JazzFest to launch the new jazz year.

The playlist features ARMO; Nels Cline; Either/Orchestra; MAE.SUN [pictured]; daoud; Cochemea; and Hanging Hearts.

Detailed playlist at [from "The Visit" to "Rise"].

Happy listening!

With the 2026 edition of Winter JazzFest just around the corner, here we focus on some of the artists arriving in New York from elsewhere to briefly reshape the city’s soundscape.

The playlist features Amy Gadiaga; Corey Fonville, Sam Fribush, Morgan Burrs; The Getdown; Mario Canonge; Brandon Woody; and Bex Burch.

Detailed playlist at [up to "You Thought You Were Free?"].

Happy listening!

Enjoy the last installment of our retrospective dedicated to the songs discovered over the past six months that left a lasting impression.

The playlist features The Five Corners Quintet; Makiko Hirabayashi; Rufus Wainwright, Pacific Jazz Orchestra; Brad Mehldau; Anthony Wilson [pictured]; and Roberto Ottaviano.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [from "Lighthouse" onward].

Happy listening!

As we come to the end of another year, it feels like a good moment to pause—not to summarize everything, but to listen back. This episode is built around songs that lingered, resurfaced, and quietly insisted on being remembered.

The playlist features Jérémie Lucchese; Chaerin Im [pictured]; Emiliano D'Auria; Ron Blake; James Brandon Lewis; Jakob Bro, Joe Lovano, Larry Grenadier, Thomas Morgan, Anders Christensen, Joey Baron, and Jorge Rossy.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [from "L'Ogre" to "Mumbo Jumbo"].

Happy listening!

This episode of Mondo Jazz isn’t about rankings or best-of lists. It’s about memory. Over the past six months, certain pieces of music kept calling us back. Among them, are the tunes in this playlist.

The playlist features Luca Curcio; Bram De Looze, Hank Roberts, Thomas Morgan, Joey Baron; Trond Kallevåg; Wojtek Mazolewski; Louis Sclavis; Charles Lloyd [pictured], Jason Moran, Marvin Sewell.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21722582/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Figure in Blue, Memories of Duke"]

Happy listening!

In a year that often felt overwhelming, music remained a place of focus and meaning. This episode of Mondo Jazz brings together the songs from the past six months that helped make sense of the noise—or at least gave us a reason to lean in and listen.

The playlist features Funkwrench Blues [pictured]; Anne Drummond; Donny McCaslin; Vincent Peirani; SFJAZZ Collective; and Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Drowning Man" onwards].

Happy listening!

The past six months have delivered more music than anyone could possibly absorb in real time. So this week, instead of trying to keep up, we slow things down and look back—focusing on the songs that earned repeat listens and slowly made a home in our ears.

The playlist features Charlie Hunter, Ella Feingold; Craig Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore; Saha Gnawa; Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet; Zé Ibarra; Ryan Keberle; Anna Webber & Angela Morris [pictured] Big Band.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [from "Housatonic" to "Habitual"].

Happy listening!

Rather than looking back at the year as a whole, here we concentrate on the second half. What you’ll hear are the songs that stayed close, long after the initial listen.

The playlist features Oddjob; Nicholas Payton, Esperanza Spalding, Karriem Riggins; Flea (pictured); Carmen Staaf; Max Nagl; Jason Moran, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra; Amir ElSaffar.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21689299/Mondo-Jazz [up to "10:23 AM"]

Happy listening!

Here is another dip into the river of new albums, focusing releases (and re-releases) worth holding on to.

The playlist features The Jazz Passengers, Jeff Buckley; Bill Ware, the Club Bird All Stars; Patricia Brennan; Csaba Palotai; Rosa Brunello; Pharos.

Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [from "Jolly Street" onwards].

Happy listening!

Photo: Mariagrazia Giove.