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.

Here's a playlist featuring musicians paying tribute to where they come from, geographically or artistically... The playlist features Emiliano D'Auria; Dayna Stephens; Charles Lloyd; Jérémie Lucchese; James Newton. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [from "Chasing the Flicker" to "Reincarnation of a Lovebird"]. Happy listening! Photo: Evan Goldstein.

Enjoy an episode that revolves around projects that forge compelling bridges between jazz and African music, from Benin to Madagascar, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia. The playlist features Nicolas Genest, Chris Potter; Raphaël Pannier, Khadim Niang; Aka Moon, Doudou N'Diaye Rose; Clément Janinet, Mah Damba; Dhafer Youssef; Bobo & Behaja. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21657081/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Rafoza Manday Tandra"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy a selection featuring A-listers who know how to collaborate and set their egos aside, plus an unearthed live gem from Horace Silver. The playlist also features Lakecia Benjamin, Patrick Zimmerli, SFJAZZ Collective & Horace Silver. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [from "Samba e ammore" to "The Great Lie"]. Happy listening!

Mighty albums documenting live performances of ambitious creativity, and artists that turned their interest in different, often faraway cultures are at the heart of this compelling playlist. The playlist features Amirtha Kidambi, KNOBIL, Mattias Risberg, Maria Pia de Vito & Henri Texier. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [from "Samba e ammore" to "The Great Lie"]. Happy listening!

Here is your weekly antidote to background music, where we lean in, listen close, and find what’s truly worth hearing. And there's plenty of gems worth hearing in here, with a special focus on remarkable singers like Rufus Wainwright, Theo Bleckmann and Terry Callier. The playlist also features Tineke Postma, Anne Mette Iversen, Theo Croker and Sullivan Fortner. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21516856/Mondo-Jazz [up to "As We Are"]. Photo credit: Tony Hauser.

Whether born in the heart of Detroit, captured in the stillness of a London church at night, or inspired by cinematic visions of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota, the music in this playlist invites you into sound worlds that captivate and reward at every turn. The playlist features Dave McMurray; Don Was, The Pan-Detroit Ensemble; Kenny Barron; Trond Kallevåg [pictured]; Bill Laurance; Kenny Burrell; and John O'Gallagher.. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21481826/Mondo-Jazz [from "The Jungaleers" onwards]. Happy listening!

Here is a playlist that gives the drummers some, actually more than some as it focuses exclusively on records released by remarkable modern drummers, and composers/bandleaders like Makaya McCraven, Sam Ospovat, and Johnathan Blake. The playlist features Jonathan Blake; Makaya McCraven [pictured]; and Sam Ospovat. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21481826/Mondo-Jazz [from "Last Breath" to "American Talent"]. Happy listening!

Another episode of Mondo Jazz, another constellation of global musical connections — spanning Morocco to India, Basque to Arabic traditions, and the space where classical and world influences meet. The playlist features Saha Gnawa [pictured], Donny McCaslin; Makiko Hirabayashi; Louis Sclavis; Amir ElSaffar; Roberto Ottaviano. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21481826/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Gabriel's Message"]. Happy listening!

Artists stepping outside their usual terrain, and others that go deep in the one they're familiar with, take center stage in this week’s selection of standout release. The playlist features Boz Scaggs; Daniel Santiago; Camille Bertault [pictured]; Andrea Molinari; David Kikoski; Orchestre National de Jazz, Ensemble Intercontemporain. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21447060/Mondo-Jazz [from "Angel Eyes" onwards]. Happy listening! Photo: Marco Mertens

Cultural roots—and our shared roots on this planet—tie together the projects featured in this playlist of recent and soon-to-land treasures. The playlist features Igor Lumpert; Tarun Balani; Fergus McCreadie; Laura Jurd; Gianni Coscia [pictured]; Robin Fincker, Janick Martin; Vincent Courtois, Colin Vallon. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21447060/Mondo-Jazz [from "Sures" to "Done and Done"]. Happy listening! Photo: Roberto Cifarelli

Welcome back to our weekly dispatch of recent and upcoming releases—where recent and upcoming isn’t a marketing catchphrase but living proof that jazz keeps surpassing expectations, along with our sheer ability to keep up. The playlist features Luca Curcio [pictured]; Alison Shearer; Steiger; David Binney, Tommy Crane; Dave Harrington, Jay Bellerose, Billy Mohler; John Scofield, Dave Holland; and Marcus Gilmore. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21447060/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Journey to the New"]. Happy listening! Photo: Juliane Schütz.

Mike Stern-powered debut albums, pastoral projects, and a J.J. Cale-tinged antidote to worry wmake up a playlist well worth your time. The playlist features Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley, Brian Blade; Juan Chiavassa [pictured], Mike Stern, John Patitucci, Leo Genovese, Pedrito Martinez, Federico Gonzalez Peña; Bob Schlesinger; Shuteen Erdenebaatar, Nils Kugelmann; Wakan; Seth Walker. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21377743/Mondo-Jazz [from "Roll" onwards]. Happy listening!

Here is another dispatch of fresh new releases at the intersection of high-octane energy, cinematic vibes and much awaited returns. The playlist features New Cool Collective; Vladimir Kostadinovic; La Tanya Hall [pictured]; Gary Bartz NTU Troop, Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Nile Rodgers; Johan Lindström; and Zack Lober. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21377743/Mondo-Jazz [from "Ms. Wilson" to "Landscape"]. Happy listening!

Enjoy another playlist where we trade the same-old standards for future ones, which hopefully you’ll be discovering here first. The playlist features Oddjob; Daniel Zimmermann; Hanna Paulsberg [pictured], Elin Rosseland; Federico Calcagno, The Dolphians; Harper Trio; and Simon Chivallon. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21377743/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Les Passantes"]. Happy listening!

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. The playlist features Gregg Belisle-Chi; Henry Threadgill; Jakob Bro, Wadada Leo Smith [pictured], Marilyn Crispell, Andrew Cyrille; Marcus Gilmore; Sylvie Courvoisier; Anna Sophia Defant. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21343440/Mondo-Jazz [from "Sorry" onwards]. Happy listening!

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. The playlist features Rabbath Electric Orchestra; Kurt Elling, Christian Sands, Marquis Hill; Rico Jones [pictured]; John Taylor, Marc Johnson, Joey Baron; Liv Andrea Hauge; Tommy Smith, Gwilym Simcock. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21343440/Mondo-Jazz [from "66 Grand Street" to "Weathered"]. Happy listening!

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. The playlist features The 8-Bit Big Band; Tino Tracanna; Rin Seo [pictured]; Webber/Morris Big Band; Yuhan Su; and The Circling Sun. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/21343440/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Erzulie"]. Happy listening!