Featured Jazz Videos

Utopia

Hiromi
Duration: 13:20
1,188 views

Hiromi is a master, even a “monster," on piano and jazz keyboards. She can drop a fistful of notes, then reference a composer like Bach or Gershwin, then set up an R&B groove, seemingly in the blink of an eye. The most mesmerizing element of her performances is the joy she exhibits when collaborating with a partner or her band. Beginning 2023, the pianist hand-picked a backing trio, now called Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, that could effortlessly follow and enliven her adventures. On “Utopia," check out her interplay with bassist Hadrien Ferau, which—wait for it—builds steadily into an all-band vamp, guided by trumpeter Adam O'Farrill. After watching the video, you can read a review of the band in concert via Hiromi's Sonicwonder At SFJAZZ.

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.

Impressions

Eric Dolphy
Duration: 05:51
1,000 views

Eric Dolphy was a multi-woodwind giant, performing on alto sax, flute , clarinet, bass clarinet and baritone sax. His sound in the 1950s and 1960s was energetic and adventurous, featuring flurries and squawks, overtones and voice-like patterns, which helped to define free/avant-garde jazz. In this video of John Coltrane's “Impressions," Coltrane first displays his signature modal improvisation on tenor, starting at 00:18. Then, at 02:44. Dolphy simply takes off on alto sax. Suffice to say, they come across at least as equals. Dolphy was born June 20, 1928 and passed away on June 29, 1964, due to complications of diabetes.

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.

Tatomania

Chucho Valdes
Duration: 04:25
705 views

"Tatomanía," by master Afro-Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés and backing trio, is a joyride in which the band literally never skips a beat. Valdés retains all the compositional freshness, percussive flare, and latin/jazz/classical influences that made him stand out for 60-plus years. On this piece, named after his percussionist, Roberto Jr. Vizcaíno Torre—or simply “Tato”—it’s the blended blur of bongos and drum kit that makes the music riveting. The entire album, Cuba and Beyond, merited a Grammy award nomination in 2024. Valdés also was named a U.S. 2025 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master.

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.

Music Is Life

Butter And The Genre
Duration: 7:13
1,289 views

Butter and the Genre blends jazz, soul, and funk into something bold, emotional, and alive. Their breakout single, “Music Is Life,” fuses rich horns, and raw live energy into a vibrant celebration of creativity and connection. Filmed like a short film and recorded independently, the video is semi-based on a true story—Butter met each band member at the 51st Speakeasy in Oklahoma, where their musical chemistry first sparked. The result captures generational talent and real-life authenticity, proving that real music still lives and breathes.

Recommended by Michael Ricci.

How've You Been?

Toni Jannotta
Duration: 5:53
1,399 views

They say your personal stories are the hardest to produce and the ones people most resonate with. This is the song/story of how I walked into my marriage after 40+ years of being single. It took guts and a great guy. Thank you for watching. Please note: Greg Gordon Smith, piano; Larry Steen, bass; Chris Wabich, drums, Scheila Gonzalez, sop sax, Erik Chapman, cello, and Yours Truly, violin. Video by Chris Jensen. Aerial photography by Guy White.

Recommended by Michael Ricci.

Song for my Father

Horace Silver
Duration: 18:55
1,203 views

What makes the stylings of pianist Horace Silver so identifiable? To begin with, he crafted strong bass patterns that had a weighty pulse to them. For example, his most well-known piece, “Song for my Father," was based on a bossa nova feel but reminds one less of the delicate standard “Girl from Ipanema" and more the catchy Steely Dan pop hook from “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number" (which was inspired by “Father"). In addition, he would carefully compose heads that were intended to be memorable. Finally, hints of the blues and gospel elevated his songs to reflect on the human condition. With this video being presented on AAJ on Father's Day, it's appropriate to pause and enjoy an extended performance of a standard that Silver wrote for his dad. (Music begins at 0:45.)

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.

A Song for You (Gnossienne No. 1)

Tessa Souter
Duration: 4:55
1,358 views

The first single from Tessa Souter's new album Shadows and Silence: The Erik Satie Project. Arranged by Luis Perdomo. Lyrics by Tessa Souter. Luis Perdomo (piano and percussion), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Billy Drummond (drums and cymbals). Album out June 27

Recommended by Michael Ricci.

Crisis

Andy Bey
Duration: 07:08
1,066 views

Jazz legend Andy Bey defied math – in this writer’s opinion, he was 60% compact pianist, 80% guttural baritone singer, and 110% soul. Care was given to every phrase he delivered, and he could make those phrases elevate the conscience, bemoan one’s situation, or drip with irony. His keyboard technique was reminiscent of Monk meets Tyner. On the song “Crisis," he punctuates his own brew of instrumental blues for just under a minute, then brings much of society together, singing “here we are… struggling and trying to make it through this crisis.” Are you feelin' it yet? Bey passed away April 26, 2025.

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.

It's De-Lovely

Robin Simone
Duration: 3:20
1,141 views

Three-time charting singer-songwriter and band leader Robin Simone fronts a seventeen-piece big band and dedicates her debut album “To those artistic dreamers, the lovers of Hollywood films and its incredible music." An industry musician who has worked on various national TV shows and who was inspired at a young age by her loving mother who sang songs from the movies, Simone chose this special concept album to share her musical dream for all to remember and enjoy the music of the movies.

Though the singer's main instrumental support comes from her entire orchestra, her immediate backup group is a trio comprised of pianist Mike Greenwood, bassist Isabel Dobrev and drummer Liam Wallace.

The album was designed to make it feel like watching a favorite Broadway show. The music opens up with an “Overture" and progresses through several familiar songs from The Great American Songbook before coming to an “Intermission," then rejoining the show for the last chapter and concluding with the “Curtain Call." However, that is not the finale as that honor goes to “Swingin' on a Star with Joe (Tribute to Ella)" a raucous, playful and rambunctious way to sign off and close the curtains.

However, between the beginning and the end of the album there is a lot of sensational music to be heard, starting with “The Hollywood Medley" where Simone's sultry vocals claim the familiar “Hurray for Hollywood," the obligatory “No Business Like Show Business" and “That's Entertainment" with the big band in support playing loud and lively. The singer proceeds to belt out two incredible versions of the 1948 musical Kiss Me, Kate Cole Porter song “So in Love" as well as an emotional performance of the Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer classic “Come Rain or Come Shine" from the Broadway play St. Louis Woman. She returns with another Porter classic from the 1936 musical with a big band splash of the standard “It's De-Lovely" with propulsive statements from the band accompanying the leader on another beautiful interpretation of the classic. Songs of love changes the theme of the tunes beginning with an emotional performance on “Everything Must Change," “The Windmills of Your Mind" from French composer Michel Legrand introduced in the 1968 movie The Thomas Crown Affair and finally a beautiful interpretation of the Harold Arlen/Ira Gershwin “The Man That Got Away" first introduced in the 1954 film A Star is Born.

Recommended by Scott H. Thompson.

Chick Corea Acoustic Band & Bobby McFerrin

Chick Corea
Duration: 13:32
1,186 views

The late, genius pianist Chick Corea knew there is power in numbers. Many of his finest live recordings feature his working quartet at the time or a duo with a brilliant partner. With this version of “Autumn Leaves," Corea achieved the pinnacle of both formats. Guest singer Bobby McFerrin co-vamps over the extended introduction, inventing patterns, mimicking jungle sounds and displaying more vocal elasticity then a freshly-opened packet of rubber bands. Once the melody of the song is revealed at [2:38] and the hard swinging bottom of John Patitucci on bass and Tom Brechtlein on drums kicks in, the band is off on a high-energy expedition you cannot stop enjoying… for years.

Recommended by Scott Lichtman.