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Jazz Without Borders; Play This! Recommendations; Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival; Michael Mordecai, Deacon John Moore, Ellen Pieroni, Rafael Enciso and Dave Jemilo; Songs of the Week and more
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With yesterday's completion of our newsletter build project, I assembled today's newsletter in record time. This was a big milestone for us as we greatly simplified the production process and reduced the manual effort involved, cutting two hours from the time it takes to produce each newsletter. Next up: completing the newsletter send project, which has been in the works for some time and will further streamline how we deliver the newsletter to subscribers.
Seven years have passed since our last Top Venues Poll. The jazz venue landscape has changed dramatically, with some clubs closing and many new ones opening their doors—including six recently in New York.
Help us identify the world's top jazz venues today by selecting up to ten venues where you most enjoy hearing live jazz.
Our database includes nearly 18,000 venues worldwide, so chances are your favorites are already listed (e.g. Village Vanguard, Dakota, Green Mill, PizzaExpress, etc.). All votes carry equal weight, there are no right or wrong answers—so please vote for the venues that have given you the most memorable live jazz experiences.
Thanks for participating, and consider sharing this page with a jazz-loving friend.
Arrival: From Skopje to Burgundy: The distance separating North Macedonia from the historical heart of Burgundy cannot be measured by the mere mechanics of flight hours or transit connections. It represents, more fundamentally, a profound shift in landscape, a deliberate recalibration of cultural registers, and, ultimately, the illuminating discovery of an unexpected geopolitical and artistic common ground. Continue reading...
Vilnius Mama Jazz turned 25. In festival terms that is early middle age. When you consider that 25 years is roughly a quarter of the entire history of jazz, the significance of the milestone assumes greater meaning. The evolution in jazz in the lifetime of VMJ has been hefty. The passing of many of jazz's old guard, the rise and rise of female leaders, the advances in music technology, and the explosion in independent publishing all mean that jazz is in quite a different place today than when VMJ launched back in 2002. VMJ has moved with the times, embracing new talent and new sounds while acknowledging the traditional roots of the music. Continue reading...
Michael Mordecai has spent decades inside the machinery of Austin jazz: on the bandstand, behind the phone, at the booking desk, in the contractor's chair and in the community rooms where musicians, venues and advocates try to keep the music visible. His work has never fit neatly into a single category. Mordecai is a trombonist, bandleader, contractor, booking professional and civic-minded organizer, but his broader role may be more important than any one title. He is one of the people who connects the scene. That kind of work can be difficult to see from the audience side of the room. A listener hears the band, the groove, the soloist and the room. Behind it are musicians being called, contracts being negotiated, venues being cultivated, arts organizations trying to survive, students moving into professional life and older players trying to keep the flame from going out. Continue reading...
Well, you know, growing up I was the golden boy of the family, because I could sing. I recall my mother singing arias from operas to herself while doing housework and playing classical and popular music on the piano in our home while taking care of the kids—13 of us all together. Her background was classical piano and church music too. She was the salutatorian at Xavier University. Aside from classical music and opera, my mother liked popular music as well as a little country music too. Like many of her generation, she was not big on rhythm and blues or rock and roll. But after some time, she did learn to love B.B. King. And she adored Satchmo too. Continue reading...
"Extinct Man" by Digba Ogunbiyi
Record Label: AKÌLÒ Music
Released: 2026
"Mi Jarana" by Gabriel Espinosa
Record Label: Origin Records
Released: 2026
Chris Potter: Osawatomie Brown (listen); T. Lavitz: No Time Flat (listen); Virginia MacDonald: Last Call at Dimitri's (listen); Ben Flocks: Moon and Sand (listen); Marc Johnson's Right Brain Patrol: Samurai Hee Haw (listen); Simon Moullier: Iron Giant (listen); Gary Husband: Celestial Terrestrial Commuters (listen); Band Of Other Brothers: Bar Fight (listen); Benjamin Herman: NRFS (listen); Dida Pelled: Blues in the Night (listen); Bill Evans: Nardis (listen).
Ellen Pieroni: Balancing Act for a Life in Music (read); Rafael Enciso: Bassist Intends To Search, Remember And Evolve (read); The Life and Times of South African Jazz (read); Mr. Moonlight: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles By Philip Norman (read); Remembering James Blood Ulmer: The Incognito Bluesman (read); Meet John Chacona (read); Standards, Expertise and the Art of Judgment (read); Michael Feinstein and the U.S. Marine Corps Band at The Music Center at Strathmore (read); Mujician: Keith Tippett—The Authorised Biography by Martin Phillips (read); Laurie Moore Trio at Leith Jazz & Blues Festival (read).
Tune into our extensive collection of quality programs every week.
The Stereo Image: Dave Jemilo: The Green Mill (listen); The Outer View: Flea, Dave Douglas and Sonny Rollins (RIP) (listen); The Tonearm: Stephen Emmer: Composing At The Edge Of Silence (listen); Mondo Jazz: Virginia MacDonald, David Sánchez, Marta Sánchez, Rachele Amore & More (listen); Exploration: Classics from Mingus, Della Reese, Ted Curson, and others; New music from Nat Reeves, David Sanchez, Eliane Elias, and others (listen); Jazz Crumbs: Miho Hazama, People In Orbit, Joel Lyssarides, Peter Erskine & more (listen); A Broad Spectrum: Duchess, Suzanne Pittson, Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kemuel Roig, Eve Cornelious, Chuck Bergeron & More (listen); One Man's Jazz: Tyshawn Sorey, Benoit Delbecq, Enten Eller & James Wengrow (listen); JazzNow: Five new releases from the Helen Sung Big Band, Michael Dease Big Band, Brad Goode, Robyn Spangler and the Django Festival All-Stars (listen); Neon Jazz: Ben Patterson, Robyn Spangler, Michael Dease, Jun Iida & Helen Sung (listen); Mondo Jazz: Simon Moullier, André Fernandes, Eleonora Strino, Alexis Cuadrado & More (listen); The Jazz Disturbance: Duchess, Chuck Bergeron, Le Boeuf Brothers, Fjall (listen); Jazz Connections: Miles the Composer: Jazz Musicians play Miles. Part 1: The early tunes (listen); Live At The Bop Stop: Forecast Presents: A Tribute to Roy Ayers (listen); The Stereo Image: Russ Gold: Drummer Extraordinaire and Long Time Friend of Jonesy (listen); Ben Boddie On Jazz: Richard Baratta, Emmet Cohen, Paul Hecht, Eve Cornelious and more (listen); Jazz Bastard: Frankly, Mr. Bastard (listen); World of Jazz: New Music From Miho Hazama, Arturo Sandoval, Elsa Nilsson And More (listen); Rotations: Patricia Brennan, Sylvie Courvoisier, Janek van Laak, Jeff Parker and more (listen).
Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, special events and more. View all recent announcements.
Harp Virtuoso Alex Chang To Release New Album Abandon (read); Over $3.5 Billion and Counting: Songwriters, Are You Collecting Your Streaming Royalties? (read); JazzWeek Radio Chart: June 15, 2026 (read); New CD Release 'Ascension: A Brazilian Music Fantasy Vol. 2' From Steve & Lori Rose Adorno (read); Bob Mintzer Featured On New Tokyo Skinny Boys Single TokyoNOW!, Limited 7-inch Vinyl Pre-order Now Open (read); Tix Available For July Shows At Smoke Jazz Club Featuring Vocalists Tierney Sutton, Jane Monheit And René Marie, And More (read).
Got news? Share it in our newsletter and on our website. Learn how, here.
Posted to All About Jazz Newsletter IN THE All About Jazz GROUP
Read more posts by Michael Ricci
Vote, Today!
Seven years have passed since our last Top Venues Poll. The jazz venue landscape has changed dramatically, with some clubs closing and many new ones opening their doors—including six recently in New York.Help us identify the world's top jazz venues today by selecting up to ten venues where you most enjoy hearing live jazz.
Our database includes nearly 18,000 venues worldwide, so chances are your favorites are already listed (e.g. Village Vanguard, Dakota, Green Mill, PizzaExpress, etc.). All votes carry equal weight, there are no right or wrong answers—so please vote for the venues that have given you the most memorable live jazz experiences.
Thanks for participating, and consider sharing this page with a jazz-loving friend.
Cloudflare Tip
We use Cloudflare to protect All About Jazz and Jazz Near You from malicious activity. While our Cloudflare rules have proven effective, they do come with occasional inconveniences. Readers may be prompted to verify they are human, and in rare cases Cloudflare may temporarily render the website inaccessible, most often resulting in a 5xx error message. If you encounter a Cloudflare error, try clearing your browser's cache and then reloading the page. In most cases, access will be restored. If the problem persists, please try again a few minutes later.Album Reviews
The album reviews below represent our most popular from the past week. View more recent reviews. Universal Truth Emmet Cohen | Alive With Ghosts Today Chris Potter |  Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings Ambrose Akinmusire / Mary Halvorson |  We Dream Lakecia Benjamin |
 The Aftermath Ingeborg Gravem Sollid |  The Sistering Kate McGarry, Lenora Zenzalai Helm, Lois Deloatch, Nnenna Freelon |  Tales of Consequence Whatever Happens Don't Be Yourself |  Don't Drink the Milk—It's Spoiled How Now Brown Cow |
Looking for an album review?
If you're a musician, publicist, or record label seeking album review coverage on All About Jazz, please read our review submission guide, then complete the coverage request form here. When submitting your request, include up to five AAJ album reviewers who best align with your music.Jazz Without Borders: The France—Balkans Network Conference
Arrival: From Skopje to Burgundy: The distance separating North Macedonia from the historical heart of Burgundy cannot be measured by the mere mechanics of flight hours or transit connections. It represents, more fundamentally, a profound shift in landscape, a deliberate recalibration of cultural registers, and, ultimately, the illuminating discovery of an unexpected geopolitical and artistic common ground. Continue reading...
Vilnius Mama Jazz 2026
Vilnius Mama Jazz turned 25. In festival terms that is early middle age. When you consider that 25 years is roughly a quarter of the entire history of jazz, the significance of the milestone assumes greater meaning. The evolution in jazz in the lifetime of VMJ has been hefty. The passing of many of jazz's old guard, the rise and rise of female leaders, the advances in music technology, and the explosion in independent publishing all mean that jazz is in quite a different place today than when VMJ launched back in 2002. VMJ has moved with the times, embracing new talent and new sounds while acknowledging the traditional roots of the music. Continue reading...
Michael Mordecai: The Man Who Keeps Austin Jazz Moving
Michael Mordecai has spent decades inside the machinery of Austin jazz: on the bandstand, behind the phone, at the booking desk, in the contractor's chair and in the community rooms where musicians, venues and advocates try to keep the music visible. His work has never fit neatly into a single category. Mordecai is a trombonist, bandleader, contractor, booking professional and civic-minded organizer, but his broader role may be more important than any one title. He is one of the people who connects the scene. That kind of work can be difficult to see from the audience side of the room. A listener hears the band, the groove, the soloist and the room. Behind it are musicians being called, contracts being negotiated, venues being cultivated, arts organizations trying to survive, students moving into professional life and older players trying to keep the flame from going out. Continue reading...
In From the Beginning: New Orleans Music History with Deacon John Moore
Well, you know, growing up I was the golden boy of the family, because I could sing. I recall my mother singing arias from operas to herself while doing housework and playing classical and popular music on the piano in our home while taking care of the kids—13 of us all together. Her background was classical piano and church music too. She was the salutatorian at Xavier University. Aside from classical music and opera, my mother liked popular music as well as a little country music too. Like many of her generation, she was not big on rhythm and blues or rock and roll. But after some time, she did learn to love B.B. King. And she adored Satchmo too. Continue reading...
Songs of the Week
Two rhythmically rich compositions rooted in distinct cultural traditions—West African in one case, Brazilian in the other "Extinct Man" by Digba Ogunbiyi
L I S T E N
Album Information
Title: Stay StillRecord Label: AKÌLÒ Music
Released: 2026
"Mi Jarana" by Gabriel Espinosa
L I S T E N
Album Information
Title: The Brazilian ProjectRecord Label: Origin Records
Released: 2026
Top Songs
The songs below represent the most heard in the past four weeks. View the Song of the Day archive. No Entiendo From the album Consenso By Sal La Rocca |  The Lucky Hustle & The Side Show Shuffle From the album The Lucky Hustle & The Side Show Shuffle By Billy Brandt |  Fire And Rain From the album Invisible Piano By John Beasley |  Crazy World of Love From the album Crazy World of Love By Louise Alexandra |
 Chain of Hopes From the album Projections By Ilija Nikolic |  One for Joe From the album Retrospective By Carl Clements |  Melusina From the album Jazz Dreams By Kathy Ingraham |  IT's Gotta B U! From the album It's Gotta B U! By Tony Adamo |
Focus On: Play This!
This week, we shine the spotlight on the staff's Play This! recommendations.Chris Potter: Osawatomie Brown (listen); T. Lavitz: No Time Flat (listen); Virginia MacDonald: Last Call at Dimitri's (listen); Ben Flocks: Moon and Sand (listen); Marc Johnson's Right Brain Patrol: Samurai Hee Haw (listen); Simon Moullier: Iron Giant (listen); Gary Husband: Celestial Terrestrial Commuters (listen); Band Of Other Brothers: Bar Fight (listen); Benjamin Herman: NRFS (listen); Dida Pelled: Blues in the Night (listen); Bill Evans: Nardis (listen).
Choice Content
Ellen Pieroni: Balancing Act for a Life in Music (read); Rafael Enciso: Bassist Intends To Search, Remember And Evolve (read); The Life and Times of South African Jazz (read); Mr. Moonlight: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles By Philip Norman (read); Remembering James Blood Ulmer: The Incognito Bluesman (read); Meet John Chacona (read); Standards, Expertise and the Art of Judgment (read); Michael Feinstein and the U.S. Marine Corps Band at The Music Center at Strathmore (read); Mujician: Keith Tippett—The Authorised Biography by Martin Phillips (read); Laurie Moore Trio at Leith Jazz & Blues Festival (read).
Radio & Podcasts
Tune into our extensive collection of quality programs every week.
The Stereo Image: Dave Jemilo: The Green Mill (listen); The Outer View: Flea, Dave Douglas and Sonny Rollins (RIP) (listen); The Tonearm: Stephen Emmer: Composing At The Edge Of Silence (listen); Mondo Jazz: Virginia MacDonald, David Sánchez, Marta Sánchez, Rachele Amore & More (listen); Exploration: Classics from Mingus, Della Reese, Ted Curson, and others; New music from Nat Reeves, David Sanchez, Eliane Elias, and others (listen); Jazz Crumbs: Miho Hazama, People In Orbit, Joel Lyssarides, Peter Erskine & more (listen); A Broad Spectrum: Duchess, Suzanne Pittson, Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kemuel Roig, Eve Cornelious, Chuck Bergeron & More (listen); One Man's Jazz: Tyshawn Sorey, Benoit Delbecq, Enten Eller & James Wengrow (listen); JazzNow: Five new releases from the Helen Sung Big Band, Michael Dease Big Band, Brad Goode, Robyn Spangler and the Django Festival All-Stars (listen); Neon Jazz: Ben Patterson, Robyn Spangler, Michael Dease, Jun Iida & Helen Sung (listen); Mondo Jazz: Simon Moullier, André Fernandes, Eleonora Strino, Alexis Cuadrado & More (listen); The Jazz Disturbance: Duchess, Chuck Bergeron, Le Boeuf Brothers, Fjall (listen); Jazz Connections: Miles the Composer: Jazz Musicians play Miles. Part 1: The early tunes (listen); Live At The Bop Stop: Forecast Presents: A Tribute to Roy Ayers (listen); The Stereo Image: Russ Gold: Drummer Extraordinaire and Long Time Friend of Jonesy (listen); Ben Boddie On Jazz: Richard Baratta, Emmet Cohen, Paul Hecht, Eve Cornelious and more (listen); Jazz Bastard: Frankly, Mr. Bastard (listen); World of Jazz: New Music From Miho Hazama, Arturo Sandoval, Elsa Nilsson And More (listen); Rotations: Patricia Brennan, Sylvie Courvoisier, Janek van Laak, Jeff Parker and more (listen).
News Announcements
Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, special events and more. View all recent announcements.
Harp Virtuoso Alex Chang To Release New Album Abandon (read); Over $3.5 Billion and Counting: Songwriters, Are You Collecting Your Streaming Royalties? (read); JazzWeek Radio Chart: June 15, 2026 (read); New CD Release 'Ascension: A Brazilian Music Fantasy Vol. 2' From Steve & Lori Rose Adorno (read); Bob Mintzer Featured On New Tokyo Skinny Boys Single TokyoNOW!, Limited 7-inch Vinyl Pre-order Now Open (read); Tix Available For July Shows At Smoke Jazz Club Featuring Vocalists Tierney Sutton, Jane Monheit And René Marie, And More (read).
Got news? Share it in our newsletter and on our website. Learn how, here.
Posted to All About Jazz Newsletter IN THE All About Jazz GROUP
Read more posts by Michael Ricci
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