Articles by Ludovico Granvassu
Hanna Paulsberg, Oddjob, Federico Calcagno, Daniel Zimmermann & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Enjoy another playlist where we trade the same-old standards for future ones, which hopefully you'll be discovering here first.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Oddjob “Up & Away" Atlas (Koyo) 0:16 Host talk 4:58 Daniel Zimmermann “Les maximiseurs de Pi" Snapshots (Label Bleu) 6:03 Host talk 10:51 Hanna Paulsberg Concept, Elin Rosseland “Himmel over Hav" Himmel over Hav (Grappa) 13:05 Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians “Wake Up Humanity!" ...
Continue ReadingLuca Curcio: Fisk
by Ludovico Granvassu
You know you're in for a good day when extraordinary music lands in your headphones completely out of the blue. That's how I stumbled upon the remarkable debut album by bassist Luca Curcio, Bomba (Boomslang Records), through a chain of insignificant coincidences.What struck me most is the ease with which his Italo-Scandinavian quintet--Erik Kimestad (trumpet), Sölvi Kolbeinsson (alto saxophone), Francesco Bigoni (tenor saxophone), and Simon Olderskog Albertsen (drums)--manages to sound both deeply rooted in the tradition and strikingly ...
Continue ReadingWadada Leo Smith, Jakob Bro, Henry Threadgill, Gregg Belisle-Chi & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Here is a playlist highlighting recent releases by some of the most adventurous players of our time, with a special focus on two pillars of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians--as the AACM marks its 60th anniversary--Wadada Leo Smith and Henry Threadgill.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Gregg Belisle-Chi “Sorry" Slow Crawl: Performing the of Tim Berne (Intakt) 0:16 Host talks 3:57 Henry Threadgill “B" Listen ...
Continue ReadingRico Jones, Liv Andrea Hauge, Tommy Smith, Gwilym Simcock & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Enjoy a playlist that celebrates the “art of the impromptu"--live performance, spur-of-the-moment recording sessions, concerts released at lightning speed, and the joy of creating in the moment.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Rabbath Electric Orchestra “66 Grand Street" Amall (Heavenly Sweetness) 0:16 Host talks 5:10 Kurt Elling, Christian Sands feat. Marquis Hill “Song of the Rainbow People" Wildflowers, Vol. 3 (Big Shoulders) 6:26 Host talks 12:57 Rico Jones ...
Continue ReadingOddjob: Baby Bop
by Ludovico Granvassu
2025 marks 28 years of adventurous music-making for Oddjob, the ever-inventive quintet featuring Per “Ruskträsk" Johansson (saxophone, bass clarinet, flute), Goran Kajfeš (trumpet), Daniel Karlsson (piano, organ, Moog synth), Lars Skoglund (drums, vibraphone), and Viktor Skokic (bass).Though each member has built a thriving solo career, the five Swedes make sure their creative trajectories keep intersecting in Oddjob, continuing to release remarkable albums very much on their own terms. “Baby Bop," from Atlas (Koyo Records), is a perfect example--with ...
Continue ReadingEsmeralda Sella, Tomas Fujiwara, Roxana Amed, Wayne Horvitz & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Jazz-inflected renditions of pop songs, Hammond B-3 romps, and magmatic textures make up a playlist which proves that great music rarely happens on major labels--or emerges from algorithms.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Roxana Amed “Salir de la melancolía" Todos los Fuegos (Sony) 0:16 Host talks 3:04 David Helbock, Julia Hofer feat. Mahan Mirarab “Sexy M.F." Faces of Night (ACT) 4:40 Host talks 7:15 Fabrizio Bosso Spiritual Trio ...
Continue ReadingRin Seo, Tino Tracanna, Webber/Morris Big Band, Yuhan Su & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
This time we dive into the music of adventurous large and mid-size ensembles rewriting the rules of how size can matter, then close with a burst of spiritual fire from New Zealand.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 The 8-Bit Big Band “Waluigi Pinball (From “Mario Kart")" Orchestrator Emulator (Team Chuck) 0:16 Host talks 6:07 Tino Tracanna “Gufo" Panorchestra (Flying Robert) 7:29 Host talks 16:45 Rin Seo Collective “City ...
Continue ReadingDaniel Zimmermann: Yellow Moon
by Ludovico Granvassu
Daniel Zimmermann's Snapshots (Label Bleu) is a gem filled with memorable tunes and sly humor, through which the French trombonist reflects on today's challenges with wit and a touch of disenchanted insight. What truly stands out, though, are the melodies engraved in this album--lingering well past the final chord--as if Zimmermann his slide sings, a songwriter-like sensibility which might also explain his choice to include a masterful cover of “Yellow Moon," the swamp-reggae anthem and title track from ...
Continue ReadingRevolutionary Snake Ensemble, Dave Douglas, The Naked Boys, Funkwrench Blues & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Psychedelic boogaloo jams, games of fantasy jazz, progressive funk influences and downtown vibes are the main ingredients of this fun playlist! Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Ari Joshua feat. Skerik, Delvon Lamarr, Grant Schroff “Scared of Eric" Synesthesia (Music Factory) 0:16 Host talks 4:34 Funkwrench Blues feat. Nduduzo Makhathini, Lenny White, David Boyce, David DR Robbins Frank Swart) “Reflections from the Future" Mischief in the ...
Continue ReadingMulatu Astatke, Petter Eldh, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Tom Skinner & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Enjoy another playlist that tries to prove that great music does not usually happen on a major label, or in a Spotify bunker somewhere, especially when it is music as eclectic and creative as this one. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Petter Eldh feat. Richard Spaven “Oystri" Projekt Drums Vol. 2 (Edition) 0:16 Host talks 3:19 Cécile McLorin Salvant “What Does Blue Mean to You?" ...
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